ICAW Poster Contest

Published by Shadiah Nassanga

Deadline: November 1, 2024
Open to: age 14 and older
Benefits: Prize is $500 and the winning design is used as the official ICAW 2025 poster – sent to thousands of people.

Description

Each year, the International Compost Awareness Week Committee holds a poster contest to pick a design for the annual poster. There is always a new theme for ICAW, which is highlighted on the poster as well as that year’s dates. ICAW is always held the first full week of May. The dates for 2025 are May 4 – 10. The poster contest is open to anyone from anywhere in the world age 14 or older. The prize for winning the contest is $500.

Sustainable Communities Begin with Compost! is the ICAW theme for 2025. This theme was chosen with the goal of highlighting composting in all kinds of communities at any scale – from backyard home composter, to community composters, to large-scale facilities to all those who recognize the many benefits of using compost on our soils.  As has been done for the past several years, the theme was chosen by all of the international partners who are part of the International Compost Alliance – making it truly an international theme.  This year’s theme was inspired by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #11 “Sustainable Cities and Communities: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.”

From navigating skyscrapers to the far-reaching fields of corn or forested acres of rural America, composting is an essential element in developing a sustainable resources management plan for any community. Composting empowers communities to manage their own waste, create job opportunities and support healthy soils with locally-made compost. The theme highlights that when we’re repurposing the food that would go into the landfill, we’re creating fresh nutrients for the soil, which regenerates the earth and provides healthier food for everyone in the community. Composting is an action everyone can participate in, no matter the size of your home, garden, or community! Together, through the power of compost, we can create a more sustainable future for our communities!

Eligibility

Eligible Regions: Open for all

REQUIREMENT CHECKLIST

    • Only One Entry Per Person
    • Size is 12” wide X 18” vertical (this is in inches)
    • Resolution is 300 dpi in jpg format
    • Poster contains the theme name: Sustainable Communities Begin with Compost!
    • Poster contains the words: International Compost Awareness Week
    • Poster contains the date: May 4 – 10, 2025
    • Do not add additional words to your poster. Only the theme and International Compost Awareness Week and May 4-10, 2025 are allowed. Any changes to those words or additions will automatically eliminate your entry.
    • If you have a photograph as part of your poster, please confirm that either you took the photo or you have obtained legal rights to use the photo.
    • Important to know before you start your design, posters cannot be an AI generated design. Any AI designed posters will be eliminated.

Benefits

    • Composting reduces methane emissions through aerobic managed decomposition providing for a more sustainable community.
    • Composting lowers greenhouse gasses by improving carbon sequestration in the soil. Getting the carbon back into the soil serves as a “carbon bank,” helping to store carbon thereby removing it from the atmosphere.
    • Compost provides essential nutrients for plants, promoting vibrant gardens and farms. Healthier soil leads to healthier, more nutritious food for our communities.
    • Compost use increases the water-holding capacity of our soils; important as our communities are more and more often seeing drought and or intense rain events causing soil runoff and erosion.
    • Community Gardens and Green Spaces: Compost plays a vital role in community gardens, fostering green spaces that provide fresh produce, recreational opportunities, and community gathering places.

How to apply?

You must complete the online entry form application and checklist, and submit your poster online.

For more information please visit the official website.