MEMPHIS, Tennessee — Christmas trees saw a spike in sales this holiday season due to the pandemic. Instead of throwing them out, The Compost Fairy wants people to compost them during their weekend event, as they too see a spike in interest.
The Compost Fairy recycles food waste into compost in the Memphis community. It's goal is to reduce waste, creating a healthier, more sustainable environment.
On Saturday, The Compost Fairy will host a free drop-off for Christmas trees and wreaths to be composted. It'll be at 1570 Lamar Ave. from 9-11 a.m.
“Eventually a tree would decompose on it’s own," The Compost Fairy Founder Mike Larrivee said. "All we’re doing is speeding up the process of decomposition that nature already has in place and making it super efficient.”
In 50 days, Larrivee said, they can turn those trees and food waste into rich soil that's put back out into the Memphis community through gardens.
Saturday's event is also an opportunity for the organization to talk to people about the importance of composting. Larrivee said composting is the easiest way to reduce an individuals' carbon footprint.
“I don’t think people realize the problem food waste creates when it’s not properly managed and it goes to the landfill," he said. "Methane, which is a hot button, the single highest source production from methane worldwide is landfills because when it breaks down it creates a greenhouse gas."
According to the USDA, nearly 40% of the food supply chain is wasted and directed to landfills each year. Any given person can waste up to an average of 219 pounds of food each year.
Throughout the pandemic, people have increasingly become more mindful about their habits. The residential client base for The Compost Fairy has grown by as high as five times as many more homes participating.
“We focused on everyone cooking at home and having a single point source for all that waste," he said. "It became very clear overnight how much we’re wasting and we were able to engage super effectively with the population that way.”
Larrivee said, that demand led to creating seven more jobs for their organization to keep up as interest continues to grow.
“The buy in is super low. The impact is immediate," Larrivee said. "This is instant gratification culture so the minute you step past your trash can and start using your compost bucket that is immediate.”
To learn more about their compost efforts, click here.
