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It’s a noun… it’s a verb… it’s the focus of Green Action Centre’s new social enterprise… compost!
In 2011, a Statistics Canada study placed Winnipeg at 29th out of 32 metropolitan areas for composting of kitchen (organic) waste. Yikes! Drawing on our knowledge in the field of composting and the desperate need for improved organic waste management services in Winnipeg, Green Action Centre is really pleased to announce the soft launch of our new social enterprise: Compost Winnipeg! The goal of the service is to make it ultra-clean, easy and affordable for workplaces and families living in condos or apartment buildings to compost (finally!).
It’s simple: we help set up composting programs for offices, cafés and multifamily-residential locations, pick up organic waste (food scraps, coffee grounds, paper towels, etc.) and make sure it is responsibly composted. We are currently offering the service to a limited number of locations in the downtown and Health Sciences areas while we complete our business planning process with a full launch anticipated for the fall of 2015.
This is very exciting for us! If you know Green Action Centre, you know we love compost. Why compost? This program has been made possible thanks to generous support from the ACU Community Grants and CEDNets enp-mb Program (Enterprising non-profits).
Decrease waste sent to landfills, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, produce a wonderful natural fertilizer… and with Compost Winnipeg it is now completely effortless. Why wouldn’t you compost?
If you have an office, café, apartment or condominium in the downtown or Health Sciences area interested in our service please get in touch!
For more information please contact:
Kelly Kuryk
204-230-4561
Hi, I wonder about additives to speed up the compost process? Nitrogen? Or a bacterial mix?
And, has anyone tried red wigglers for the summer months outside?
Hi Anne,
Thanks for your questions! We don’t recommend spending money on an accelerator for your compost pile. The best things to do to make the composting process a little speedier are: make sure you turn or aerate your compost pile at least once every three weeks (no more than once a week); ensure there is enough moisture in your pile; and ensure you are adding the correct ratio of “greens” and “browns” to your compost bin (see our backyard composting booklet for more information); and if you REALLY want to speed things up, cut up your fruit and veggie scraps into smaller pieces before putting them into your compost bin. If you do all of these things, those little micro and macro organisms in your compost bin will be super happy and will do a great job of decomposing your compostable materials. If your compost bin is on concrete or gravel, then we recommend adding a shovelful of garden soil to get things started as it will contain those beneficial soil organisms.
You can put red wriggler worms in your compost bin in the summer. I haven’t tried it myself but I know of others who have. Red wrigglers are native to California, so you would have to take them out of your bin before winter comes along or they would die. In the winter time you could take them inside your house and vermicompost!
Hi. I am looking into trying to introduce a composting program for my school. It would be awesome if we could do the composting at school, but I’m not sure if the administration would go along with it. If I can find and plan a way to introduce composting to my school then I will make a proposal to my Principal and school board. I am currently in grade 12 and on student council, so I hope I will be able to make a difference. My school is located on the corner of Wilkes and Waverly.
Thank you
I am interested in finding a company to pick up compostables. I am a board member of an 11 suite non-profit housing co-op. We do not have space on-site to compost but hate throwing out all our compostables. We would be interested in a weekly compostable pick up for which we would pay. We have about 20 members but some of our neighbours will likely sneak their goods into whatever bin you use–which is okay by us and creates a healthier neighbourhood. We are located on Westminster Ave near Arlington. Would we fall in your catchment area? Please contact me and let me know if you would consider us. Thanks.
Hi there,
Thanks for your interest in Compost Winnipeg. We are excited to get this project up and running. My colleague, Kelly will contact you shortly.
Happy Composting!