Turning Over a New Leaf in Composting

Turning Over a New Leaf in Composting

I am writing to express my whole-hearted support for the Rye Sustainability Committee’s proposed community composting and pilot curbside compost program. I have long encouraged composting; it’s one of the simplest environmentally-friendly practices any individual can adopt.

On average, about two-thirds of all household waste can be composted. Unfortunately, most of those food scraps end up, instead, on landfills or in incinerators. These mainstream methods of waste management create a huge number of environmental problems – from the unnecessary release of methane (a super-charged global warming gas) to air quality and ash contamination issues.

Many members of our community understand the benefits and embrace composting in theory. However, they shy away from adopting it themselves because it can be a daunting undertaking when you’re new to it. Collecting and storing leaves, dealing with your compost barrel once it – quickly – reaches capacity, wondering about balancing nitrogen and carbon inputs, remembering to turn over compost piles… it can feel like a lot to take on, particularly on a neat/compact suburban property.

The beauty of Rye Sustainability Committee’s program is that it takes all of the worry, guess work, and hassle out of composting. It asks you only to collect your kitchen waste and let someone else do the rest.

Beginning in February 2019, RSC plans to begin a pilot program for 150 households in Rye to experience weekly curbside collection of compostable kitchen waste. All food – yes, <all> food – can simply be collected in the containers provided in the composting kits that participants purchase for a one-time fee of ~$25, and then either take to a compost drop-off site or put out for collection once weekly. (Curbside collection participants will pay $1/week for the service.)

Never has doing the right thing by our planet – and the future generations that will inhabit it – been so easy. I encourage our community to let their City Councilmembers know if they support this program.