It’s easy being green with Compost Winnipeg
By Jim Timlick Photos by Darcy Finley
>> MANITOBANS GENERATE A LOT OF WASTE. In fact, it’s estimated we generate more than 900,000 tonnes of waste annually, with organic matter representing about 40% of that total. A Winnipeg-based social enterprise is working to reduce our residential footprint. Compost Winnipeg was created in 2016 as an arm of the Green Action Centre (GAC), a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization that provides environmental education and solutions for homeowners, workplaces and schools. As part of its service, Compost Winnipeg offers weekly curbside pick-up of compostable materials from single-family homes, as well as some multi-family dwellings.
IT’S VERY EASY AND SIMPLE TO DO AND THAT’S WHY WE THINK IT MAKES SENSE FOR A GROWING NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
Families can sign up online at compostwinnipeg.ca and choose a monthly ($35 a month) or annual subscription ($360 per year). “It’s basically just like your regular garbage collection,” says Compost Winnipeg general manager Robin Bryan. “It’s very easy and simple to do and that’s why we think it makes sense for a growing number of people.” Growing is the operative word. Since its inception, Compost Winnipeg has grown from a handful of customers and a single collection truck to nearly 600 residential customers and a fleet of five collection vehicles — and it’s attracting dozens of new subscribers each month. It’s estimated the service already diverts upwards of three metric tonnes of organic waste from Winnipeg’s Brady Road landfill site on a daily basis. Subscribers buy an initial starter kit that includes a five-gallon collection bucket with lid and two compostable bags. The service collects up to 10 kilograms of organic waste each week, replacing the full bag with a fresh compostable bag for the following week. Bryan is not surprised by the rising interest in the service among Winnipeggers. Cont’d on page 134
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