Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** this program is piloting the…

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** this program is piloting the curbside collection of food waste for residents in the city ofavondale estates, georgia and the return of finished compost to black, indigenous, people of color (bipoc) growers in dekalb county and local public libraries to create edible landscapes. This pilot program will be the first-of-its-kind in georgia and will support the growth of composting programs in georgia. In the US, wasted food causes 58% of the methane emissions from municipal solid waste landfills. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is 86 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 20 year period. Methane emissions from landfilled food waste are increasing. All of this food waste can be diverted from landfills and composted instead to create high quality finished compost. The finished compost created through composting in turn rebuilds local soils, increases the soil's water retention capacity, and increases the carbon storing capacity of the soil. Additionally, composting supports the local agriculture industry and food systems and generates twice as many jobs as landfilling and four times as many jobs as incineration. Currently in metro atlanta, composting infrastructure and programs are severely limited along with access to locally produced food waste compost, the highest quality and most environmentally beneficial compost. Food producers must often transport compost from nearby states at a premium, which is environmentally and economically unsustainable, especially for historically under-resourced bipoc growers. Program participation will be tracked through this program along with impact reports that measure the amount of food waste diverted from the landfill and the amount of methane avoided through the diversion. Additionally, the return of finished compost to bipoc growers and local public libraries in dekalb county will be tracked to highlight the successful closing of the nutrient loop and the rebuilding of local soils and food systems. Ultimately, the program hopes to have a successful curbside compost pilot program that grows to various municipalities throughought dekalb county and returns finished compost to local growers and public libraries to support local food systems and soils. If met, this wouldmeaningfully divert thousands of pounds of food waste from landfills and avoid thousands of pounds of methane emissions.