WOW. We’ve done it! Ten whole weeks of collecting and weighing scraps, reporting data, filling up compost bins, and helping keep food out of the Rockbridge landfill. This week is our last data submission but just the beginning of a composting way of life. May we all go forth with a new habit, a new fulfilling activity, and a new way of feeling empowered.
It can be tough as individuals to feel we can make a difference, but when individuals come together we can do so much. Like our young friend Rylee Bachman (age 3) above, let’s take a look at our collective efforts so far.
Main discovery: our diversion totals consistently run a little over 400 lbs each week. That means by the end of the 10-week project we will have kept more than 4,000 lbs of food waste out of the landfill. That’s about two tons!
Two tons is the same weight as two Great White Sharks. Or two 1979 Volkswagen Beetles. Or even two of the Liberty Bell. The two-ton accomplishment also puts us right on par with last spring’s Backyard Compost Challenge totals. As the final congratulatory blog from the 2021 Challenge points out, that two ton total is “equivalent to preventing release of more than a ton of greenhouse gas emissions.” Talk about making a difference.
But the impact keeps growing. If it took just 10 weeks for 85 households to keep two tons of waste out of landfills, what can we do in a year? 52 weeks/year x average 400 lbs of food scraps/wk = 20,800 lbs of food waste diverted. That’s 10.4 tons. Quite the heap of sharks, Volkswagens, and Liberty Bells. Not to mention the 5+ tons of landfill methane emissions prevented from just 85 composting families.
The project now has two years of composting data and the findings are remarkably consistent. We now know that on average a local household generates about 5 pounds of food waste per week. This reliable data helps us understand the scope of food waste in Rockbridge – and the opportunities that await for addressing it. Quick back-of-the-envelope calculations. There are about 35,000 folks living in the Rockbridge area. Estimate 10,000 3-person households x 5 lbs of food waste/wk x 52 weeks = 26,000,000 lbs per year. That’s a lot of compost potential!
What we’re really trying to say with all these numbers and comparisons is THANK YOU. Thank you for your time, effort, commitment, and enthusiasm. Thank you for setting aside time to be a part of this study, and for contributing data that helps us discern next steps. In a country where a third of the food produced gets wasted and in a world with increasing climate challenges it is vitally important to tread lightly on this Earth. We here at Boxerwood are so thankful to have found a community of folks who feel the same way. Thank you for making the world a better place, one compost pail at a time.
Onwards, Earth Stewards!
