Food scraps, the hero the earth needs; composting dials back climate crisis

Food waste takes up nearly 25 percent of solid waste in a landfill according to the Environmental Protection Agency, but local groups are taking the product head-on, helping Edwardsville be a more sustainable community.

A group known as Good Dirt Composting Collective, which educated people on how to use scraps of donated food to create nutrient rich soil, has partnered with New Earth Farm composting service to assist in bringing the composting service to the Metro East as well as educating people on how to use New Earth Farm’s service in their own composting endeavors. While Good Dirt Composting Collective teaches individuals, New Earth Farms can be credited with the act of turning wasted food into new soil.

When table scraps are discarded, all energy that went into preparing that food is now wasted. The efforts of processing, producing and transporting create outputs of energy that would otherwise be consolidated. Instead of being saved for another use, the fuel used now only adds to the emissions of greenhouse gasses.

Not only is the output of carbon dioxide spiked, but the output of the more destructive methane gas is as well. When food rots in landfills, it releases methane, which can quickly become unsafe. In a study done by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, it was found that 24 percent of solid waste in landfills is food scraps.

Mary Grose, a member of the Good Dirt Composting Collective, spoke on the company’s goals. “We help people to do traditional composting,” Grose said. “We answer questions and troubleshoot all those kinds of things that some people can do in their backyard if they have a yard and if they are physically able, but there are a lot of people who can’t or don’t want to do those ways that still want to compost. Maybe they physically can’t do that or they live in an apartment, but they understand the importance of composting.”

Composting is a way to create new, nutrient-packed soil from discarded food waste. New Earth Farms is making composting widely available and easy, allowing for people to contribute to better caring for the world around them.

New Earth Farms compost- ing service has begun to open host sites for donations in Edwardsville in addition to other sites stationed in St. Louis.

“New Earth Farms provides a drop-off service. What they do in St. Louis is that they have several bins already in several places. There is a subscription of $12 a month and they can drop off as much food waste as they want … They called me and said they wanted to do the same thing in Edwardsville,” Grose said. In Edwardsville, New Earth Farms already has two host sites.

“They are looking for four host sites. We have two that have been confirmed and the two others who we are still waiting for final approval: Main Street Community Center and the second one is the Myers Center YMCA on Goshen Road,” Grose said.

In order to further spread information, people within Good

Dirt Composting often have informational cards on their person to distribute at their places of work and at the Goshen Market.

“Somebody in our group is on the board of the Fuller Dome, so they’re there on campus as well as the professor Susan Kooiman,” Grose said. Susan Kooiman is a professor involved with the Good Dirt Composting collective who can be contacted for more information on upcoming educational events at SIUE.

“We talk to people at festivals and at Goshen Market. We also do presentations with Scouts and Rotary clubs,” Grose said. “We are several people working on spreading valuable ways to decrease the amount of food waste that ends up in landfills.”

FRANCESCA BOSTON lifestyles editor

Whether you are in a long-term relationship, a summer fling or dating yourself this summer, we have the perfect summer romance playlist for all. From upbeat pop songs to slower, more sensual ones, this playlist has it all for all your romantic adventures this summer.

‘Enjoy the Silence,’ Depeche Mode

You know the feeling of having a stressful day and sinking into your lover’s arms while all your worries and anxieties wash away? Yeah, this song is that feeling.

‘Heaven,’ Talking Heads

This song is about finding heaven in another person, where nothing is expected of you, and finally receiving the love you deserve after past harmful relationships.

‘I Wanna Be Yours,’ Arctic Monkeys

While slower and more sensual, this song gives the vibe of being wholly and completely in love with another person and giving them your all, no walls up.

‘Nara,’ alt-J

This is the ideal song about finding your person and being able to spend the summer days laying in bed basking in the soft summer sun.

‘Bottom,’ McCafferty

Another song about when you still love someone, and they don’t love you back but you are content with just being around them because you love them as a person.

‘Glitch,’ Taylor Swift

While this playlist could be entirely made of Taylor Swift songs, this song is the perfect friends-to-lovers vibes; upbeat and catchy and perfect for playing in the car with the wind in your hair.

‘golden hour,’ JVKE

This song is that moment when you are looking over at your person at sunset and seeing them at their most beautiful state as they are basked in golden summer light. It’s pretty wonderful.

‘Very Few Friends,’ Saint Levant

This is a love song in French, Arabic and English that speaks about the joy of being alone with your person and finding home in another person.

‘APHRODITE,’ Ethan Gander

A bit more racy than some of the others on the list, this song speaks to the feeling that attraction is sometimes a bit more than initially expected, and can knock one off their feet.

‘i wanna be your girlfriend,’ girl in red

More of a heartsick vibe, this song is the feeling of wanting your dear friend to be as in love with you as you are with them.

‘Die For You,’ The Weeknd

Sometimes it can be hard to tell someone you love them, but working up the courage to tell them you love them, even if it is scary, this song speaks to all those emotions.

‘Pretty,’ The Cranberries

This soft song is perfect for when you might be a little bit mad at your partner, but it’s okay because they’re still pretty.

‘Hrs & Hrs,’ Muni Long

This song is a testament to not giving up on love, eventually finding that one person you want to spend hours and hours with.