A GREENER FUTURE FOR KINGSPORT. THAT’S THE GOAL OF CITY OFFICIALS WHO ARE WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH KEEP KINGSPORT BEAUTIFUL IN CREATING A BACKYARD COMPOSTING PILOT PROJECT. UNDER THE INITIATIVE, KINGSPORT AND KKB HAVE PURCHASED 25 COMPOSTING BINS AND SELECTED A NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS FOR TESTING. KINGSPORT HAS BEEN A TREE CITY NOW FOR OVER 22 YEARS. IN ADDITION TO DIVERTING A SIGNIFICANT SUM FROM LANDFILL TOTALS, BACKYARD COMPOSTING OFFERS RESIDENTS A WAY TO SAVE MONEY ON SOIL SUPPLEMENTS FOR LAWNS AND GARDENS AS COMPOSTING TURNS OUT NUTRIENT-RICH SOIL. WHALEY SAID THE CITY HOPES TO PARTNER WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO UNDERWRITE A PORTION OF THE COST OF THE PROGRAM AND TO OFFER COMPOSTING BINS AT A DISCOUNTED RATE TO INTERESTED CITIZENS OF KINGSPORT AND MOUNT CARMEL, AS WELL AS SULLIVAN AND HAWKINS COUNTIES.