Kite Realty Group Trust (KRG Trust), a real estate investment trust headquartered in Indianapolis, is working with Keter Environmental Services, Stamford, Connecticut, to roll out a food scraps recycling program across several of its retail properties. Nineteen tenants will be able to save much of their food waste from the landfill through EarthMama Composting Services, Indianapolis, starting in the fall.
“Composting keeps food waste and organic matter out of landfills, where it emits methane, a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide,” Heather Maybury, EarthMama owner, says. Compost can also be nutrient rich, which means there’s less need for chemical fertilizers during plant production.
Americans threw away more than 38 million tons of food in 2014, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
“Collaborations such as this are beneficial to everyone involved,” Lance Angle, director of asset management at KRG Trust. “Restaurants are often the first to jump at the chance to help out the community, and in this case, the environment. Our connection to our community is vital so this was a natural addition to our sustainability initiatives.”
Other cities, like San Francisco and Seattle, require that restaurants compost their food wastes. Indianapolis does not, so many restaurants don’t take on the challenge. “Any change to our procedures is a challenge, but the rewards are noticeable and important,” Sherrie Moore, owner Indianapolis restaurant Vitality Bowl, says. “Sometimes it seems like it is easier to throw food waste away, but there are social and environmental costs to doing that.”
Each participating restaurant will dedicate at least one container to only food scraps like apple cores, banana peels and stale bread. As it fills, it will be placed in totes outside. Each week EarthMama will collect the contents for the compost facility where the food will be turned into compost.
“Composting keeps food waste and organic matter out of landfills, where it emits methane, a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide,” Heather Maybury, EarthMama owner, says. Compost can also be nutrient rich, which means there’s less need for chemical fertilizers during plant production.
Americans threw away more than 38 million tons of food in 2014, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
“Collaborations such as this are beneficial to everyone involved,” Lance Angle, director of asset management at KRG Trust. “Restaurants are often the first to jump at the chance to help out the community, and in this case, the environment. Our connection to our community is vital so this was a natural addition to our sustainability initiatives.”
Other cities, like San Francisco and Seattle, require that restaurants compost their food wastes. Indianapolis does not, so many restaurants don’t take on the challenge. “Any change to our procedures is a challenge, but the rewards are noticeable and important,” Sherrie Moore, owner Indianapolis restaurant Vitality Bowl, says. “Sometimes it seems like it is easier to throw food waste away, but there are social and environmental costs to doing that.”
Each participating restaurant will dedicate at least one container to only food scraps like apple cores, banana peels and stale bread. As it fills, it will be placed in totes outside. Each week EarthMama will collect the contents for the compost facility where the food will be turned into compost.
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