Extremely large amounts of organic waste is produced across Europe, which is recorded among the top polluters; For instance, Greece is the 5th largest producer of food waste in Europe producing 87 kg/per person at household level annually (source: Food Waste Index Report 2024). The sustainable utilization of organic waste is of utmost importance, to minimize the wide range of negative effects connected with inefficient management of this stream and to take advantage of its added value.
So, how would you feel if you could use your organic waste to help save the planet and some money?
Kyklos, the lab of incommon, has tried a good practice called “neighborhood composting”. It is all about throwing the remains and waste of your daily cooking into a big wooden container instead of the usual waste bin at the corner of your street. This allows a controlled, oxygen-required decomposition process of organic materials into a nutrient-rich, biologically-stable soil (compost). The wooden composting bin has been placed and put into function at plateia Koule Kafe, in the neighborhood of the Old Town of Thessaloniki with the technical support of ReThink, an expert local NGO activated in a rural region of southern Greece (Kalamata).
What are the benefits of such a good practice for communities both in rural and urban contexts?
a. Reduction of the volume of organic waste in their own neighborhoods.
b. Access to free rich compost, for the needs of our home plants, gardens and our neighborhoods
c. Contribution to the reduction of our environmental footprint through self-management of our waste and training in the correct composting process
d. Contribution to the reduction of our city’s municipal fees (high cost of operating landfills-where organic waste is thrown along with other waste-as well as of fines for non-limitation of them)
Last, as the management of the neighborhood compost bin falls under the commonly shared responsibility of local residents and/or actors (civil society, municipality, other) the neighborhood composting also makes a positive social impact by enforcing the local communities’ bonds.