Walter Wong works in an office; the Social Security office at Federal Plaza in Manhattan to be precise. Walter performs onsite audits for the Social Security Administration. Working with numbers pays the rent, but being a friend to Earth Matter allows him to do things he does not normally do; it also allows to him to step outside the box. He came across the Earth Matter Compost Outpost on Governors Island one summer weekend and it was instant affinity.
Walter has no formal background in sustainability or composting, but the seed was always there. He recycled his cans and bottles, and collected spent batteries on his job, knowing that otherwise their disposal would be misdirected. He worked with a volunteer crew planting sea grasses and creating protective barriers from recycled Christmas trees for erosion control on Long Island beaches.
What does Walter do at Earth Matter? What doesn’t he do? One of Walter’s gifts is his supportive nature. He sifts through the work list, and in his gentle way, takes on the tasks.the question came up, “Is wood a better material than plastic for creating worm nurseries?” The next week Walter provided a recycled wooden wine box to compare wooden to plastic “housing”. In the summer, a gap in the bunny area fencing was discovered. By the end of that day, a solution was achieved. “Additional staffing for the NYHS internship needed next Thursday afternoon?”…. Walter replies, “I will see if I can make it….” Walter’s touch, touches us all.