Finding a composting service in Vancouver is super freaking hard

Ok, so as an executive member of the green team at work I attempt to make our office more environmentally sustainable. This means assessing paper waste and trying to consolidate it and changing all the light bulbs to LEDs.

We also set up a compost in our lunch room which has been a great success but the woman that took the compost home every week has decided to take a break from doing it.

I had all the support from my supervisor to find a composting service who would be willing to dispose of our compost once every two weeks.

Easy right?! WRONG! I desperately tried to call all the composting services in Vancouver, BC but alas there is only one, Superior Disposal.

I talked to the rep. for Superior Disposal who put it to me quite bluntly saying it would make a larger carbon foot print by picking up our compost which defeats the purpose of us having one considering the goal is to reduce our footprint not make it bigger.

Ok, so what is my solution to businesses trying to put composts in their office? Contact one of the Vancouver Community Garden coordinators (click here for the list) and offer to drop it off there. This will take minimal effort from people within the company but you can alternate who takes the compost to the community garden and you can feel better about throwing out waste. Then come spring time your company can take a leisurely walk to the garden and see their waste put to good use.

The reason I bring this up is because its frustrating that several business who want to take part in composting at work might choose not to do so because of how frustrating my experience was. I just decided not to give up and then contacted the community garden coordinators. I haven't heard back from them yet so this post might be a little too forthright, but if Vancouver is truly going to the world's greenest city, then providing a compost service like this should be a no brainer.

Mayor Robinson, you listening to this?

UPDATE: A lovely comment was left with a company called Growing City that says its offers "urban compost solutions." I have requested their services and will keep you updated about the outcome. Check out the site though, it looks like a pretty good concept.