Sustainable manufacturing, thoughtful stewardship and responsible recycling are key elements in the fight against climate change. Products made from materials that aren’t detrimental for the environment mitigate the impact of development. Likewise, good management can prolong the lifespan of an item, keeping it out of the landfill and effecting production by driving down demand. Getting rid of products in a way that helps sustain life is the final piece to the puzzle.
A Greenfield-based initiative hits on all three of these marks — and it’s gaining recognition beyond the county line.
Just Compost, a recent collaboration between Greenfield Compost Co-Op, a worker-owned curbside compost pickup service, and Just Roots, Greenfield’s community farm, has received a $100,000 grant from the Pennsylvania-based Claneil Foundation, a nonprofit agency that distributes community-building grants to deserving initiatives.
It’s certainly deserving of the public’s attention.
The collaboration has created a sustainable bridge between the two local organizations. Greenfield Compost Co-op turns raw fruit and veggie scraps discarded by area restaurants and residents into compost through a partnership with Martin’s Farm. The compost co-op was developed in 2018 as a way to give businesses and residents the ability to get rid of compostable waste. There’s also a social benefit — the service was started as a way to provide former Franklin County House of Correction inmates a chance to run their own business. It’s a win-win for customers and the worker-owned co-op.
Likewise, Just Compost is also beneficial to the community at large: the compost service needs somewhere to put the compost; Just Roots needs it to create rich soil.
Both benefit, as does the environment.
“With our overlapping social and environmental missions, we have a lot to offer one another and to others who want to build economic and environmental justice,” said Just Roots Executive Director Jessica O’Neill of the newfound partnership.
Since the two organizations began collaborating a month ago, the compost business has increased its “diversion by 7 percent” and has expanded its service area to encompass Turners Falls, according to Revan Schendler, a worker-owner with the Compost Cooperative.
“From customers to haulers to farmers, we’re part of a process to divert compostables back into the soil while also building a more inclusive local economy,” Schendler said, noting the creation of Just Compost has also created a number of new jobs — and that’s just the beginning.
The outlook for Just Compost is bright.
Through the Claneil Foundation’s $100,000 grant, the farm purchased a tractor to turn the piles of compostables the co-op delivers and a spreader to apply the finished compost to fields and raised beds, based on a statement from Just Roots. High-quality compost can produce more nutrient-dense food — as well as make the soil more resilient in the face of extreme weather and climate change — making the partnership particularly beneficial to those who participate in Just Roots’ CSA farm-share program.
Just Compost is a model that other communities should take note of. There will always be food waste. Why not do something good with it?