Starting a community composting and recycling company

Don't just sit there like a bump on a log, Mark Twain, 1863 
I mentioned in a previous post, Going Zero Waste, that, since moving to a different town, I've been frustrated by the lack of recycling and municipal composting options. For starters, there's no curbside recycling pickup. This is manageable because the transfer station for recycling drop off is relatively close to my house. The downside is that the recycling options are fairly abysmal - meaning, there's no paper, glass or plastic recycling (except soda bottles).

Time to Study!

Additionally, there's no curbside yard waste or food waste pickup. There is free yard waste recycling at the transfer station. However, you have to have the right kind of vehicle to successfully drop off the kind of yard waste most households tend to generate. In other words, my tiny Fiat, Luigi, can't help out here. And, there is no food waste composting allowed.

What's a poor environmentalist to do under such circumstances? Well, if you're a Crunchy Chicken, you start your own community Food Waste Composting and Recycling company! We're very much in the early days, but I'll be chronicling what we're up to.

How did this start?
One of my neighbors, Brian, saw my post on feeding my downed apples to my friend's pigs and reached out to me to discuss what work he was doing in the community with harvesting fruit for local food banks and what to do with food waste. We spent a lot of time discussing the above mentioned issues and, over the last month, have started planning and framing out a business plan. We're also meeting with quite a number of members of the community who are very interested and want to participate in some capacity, either by using our services, or helping us with their ideas.

The plan
Right now, we're looking into several different sites. One for a drop-off demonstration food waste composting site and the second for a much larger composting operation. We're also researching our options for providing recycling pickup to residents.

At this point, we're initially planning on offering curbside food waste pickup to residents of Roslyn for a monthly fee, with the option of receiving back finished compost. There's also the option for food waste drop-off at the demonstration site for those outside our service area. In the future, the plan is to sell compost at the local farmers market as well as at a local retailer.

"Fruit Waste to Farms"

We'll also be working with local farmers starting this spring to develop a program for connecting chicken and pig farmers with downed fruit this summer. There are so many fruit trees in this town and the amount of downed fruit generated is rather shocking.

I'd much rather have food get consumed by animals first, with composting food scraps second. I'm calling it our "Fruit Waste to Farms" program and would love to have participants in the program who are donating their fruit receive eggs or meat as part of the service. 

Finally, we'd like to offer glass recycling pickup while we are at it. I'm working with my contacts in Solid Waste for becoming a glass recycling supplier, but that plan is further out. Ideally, we'd also like to provide recycling pickup options while we're picking up in the neighborhood. And, eventually, pickup by bicycle or a used cooking oil biofuel truck is on the horizon.

What's next?
Like I said, we're still very much in the planning stage and getting our ideas and services lined up. We're hoping to be offering services starting in February of 2020. There's a lot of work to be done, but I'll be keeping you posted on the nitty gritty here.

If you want to follow our Facebook page, you can do so here at SwiftCycle Composting Company.

Going Zero Waste

Garbage. I'm going to be talking about this a lot, so bear with me. When I was living in Seattle we could seemingly recycle and compost nearly everything. Paper, plastic, glass, yard waste, food waste, newspaper, tin, aluminum. You name it, we recycled it - our garbage pickup can for years was the tiny little can.

Just the jugs, ma'am

Since moving to Kittitas County, I've had a major culture shock. For starters, there's no curbside recycling pickup which, in many ways, is actually a good thing because you are forced to really analyze what you are recycling since you have to sort it before it goes into the one of the many large containers.

You are less likely to indulge in "aspirational recycling" where you throw everything that looks kinda recyclable into the bin and hope it gets handled downstream. Usually, what that means is that any contaminated recycling ends up contaminating the batch and the whole thing goes in the landfill. Neat, huh? I'm super guilty of aspirational recycling, so I'm not going to pretend otherwise.

Additionally, since your recycling is being stored and transported by you, you are going to make damn sure it is clean. No, limp-wristed, half-asseded swirling out of the containers before tossing it in the bin. That tuna can is gonna be clean before it goes in my trunk. Unclean recyclables is one of the many reasons that municipal recycling is being cut down at the knees - there's no foreign market for our dirty crap.

On the other hand, not having curbside recycling makes it super tempting to just throw everything in the trash. I am in no way tempted to do this - I have nervous fits throwing out recyclables. Which leads me to The Consumer's Dilemma (channeling Michael Pollan here). Kittitas County has an abysmal recycling program. The only things we can recycle here are:

• cardboard
• plastic pop bottles and plastic milk jugs
• tin cans
• aluminum cans
• newspaper, magazines

My favorite place to visit

That's right - no glass, no paper, no plastic (except for the soda bottles and jugs). And don't get me started on food waste. Which means I really have to rethink what I'm buying, bringing into the house and what I can potentially reuse. Glass recycling just ended at the beginning of October and it pains me to throw out bottles. Same thing with plastic.

So, I'm going to be concentrating over the next few months on alternatives to throwing things in the waste stream, including composting. And, of course, I'll be sharing with you all what I'm doing for alternatives, what works, what doesn't and what totally sucks. Plus, peppering everything with information on the state of recycling in the U.S., just for your edification.

Mandatory composting

I recently learned that San Francisco has a mandatory compost recycling law for all households, commercial properties and food vendors. The law went into effect last October and stipulates that everyone in San Francisco must separate their refuse into recyclables, compostables, and trash and that all property owners are required to maintain and pay for adequate refuse service.

What kind of enforcement is there? Well, the basics of it are they will issue warnings at first if the property is non-compliant. The next step would be to refuse to empty a cart until the problem is resolved. The worst case would be that the city may consider liens, fines, and other fees. Fines can go up to $1,000, but may not exceed $100 for small generators. The city will not create liens without a hearing or issue fines without warnings.

Sounds pretty reasonable to me and not that much different than what we have going in Seattle (minus the mandatory and fines part). We've been doing the food waste composting for a few years now and last year they expanded the service to include meat, fish and dairy. So, between food waste recycling and regular recycling, very little gets thrown out at our house anymore.

In fact, I'm so used to food waste recycling (which I also have at work), it pains me to throw food out. When we were visiting family in San Diego over Christmas, where they don't have food waste recycling offered by the city, it pained me to throw food waste out in the garbage. Like physically made me uncomfortable. If I didn't already have too much crap in our luggage I would have taken it back with me if it were feasible. But, I'm not that crazy so we didn't.

I have the same problem when we go to cafes that don't offer composting bins, although we tend to stick with ones that do. At restaurants, I can't tell if food waste going back to the kitchen is getting composted or not. But, you'll be interested to hear that when we went out for breakfast on Saturday (which is a huge rarity) I packed containers and took my leftovers home with me. In fact, there was so much food served with my breakfast, I spent the rest of the day eating from it. No wonder we have a weight problem in this country. But, that's another story altogether.

Why are municipalities requiring or offering food waste recycling? Because it saves them money by diverting food from the waste stream, particularly since there is a viable, sellable product being produced out of it at the end. The other benefits are reducing waste going to the landfill which helps in conserving water energy and natural resources. As such, they work in partnerships with composting companies and get some financial benefit for doing so. For example, in Seattle yard waste collection and composting fees per ton cost one-half of waste disposal service fees.

So, with that in mind, do you think that all states should have a mandatory composting law? Assume that it is feasible for the cities to implement.

Should composting be mandatory nationwide?



Feel free to leave your thoughts on the matter in the comments.

Super exciting recycling news!

I'm sure this won't be as exciting to anyone else (unless you live in Seattle), but we are now getting food waste pickup weekly at the end of the month and can put in delightful waste such as meat, fish, dairy and bones.

Our recycling is also being extended to include foil, foil trays, jar lids, plastic plant pots, paper and plastic cups! I don't care about the latter because I never use paper and plastic cups, but I do accrue a lot of plastic plant pots (which I've been saving) and the occasional foil from baking that irks me to no end that we can't recycle it. Lids from glass jars are also highly exciting for me.

So, let me tell you, I really am pleased with these changes and I can't think of too many other things that I would like them to accept (within reason). I'm in collection services hog heaven!

What kind of items would you like to be able to put out in the recycling that you can't now? Do you have food waste recycling and, if so, do you use it? If not, do you want it?

Wherein I air my dirty laundry

It's been a while since I've covered any of the personal changes I've made whilst trying to live a little lighter on the Earth. Well, if you don't count my fixation of peeing all over my plants. For the most part, we've been discussing general topics and I'd like to share with you a recent change I've made.

Let me tell you, I'm most excited about this one. Let me also forewarn you that this is probably more information than you want to hear but, as usual, I'll spare no expense as there are always others out there wondering about the what ifs.

I've been hearing a lot lately about people switching over to non-aluminum based deodorants rather than the standard antiperspirant products. One of the alternatives that people are trying is the crystal deodorant rock.

Now, while I wouldn't mind rubbing The Rock on my armpits or other sweaty areas, I've been doubtful that it will help much with perspiration. And, I don't think he'll fit in my bathroom cabinet.

Anyway, many switch products to reduce the amount of packaging and plastic and many do it for health reasons, believing that the ingredients in standard antiperspirants are harmful. Some people believe that these ingredients may lead to breast cancer or may contribute to Alzheimer's. While none of these claims, as yet, have been backed up by any existing scientific or medical evidence, people are avoiding these products just in case.

I've been intrigued by other's experiences with the crystal, but haven't had the courage to try it. Until now. You see, the chemo my husband is on (or, rather, the four drug combo) has been causing him to have a severe reaction to the Ban roll-on that he's been using forever.

So, he went out and bought a Crystal Body Deodorant, mostly because it claims that it is recommended by Cancer Treatment Centers. I'll let you go through the trouble of reading how it works, but just know that there are a number of different manufacturers that make them and they come in a rock format as well as roll-on. Obviously, The Rock is going to have less plastic involved with it.

I was eyeballing this little gem in the bathroom for about a week before I got the nerve to give it a try. Under controlled circumstances. In other words, on a day when I knew I would be home. With backup nearby. And perhaps a blowtorch.

Now, let me back up and share a little too much about my lifelong challenge with antiperspirants. I come from a long line of highly sweaty individuals. Ever since, well puberty, perspiration has been an enormous problem for me. I've tried a bajillion different antiperspirant combinations over the years and finally settled on using Mitchum as it was pretty much the only stuff that would keep things under control. Barely.

I am not the type of person that can wear a shirt more than once. Something combines with my sweat and the ingredients in these products and creates a hazardous substance that is impossible to remove. In other words, I destroy clothes. If I wanted to get the stains out of my shirts I need to use a bike chain degreaser. Or a pair of scissors. There. Now you know. I've aired what little dirty laundry I have.

So, while I've been reading about other people trying out these alternative methods, I'm thinking, yeah, right. There's no way. It probably works for those non-sweating, hairless people who can wear a shirt for a week straight and no one will notice. I can barely wear a shirt for more than a few hours and I'm ready to change it. Why, God, why?

But, I digress. Let me just tell you that underarm sweating has been the bane of my existence. I cannot wear white. Are you getting the extent of the picture yet, because I really don't want to draw it anymore.

Well, last week I tried it out and holy shit, I can't stop sniffing my pits. No, seriously! Usually a couple hours after taking a shower and applying antiperspirant I start smelling a little. Usually just a mix of whatever fragrance is in the stuff I'm using and a little sweat. Nothing bad, mind you, but there's a smell there.

With this stuff there is nothing. Absolutely nothing. Nada. Zilch. Not a whiff of fragrance, pit or anything. It's a fucking miracle. Even after weeding in the garden in the sun for the afternoon, it's a regular sniff-fest around here.

My armpits are so delightful, you can eat off of them and lick them clean!

If you've been thinking of giving the crystal a try, but have been afraid that it wouldn't meet your stink standards, I am hereby endorsing this elixir of the gods. Your pits will thank you. And so will the person sitting next to you on the bus this summer.

What do you use? Does it work and do you like it?

Food waste at work

A while back I wrote about what I did with my food waste that I generated at work. For those that don't know, I have been diligently packing it up in my reusable containers and taking it home with me to compost at home.

We do have a bin for a worm composting system, but you have to cut things up in such tiny pieces before putting it in there, that I usually don't have time to stand in the lunchroom chopping up my apple cores and banana peels with the incredibly dull knives we have in there. I figured I'd get some on-the-job injury after slicing off a few fingers and then how would I be able to blog? I mean, really.

Well, hoot-de-hoo! Starting Monday we's a' gonna have food waste compost pick-up at work. Are you jealous! Huh, are you? Well, you should be.

Our property management is working with Tully's and Cedar Grove Organics Recycling to get the program under way. A compost container will be placed in each kitchen along with information outlining which items are acceptable for composting.

Some compostable items are:

Coffee grounds, filters and tea bags

Kitchen paper towels

Paper napkins

Table scraps and plate scrapings

Fruits and vegetables

Tully’s coffee cups (no lids)

Why compost?
Materials collected for composting will be composted in King County instead of being sent by rail to a landfill in Oregon. The finished compost holds water and air in the soil which improves soil health and reduces the need for watering. Composting reduces the amount of material sent to a landfill and the finished compost filters rainwater and controls erosion which results in healthier salmon streams.

Apparently, "composting 16.8 tons of food waste and soiled kitchen paper rather than sending it to a landfill avoids 7 metric tons of greenhouse gases per year." Well, I can't complain about that! This is going to be soooo much more convenient than dragging my food scraps home with me.

One last thing. The picture I have on this post that I found online under "food waste" shows a heap of food that is still edible. Or, at the very least, can be used to make vegetable stock or something else. Yeesh.



If you throw out your food waste, would you consider taking it home to compost or otherwise "recycle"?

Lightening the load

I'm finally getting around to selling a bunch of items we no longer use or need. They are mostly kid related. I managed to sell two Britax car seats in the last 24 hours and I've listed a Medela pump as well as a crib to sell.

I'll also be giving away a booster chair and will probably list some Cooshie boosters soon. I have a list of other things I'll try to sell soon when I get a chance.

In the meantime, it's been fun "earning" money for things that have just been sitting in storage in the basement.

Busting Brita's balls

Fake Plastique Fish has taken on a new effort to force responsibility back on Brita for recycling their enormously wasteful water filter cartridges. I'm pretty sure I haven't discussed water filters on my blog since I don't really use them.

I'm more of a tap water gal, even though we have filtered water through our refrigerator. Either way, I'm appalled at the fact that Brita doesn't have a recycling program in the U.S. yet they have one in Europe. This is a point that has always ground my crackers and I'm surprised I never got around to bitching, I mean, blogging about it before.

Anyway, Brita is the #1 water filter in the U.S. and Canada and I'm sure between both countries we blow through tons of water filters that head directly to the landfill to ooze out their chemical goodness.

For those of you who do use water filters, I urge you to reconsider whether or not this is truly necessary. Have you had your water tested? Does it taste bad enough to warrant so much waste? Either way, git on over to the Take Back the Filter site to sign the petition.

Ms. Plastique has also set up a way for you to send her your used filters. It is my understanding that at this time she is only accepting filters from Brita. I'm not suggesting that you switch since you'll have to do something with your old system, but this is a start.

If you're feeling adventurous, you can try to refill the disposable filter. I don't know how easy or safe this is, but thought I'd let you check it out for yourself. I, personally, wouldn't feel comfortable doing this, but that's just me.

This sounds like a great time for a poll! Or two.

Paying for the convenience

I'm not sure whether this will pass the City Council this year, but Seattle mayor Greg Nickels has proposed a 20 cent fee for all disposable bags (paper or plastic) at grocery, convenience and drug stores. If approved, the charge would go into effect on January 1st.

Retailers would keep five cents of the fee to cover the cost of implementing the charge and small businesses that gross less than $1 million a year can keep the entire fee. At this time, the fee would not apply to produce bags or other small bags. Apparently, Seattle residents go through 360 million disposable bags a year, or 600 bags per person.

Nickels also has proposed banning plastic and foam food containers. The proposed ban on foam containers used by the food service industry would include such items as plates, trays, "clamshells" and hot and cold beverage cups used at restaurants, delicatessens, fast food outlets and coffee shops, and meat trays and egg cartons used at grocery stores. The legislation would also require that by July 1, 2010, all food service businesses currently using disposable plastic or plastic-coated paper products to convert to packaging that is compostable or locally recyclable.

The two proposals are part of the city's "zero-waste" strategy to increase recycling and reduce trash. Although plastic bags aren't outright banned (like they are in San Francisco) it's likely that people will switch to reusable so they don't have to pay the fee. It's about time.

Which do you think is better? Charging a nominal fee or outright banning disposable bags?

Buried alive! Preserving garbage for the future

I've been mulling over something that I wanted to get your opinion on.

When I'm sorting through my garbage determining what I can recycle and what has to be thrown out because we don't have the technology or system to deal with those types of materials (many kinds of plastics, aluminum foil, etc.) I fantasize about the garbage going into the landfill to be recovered one day. I believe it's plausible that future generations will have better technology to deal with reusing many of the materials we can't today (or don't because of cost).

Now, call this wishful thinking and perhaps I'm trying to assuage some of the guilt of throwing out those old shampoo bottles or other things we had been given as gifts or just end up buying and using without paying attention to the packaging. But what about the possibility of retrieving these things if and when it gets to the point where new materials aren't likely to be made?

One of the things that strikes me is that when we run out of the cheap barrels of oil that we've relied on for the last fifty-plus years for making plastic, will it become cheaper to try to mine landfills for materials rather than make new ones out of a scarce resource? It may be cheaper to dig through the garbage rather than source new veins of metals and other materials.

If this is a possibility, does it make sense to bury like waste so if this does occur, future generations won't have to scrounge through heaps of food scraps, dirty diapers (although there might be something usable there) and other debris to get at the plastic waste or electronic waste they are mining? In other words, bury similar materials together (all styrofoam here, all e-waste there, etc.).

Of course, I am not suggesting that we not be absolutely careful about what we are using and throwing away, but there does exist a tremendous amount of electronic waste in the form of cell phones, computers, TVs, CFL bulbs, etc. that are chock full of hazardous but potentially valuable metals and other materials. The same thing goes for other types of waste, too.

Does this just further push the problem onto future generations while costing the current ones more for disposal since there would need to be separate containment facilities for each type of material? Or since we can't properly dispose of them anyway, should we charge users more for their disposal and containment?

What do you think?

Putting pillows out to pasture

One of the moms from my son's school asked me a question recently. It turns out she checked out my blog and has a host of questions, so I suspect this is just the start of what I'll call (insert deep announcery voice here):

Kindergarten Blog Fodder

Ok, enough theatrics. Let's get down to bidness.

The question at hand was, "what the hell do I do with old pillows and down comforters?" Or something like that.

The charities that she had contacted don't accept said items. I suspect they probably heard about the headlice outbreak at our school (again! what's with these kids?) and know better. She didn't want to throw them out and she said she didn't have the gumption for repurposing the items into something crafty, so I told her I'd do some crunchy recon and see what's what.

Fortunately, there are a number of options.

The Salvation Army accepts pillow donations and blankets or comforters in some areas. Many homeless shelters will accept donations of pillows and blankets. If you can't find any in your area that accept these donations then check with the local animal shelters. If they don't accept bed pillows, but they do accept dog beds, see below.

You can also try Freecycle or Craigslist. You never know what use someone else can put them to and you might just make some money out of the deal. If none of those options work and the pillow or blanket is made out of down, you can compost the feathers.

For those crafty types, some pillows have innards you can wash and re-stuff. You can even wash the feathers and use them as stuffing for a number of projects. If your local animal shelter accepts dog beds, there are a number of different ways you can use the filling to make your own dog bed for donation.