September 4, 2024
You may have seen a compost bin at a business (or even at Beth Emet), but do you know what it is and why it matters? In this edition of the Green Maven, we will explain what composting is, why it matters, and how you can get involved!
According to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), “Composting is the natural process of recycling organic matter, such as leaves and food scraps, into a valuable fertilizer that can enrich soil and plants.” Essentially, composting transforms your food scraps into something beneficial for plants while reducing the amount of trash sent to landfills.
When food is disposed of in landfills, it generates methane (a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change). When we compost food, the production of methane is reduced, lessening the environmental impact of the food’s disposal. Disposal of food in landfills can also cause other environmental problems (such as water pollution).
The Jewish value of bal tashchit, which commands us not to destroy or waste, is a primary tenet of the Jewish environmental movement. In addition to bal tashchit, we also have a responsibility to practice tikkun olam(actions to repair the world). Working to reduce waste is our Jewish responsibility.
As part of our Dayenu Circle Climate Action group’s efforts to build a more sustainable Beth Emet, we have started a waste reduction program. We now compost at soup kitchen, most synagogue events, and all event rentals. Additionally, we are working to reduce single-use plastic tableware and instead use reusable or compostable items whenever possible. For example, you may have noticed how we’ve switched from plastic to glass cups for kiddush at Friday night services. We are continuing to increase sustainability in Beth Emet’s operations. We are also working with stakeholders to ensure that Beth Emet will be sustainable well into the future.
There are two main methods of composting: backyard and commercial. Backyard composting typically entails purchasing a compost bin, setting it up in your backyard, and adding a mixture of food scraps and yard waste. You then mix the compost bin and monitor it to ensure that materials are decomposing properly. Commercial composting uses a similar process (but does not require purchasing a compost bin), although with more advanced technology, including added heat. By adding heat, commercial compost facilities can accept a much wider array of items, including meat and fish (something you might not want in your backyard).
Depending on your living situation, you’ll want to consider which method (or combination) makes sense for you. For example, if you live in an apartment, you might not have a backyard to put a compost bin in, so you would have to use a commercial composting provider. Alternatively, if you live in a house and love to garden (and thus could use a lot of compost), then backyard composting might work well. Other factors to consider include amount/type of food waste, cost, and time.
Dayenu Circle member Eli Coustan helping out at the composting station in the Soup Kitchen.
Depending on where you live, there are different options for commercial composting:
The Illinois Food Scrap and Composting Coalition created a spreadsheet that lists drop-off sites and municipal composting programs throughout the state.
Evanston: for residents eligible for a yard waste bin (those in single-family homes), the city offers seasonal food/yard waste service ($37.63 / year plus an $88.69 one-time fee).
Wilmette: offers composting through their yard waste program ($3 / pickup + $25 cart delivery fee).
Skokie: has multiple free drop-off sites throughout the city and offers a $25 rebate for residents who purchase their own backyard composting bin.
Chicago: offers free drop-off sites throughout the city.
Additionally, various companies offer composting pick-up service, including Collective Resources (special partnership with Evanston/Skokie), Waste Not, and Urban Canopy.
If you’re interested in composting in your backyard, the EPA has created a resource that explains more details about what to consider.
To further help, you can reduce your plastic waste by using reusable/compostable tableware whenever possible (fun fact: disposable plates you already use might be compostable – typically, uncoated paper plates are). In a future edition, we will discuss this issue more in-depth.
We hope that you learned something about composting, and that you find a way to compost at home.
Please reach out to our composting and waste reduction team Eli Coustan , Sharon Smaller , and Chris Wynn with any questions.
Our monthly blog, edited by Dayenu (climate action and environmental justice) Circle members Chris Wynn and Sharon Smaller, will give you ideas, information, resources, and things you can do to make this world a better place environmentally, tikkun olam. As a community, we can learn from each other, so we welcome your ideas and questions. Please share with us your successes in your endeavors to “go green.”
