learn more about our environmental justice task force

Racine Interfaith Coalition's newest task force is proud to have launched in 2023. We have many exciting projects coming in 2024 including the newest pilot composting program. Keep reading to learn more below!

As part of upcoming communitywide Earth Day activities open to the public, the Racine Interfaith Coalition and North Pointe United Methodist Church will launch a pilot food waste composting program at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, April 20 at the church, 3825 Erie St. This location will be the first food waste composting drop-off site in Racine.

The first 35 households that register to participate during the event or prior to April 20 will receive a free stainless steel, countertop food waste caddy. Furthermore, a drawing will be held to win a 10-lb. bag of compost produced by Blue Ribbon Organics, of Caledonia. Registration forms and a list of acceptable and unacceptable food waste items are available at:

• Northside Food Pantry, open from 4:30-5:30 p.m. Tuesdays and 2-4 p.m. Thursdays at North Pointe Church
• RIC’s website: https://ricracine.org (check downloads)
• RIC’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ricracine
• Zero Waste Racine’s Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/zerowasteracine/

“Eliminating kitchen scraps from the garbage stream is one easy step for the public to help improve the quality of life in Racine and to make the city a more sustainable community,” said Dave Backmann, of the RIC Environmental Justice Task Force. “An estimated 25 percent of material placed in landfills is food waste. Keeping this material out of landfills reduces the tipping fees the city must pay to its contracted trash collection companies. Also, composting reduces the amount of methane that builds up in landfills. From a global-warming standpoint, methane is much worse for our planet than carbon dioxide.

“Placing food scraps in the kitchen sink garbage disposal is another viable option. But garbage

disposals use water and are powered by electricity. Composting saves water and electricity while

enriching the soil.”

Partnering with Compost Crusader, a waste-management service based in St. Francis, this program incentivizes households to collect acceptable food waste items and deposit them in a designated container at the church. Compost Crusader staff will collect the material weekly. Eggshells, coffee grounds, potato peelings and other items subsequently will be processed into compost at Blue Ribbon Organics. The compost will be packaged and sold to build and strengthen soil, such as in vegetable or flower gardens. The village of Sturtevant has successfully operated a similar program since 2019.

An annual fee of $25 per household is requested to cover collection and transport costs. However, several free memberships will be available to assist low-income households.

For questions, email Dave Backmann at davebackmann@gmail.com.