More food is incinerated than any other single material in our everyday trash, constituting 22% of discarded municipal solid waste. In addition to being mindful about what you buy at the store, composting is one of the most impactful ways to reduce your family’s overall waste. Recently, Sustainable Westport partnered with Westport Moms, a local community-based resource for parents in Westport, to share our composting starter tips and to introduce the Westport Zero Food Waste Challenge. Our goal is to reduce town-wide residential food waste by at least 25%. 

Check out the video and tips below to kick-start your composting journey and keep us posted on your progress by using the #westportzfw hashtag on Instagram.

HOW TO GET STARTED WITH COMPOSTING

1. Get a starter kit from a commercial hauler or buy (1) a countertop container that works for you; (2) a 5 gallon bucket to keep in your garage or other cool area and (3) a set of BPI certified compostable liner bags for the countertop container and 5 gallon bucket.
2. Pick a location for food scrap collecting that works for your household – a prep sink, in a garbage, or recycling pull-out or on the counter.
3. Sign up for a commercial hauler (www.curbcompost.org) or (www.actionwastesolutions.com) to pick up your food scraps once a week. Mention Sustainable Westport in the comments and get one free month of service. OR bring your bagged food scraps to the Transfer Station (free of charge) at whatever frequency works for you.
4. Educate your household so that you can begin to form good habits. Don’t know exactly what goes in or not, check with your hauler or on our website.
5. Follow @sustainablewestport on instagram, post pictures of you and your family composting and tag us and #westportzfw
6. Visit www.sustainablewestport.org if you have more questions and always feel free to email us at info@sustainablewestport.org.

Give yourself some grace! Mistakes will happen but keep trying!