Committee on House Administration Chairman Dan Lungren, R-Calif., recently announced that he has suspended the House composting program after a recent review of the program.
The food composting program started three years ago as part of the
Green the Capitol initiative under the Democratic majority in the House of Representatives and included the use of biodegradable drinking straws and utensils in House cafeterias.
A press aide to John Boehner, the speaker of the House of Representatives, announced the suspension with glee as he tweeted "The new majority %u2013 plasticware is back".
Please sign this petition and tell the GOP that we expect them to set an example when it comes to reducing waste and harmful CO2 emissions! Tell Lungren composting is about more than just keeping waste out of the landfill--it's about closing the loop and creating a cleaner, more efficient future for young Americans.
Dear Committee on House Administration Chairman Dan Lungren,
We, the undersigned of this petition, request that you reverse your sudden decision to suspend the House Composting Program, and bring compostable utensils back to the House cafeterias immediately.
The US Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan
recently stated that biodegradable products "have enormous potential to create green jobs in rural communities, add value to agricultural commodities, decrease environmental impacts, and reduce our dependence on imported oil."
Yet a press aide to John Boehner, the speaker of the House of Representatives, seemed completely ignorant to these benefits as he tweeted on Monday morning: "The new majority %u2013 plasticware is back".
This is a wasteful, glib, and frankly, un-American attitude in a time when many families are struggling to reduce, reuse, and recycle as much as they can.
As a member of our government, we expect you to set an example for the rest of the country. This means acknowledging the varied benefits of composting House waste which include: reduced landscaping costs, eliminating chemical fertilizer use, improved water quality and plant health, and reduced C02 emissions.
Composting is about more than just keeping waste out of the landfill--it's about closing the loop and creating a cleaner, more efficient future for young Americans.
We request that you reevaluate the conflicting message that you're sending America by canceling this program, and reinstate it as quickly as possible.
Thank you,
