Mehuron's is collecting food waste and unsellable (and past date) foods
and the Barn Door Restaurant is likewise collecting and separating
compostable foods for collection. The collected food wastes will be
composted in Moretown by the GROW Compost Company.
This is important for several reasons. First, it removes the amount of
food waste that will go into landfills and decompose, releasing
greenhouse gas emissions. This saves landfill space and life spans and -
locally - prolongs the amount of time Moretown will receive tipping
fees from the local landfill.
Second, rather than filling up landfills, this food waste will be turned
into locally sourced and produced compost that can be added to area
gardens and farm rows to enhance food production.
Third, and perhaps most significant, programs such as this recognize the
interconnectedness of those who eat, sell, grow and purchase the food.
It's the same circle and we are all somewhere on it whether we are
shopping at Mehuron's, planting our garden with locally produced compost
or eating dinner at a restaurant that buys its produce locally and
recycles its compostable materials locally.
What is going on locally is a small version of what is happening on a
larger scale in other parts of the country. Some metropolitan areas in
the Northwest have begun municipal composting programs, requiring
residents to separate food waste from recyclable materials and other
non-recyclable trash. The right to collect the food waste and turn it
into compost (black gold) is sold to contractors who are able to parlay
that into revenue.
One good start to closing the loop of the rampant, reckless wastefulness
that has characterized American consumerism and consumptionism might be
to start with food waste.
{loadnavigation}
