BENEFITS OF COMPOSTING
A group of interested residents has been exploring offering a composting service here at the Esplanade, in collaboration with the City of Cambridge. The city now offers this service free of charge to residential buildings with multiple units (previously it was only to buildings of four units or less).
What exactly is composting? Simply put, composting is separating food waste from trash. Participating residents are given a small kitchen counter-top collection bin for food scraps, along with a starter supply of compost bags to line the bin. What can be composted? All food waste, including, meat, fish, bones, and dairy, napkins and paper towels, coffee and tea grounds, candy, egg and nut shells, and baked goods.
Participating buildings receive one or more re-enforced green curbside carts with self-locking, rodent-resistant latches.Food waste is picked up by the city weekly and taken to a treatment facility in Charlestown, where compost is transformed into heat and electricity.
As many already know, the benefits of composting are enormous. An important immediate benefit is a reduction of actual trash, and further includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions and landfill waste, decreasing the prevalence of odors and pests, and lessening plumbing problems via reducing the need for garbage disposal usage.
The director of Waste Management Reduction for the city has offered to meet with management staff to discuss details of the program, and answer any questions. The Board of Trustees (BOT) recently authorized scheduling such a meeting. We hope the BOT will agree that this is a program worth adopting, as it truly is a “win-win” venture: good for residents, the Esplanade community, the City of Cambridge - and our planet!
If you are interested in knowing more, or in working with the compost committee, please contact one of our committee members:
Caroline Kurtz (carolinebkurtz@gmail.com),
Pam McLemore (pamelamclemore44@gmail.com)
Irene Merwin (irrom1@gmail.com)
Dipti Sharma (diptisharma1508@gmail.com)