The May 9, 2023 Go Green Illinois meeting topic was Sustainable Food Management. At this program, we learned why reducing food waste is so important and how suburban communities are addressing this challenge, heard about waste hauling contracts, food composting in multi-unit residential buildings, curbside collections programs, school food sharing programs, restaurant composting pilots, and more. Expert speakers Jen Nelson and Becky Brodsky, both from Seven Generations Ahead; Sustainability Commissioners Jenny Grossman (Skokie) and Liz Kunkle (Winnetka); Sara Phyfer, Assistant to the Village Manager in Wilmette; Kim Stone, Councilwoman in Highland Park; and Mary Beth Schaye from Collective Resources all participated in the program. If you missed it, or want to watch again, the video is available here.

The below resources may be helpful in working with your community to reduce food waste and expand composting options:

Greener Living Inspirations: Composting at Condo, Co-op and Apartment Buildings

Chicagoland Buildings and Environments Spring 2023: Composting Programs Made Easy

Climate Reality Leader and Collective Resource Compost customer Cynthia Linton’s article about starting a composting program at her high-rise building

Sustain Evanston Program

IFSCC We Compost Recognition Program

Food Waste Bans: Greener Living Inspirations: Start Small But Think Big: Composting Around The Country