Update on the Composting Programs at Zero Waste Church

by David McKinnon

Our work at Nativity to Restore God’s Earth continues to make great strides.  Up until the pandemic, produce from our organic community garden was shared with residents living in a local low-income retirement center. In this way we were able to reduce our carbon footprint while providing nourishing food to needy people. During the pandemic, garden harvests were shared with church members. Organic waste from the garden is composted. On a regular basis some church members also contribute food waste from their homes. In turn, the gardeners use the finished compost to fertilize and restore the soil.   

Nativity continues to gather up its food leftovers and compostable vessels (cups, plates, etc.) from the kitchen, altar guild, and events.  Material that cannot be composted in the garden is picked-up weekly by a local composting service. In this way, Church of the Nativity diverted from the landfill 5,421 and 3871 lbs. of compostable material in 2021 and 2022, respectively.  Since we began recycling organics with the composting service, the church has diverted 13,933 lbs of organic   waste from landfills. The composting service returns finished compost to the church for use on our campus.

 A typical family of 4 generates 6,568 lbs of trash per year. Let us all live smarter, be better stewards, and help Restore God’s Earth