Underneath Gerlinger Hall, in the dark concrete corridors there is a bright spot of enthusiasm and earthiness that can be found behind the desk.
Rodney Bloom was born and raised in New Jersey. He moved to Oregon in 2000 and has been working with the UO since May 2002. He is the Gerlinger Operations Coordinator here on campus, he but is known throughout Eugene as a prominent figure in the compost community.
“I became interested in composting in 1991 when my girlfriend at the time, now my wife, received a magazine about sustainable living. I flipped through it and found an article on vermicompost. I was excited about the idea and began experimenting with worms,” Bloom said.
Composting is a growing practice of controlled decomposition of organic matter by collecting it into a pile, which breaks down in variety of practices to create soil. This soil can be used to grow harvestable plants and then the cycle can be completed by composting those plants. Composting has become an economical choice of sustainable living. In Rodney’s words, the most simple explanation is “anything that is organic, which is anything that was once alive, can be composted.”
He has been involved with programs such as the Food Waste Diversion Program run by Food For Lane County. Every Saturday morning Rodney can be found in the back lot treating his vermicompost. Through this he has improved his technique and has been able to connect with other avid composters, including students here at UO that may have not even known his involvement in Gerlinger.
One of those students is UO graduate Shawn Anderson. He met Rodney through volunteering at Food for Lane County.
“I consider Rodney to be a friend and a first class human being,” he said.
Bloom even wrote Anderson a recommendation for the PeaceCorp.
“I ended up getting in and I thank him for it. He’s always helping others,” Anderson said.
Bloom hopes to spread awareness and information about the push for sustainability that will ultimately preserve our planet. He accomplishes this by public displays and remaining dynamic in the community.
In addition to Food for Lane County, Rodney is an active volunteer for the Oregon State University Extension Service Master Gardener Program. He conducts classes that train in-home composting and vermicomposting.
“Rodney is very enthusiastic and well spoken. He grasps the audience attention for the entire class. People often stay after and ask him questions,” said Christina Bixel, master gardener program coordinator at OSU.
Bloom also wants to encourage reform for landfills.
“Landfills were an important step, but poorly designed. This industry forced people to look for different solutions, which paved the road to compost,” he said.
Another major organization that Rodney is involved with is the Master Recycler Program where he holds demonstrations with samples.
“After a class with Rodney, people are inspired. He explains it in a way that creates confidence in people,” Master Recycler program coordinator Kelly Bell said. “He is one of our most popular presenters.”
Overall, Bloom hopes to encourage reform that will benefit every living thing.
“Why not manage our waste more responsibly and reap in the benefits? We have not explored the possibilities of organic matter. The possibilities are vast,” Bloom said.