If global food waste were a country, it would be the third-largest greenhouse gas emitter in the world, according to the United Nation Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Currently, community-level composting options are limited in the Adirondack region, but a new project is aimed at changing that.

Just in time for International Compost Awareness Week–May 3 through May 9–AdkAction is delighted to announce its newest project: “Adirondack Compost for Good.” This new project builds on the work that has been done by three local residents with a passion for turning waste into “black gold.” The project will promote food waste composting within the Adirondacks, and help communities meet the upcoming 2022 NYS ban on landfilling food wastes of a certain volume throughout New York State. The goal of the project is to help Adirondack communities turn food and other organic “wastes” into a soil amendment, which is the material added to soil to improve its physical or chemical properties. This composting process builds local resilience, heals soils, and helps reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.

Thanks to a 2016 grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, and project management help from the Adirondack North Country Association, North Country School was able to secure a grant to build a novel, community-scale composter designed by John Culpepper and a local contractor, Greg LeClair. John and two others, Jennifer Perry and Katie Culpepper, have been working hard to promote the use of this composter and the benefits of composting throughout our region. The first of these composters has already diverted more than 120,000 lbs of food waste from landfills. Since then, four more have been modeled after the original prototype, and are now in operation.

After strong interest and proven success with the design, the trio decided it was time to bring their expertise and the resources they have developed to an established organization that could help take the work to the next level. They approached AdkAction about taking on the project and helping to make food waste composting more commonplace throughout the region.

“It is a great pleasure for us to be working with AdkAction, its Board of Directors, and staff to help us spark a composting revolution in the North Country,” said John Culpepper.

“As soon as John, Katie, and Jen brought this project idea to us in January, I knew it was a good fit for AdkAction. It is an action-oriented project that has tangible benefits for Adirondack communities and the environment, and that’s what we are all about. We are thrilled to add this new project to our roster and help these three hardworking people achieve their vision,” said Brittany Christenson, Executive Director of AdkAction.

For more information about the project please visit: https://www.adkaction.org/project/compost-for-good/