Brooklyn, here we go!
Starting October 2nd, mandatory composting is coming to our own - Brooklyn!
Even though many Brooklynites are already composting through local community programs - shout out to amazing organizations like GrowNYC and BK ROT! - having the brown bin picked up and emptied every week will certainly get more of us on board.
Mandatory composting might sound intimidating, but it's a game-changer if you have ever considered separating food waste but gave up because you didn’t know what to do with it.
Here’s how you can make the most out of it.
- Get that free brown bin: Have you ordered your FREE brown bin yet? Having an outdoor collection makes the composting so much easier because, well, it doesn’t need to be in your home anymore. The city-provided brown bin can sit right next to your other garbage collection bins, and the city will collect them EVERY WEEK. Oh, did we mention that it was FREE?
- Enjoy the constant access and regular collection: Personally, we are SUPER excited about not making a compost date every Thursday morning and making a trip to the collection site. With scheduled pickup dates, you won't have to worry about clearing the calendar, rain or shine.
- You can compost more: Unlike many programs that only accept certain types of organic waste (and there are good reasons for this!), the city-led program boasts breadth. Yes, they will take your meat, eggshells, and bones. Food-soiled organic packaging like paper plates and pizza boxes go in there, too. All the leaves that fell on your sidewalk? Goes in the brown bin, not in the black trash bag.
With a rich history of environmental advocacy, Brooklynites are known for their commitment to sustainability. Over 50% of its residents rely on public transit, and 15% of households harness solar power, among the top 10 in the US. There are over 600 community gardens and 200 urban farms citywide - many supporting the grass-root composting movement.
So, we have no doubt that Brooklyn will show up for the new composting program in a big way. But if anyone needs a little bit of tips, we wrote a little bit about how to jump-start the journey:
Hope to see our neighbors near brown bins!
