We’ve developed this Hierarchy to Reduce Waste & Grow Community in order to highlight the importance of locally based composting solutions as a first priority over large-scale regional solutions. Composting can be small scale and large scale and everything in between but too often home composting, onsite composting, community scale composting, and on-farm composting are overlooked. … Read More
Since we wrote about Maryland House Bill 1349, “Compostable, Degradable, and Biodegradable Plastic Products – Labeling,” in late February, it has made significant progress in the Maryland state legislature. As of March 23rd, the bill passed its third reading in the House and moved on to the Senate. Since the bill was not cross-filed with the … Read More
BK ROT, a social composting enterprise in the center of Brooklyn has inspired the Filbert Street Garden in Curtis Bay, Baltimore, to replicate this successful model. ILSR working partner Chesapeake Children and Youth Development manage the garden. For details read, “Building Community Composting in Bushwick, Brooklyn,” BioCycle magazine March/April, p. 46-48. Follow the Institute for Local … Read More
Results in Massachusetts are a clear signal that focusing on composting can be a major jobs and wealth producer for the entire country. Total growth includes: Jobs 910 Labor income $46.8 million Value added $76.8 million Industry activity $174.6 million State and Local taxes $5.4 million For full details see “Calculating Economic Impact of Commercial Organics … Read More
ILSR co-director and Waste to Wealth initiative director was interviewed on WEAA 88.9 FM’s March Steiner Show on March 2nd, 2017 to discuss food waste recovery.… Read More
On Wednesday, March 1st, the Maryland House of Delegates’ Committee on Environment and Transportation will conduct a hearing on House Bill 1349: “Compostable, Degradable, and Biodegradable Plastic Products – Labeling.” The legislation, introduced by Maryland Delegate Shane Robinson (District 39), is a result of close work between Delegate Robinson and the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR). ILSR, and a number of allies, will be testifying on the merits of the bill in front of the House Committee.… Read More
Legislation is making its way through the Maryland legislature that will encourage a distributed infrastructure to divert yard waste and food waste from the waste stream. The paired legislation, called; Yard Waste and Food Residuals Diversion and Infrastructure Act,” include Senate Bill 0099 and House Bill 0171. The Institute for Local Self-Reliance has been instrumental in work on this legislation and ILSR experts submitted testimony to both hearings.… Read More
As part of ILSR’s collaboration with the Chesapeake Youth Development Center to launch a bike-powered food scrap collection service in Curtis Bay, a neighborhood of Baltimore, ILSR interviewed 17 owners and founders of bike-powered collection services in 11 states. Read our article, Bike Powered Food Scraps Collection in the January 2017 issue of BioCycle Magazine. … Read More
On February 15th, 2017, the Maryland House of Delegates’ Committee on Environment and Transportation conducted a hearing on House Bill 229: “Polystyrene Food Service Products and Polystyrene Loose Fill Packaging – Prohibition on Sale.” The legislation, which was introduced by Maryland Delegate Brooke Lierman (District 46), seeks to ban polystyrene (otherwise known as styrofoam) food service products due to its adverse impacts on disposal, the waste stream generally, and the environment.… Read More
