By Holly Shuss, Administrative Manager
Here at the Teton Conservation District (TCD), our mission is to work with the community to conserve natural resources for the health and benefit of people and the environment. We are thrilled to announce the launch of a new internal program that embodies our mission with direct action and is easily replicable for businesses throughout Teton County. Allow us to introduce our in-office food waste composting program, in partnership with Teton County Integrated Solid Waste & Recycling (ISWR).
Let’s take a moment to talk about the benefits of food waste composting:
1) Reducing greenhouse gases: Food-waste left to decompose in landfills releases methane gas, a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.
2) Conserving land: By diverting organic waste, we extend the lifespan of municipal landfills, conserving valuable space and land.
3) Recycling nutrients: Composting recycles nutrient rich organic matter back into the soil, enhancing the soil’s water holding capacity and increasing soil microbes that nourish and foster plant growth.
4) Using fewer chemicals: Nutrient-rich compost can be used in local food production and landscaping. This allows individuals to reduce their reliance on chemical applications that pollute water, soil, air, and can harm living organisms.
This collection bin is where residents deposit their food waste for composting at ISWR's recycling center located at 3270 S Adams Canyon Road.
TCD has long been a supporter of ISWR and its composting programs. Over a decade ago, TCD helped purchase a woodchipper to process wood waste into compost. We then funded a pilot program to begin hauling food waste from commercial vendors to ISWR for composting. In 2022, we provided funding to kickstart the Residential Composting Food-Waste Program at ISWR, which has gained momentum and has already diverted thousands of pounds of food waste that would have otherwise ended up in landfills.
The ISWR Residential Food-Waste Composting program currently accepts food-waste only, allowing residents to dispose of 5-gallons or less for $2 per bucket. Compost must be brought to the recycling center between 9 am and 5 pm, Monday through Friday. Recently, ISWR introduced a punch card program. After 10 punches, residents receive a free bag of compost from Terra Firma Organics, the company managing ISWR’s compost program, serving as both an incentive and a way to give back to residents participating in the program. Visit here for more details on both residential and commercial food-waste composting through ISWR.
Now, back to TCD’s in-office composting program.
We have a 5-gallon bucket for collecting our office’s food scraps, and we also encourage staff to bring in their food waste from home to add to the bucket on collection day. Once a week, we transport the full bucket to ISWR. (Pro-tip: We use compostable bags to line the bucket, making transferring food waste tidy and odor free). This program benefits our employees by reducing individual trips to the recycling center. We take pride in providing a convenient avenue for our team to divert food waste, which strongly aligns with our mission.
5-gallon buckets full of food waste from multiple locations across Teton County, on their way to ISWR.
This month, we have teamed up with Teton County’s Sustainability Coordinator, Erik Kimball, and his notable efforts to expand composting in the community. Erik strategically places 5-gallon buckets at various Teton County offices and 15 other partner locations, collecting them weekly. In the last six months, Erik’s weekly trips have already diverted over 1100 lbs. of food waste! We are very grateful to be a part of Erik’s pickup route and want to highlight the significant impact of his vision to make composting more accessible.
ISWR supports this group pick-up model because it increases participation in the Residential Self-Haul Compost Program. Plans are underway to establish more community compost drop-off sites. We're excited to witness the continued evolution and growth of this program and invite more residents to participate. Join us in our efforts to enhance our ecosystem's health for the benefit of our community by composting!