RALEIGH, NC —  The ICAW Committee of the Compost Council Research & Education Foundation, is pleased to announce the winning design for ICAW 2020. The winning design was chosen from hundreds of entries sent in from throughout the world. Magnus Kallas of London, England, submitted the design using the theme Soil Loves Compost. He’s a graphic designer, amateur photographer and a fan of urban composting. In his youth he helped his grandparents on their farm before becoming a full-time city dweller. Now located in east London, he re-discovered composting when he started a little window garden of onions, basil and tomato plants and started mixing the soil with leftovers like eggshells, leaves, and peels from fruits and vegetables.

Here’s what Magnus had to say about why he entered the contest, “Doing the artwork for the poster I was thinking about the action that happens on top, around and below the ground with good soil. While a blossoming and seeding onion might be a headache for some farmers, I see it in a more positive way – good soil and happy plants are part of a healthy ecosystem. Hence the bee is happy too. Sustainability is an important part of all our lives.”

International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) is the largest and most comprehensive education initiative of the compost industry. It is celebrated nationwide and in other countries each year during the first full week of May. Started in Canada in 1995, ICAW has continued to grow as more people, businesses, municipalities, schools and organizations are recognizing the importance of composting and the long-term benefits from organics recycling. The goal of the program is to raise the awareness of the public regarding the benefits of using compost to improve or maintain high quality soil, to grow healthy plants, reduce the use of fertilizer and pesticides, improve water quality and protect the environment. The program includes a poster contest, programs at schools and activities and events promoted through governments, public municipalities and local businesses nationwide. Each year a theme is chosen. The theme for ICAW 2020 in the United States is Soil Loves Compost. The dates for 2020 are May 3 – 9. ICAW in the US is a program run by the Composting Council Research & Education Foundation.