Original link to Memo found here:
http://www.recycle.cc/2013-1227NW&RA_composting_survey_executive_summary_010814.pdf
When it comes to composting, there is definitely a sense of how important it is with three-quarters (77%)
agreeing they understand the importance of implementing a separate management process for food/waste
disposal versus disposing of it with their general household waste. But, while they understand the importance,
seven in ten Americans (72%) do not compost at all. Of those who do, 16% compost at home, 9% compost in
their community and 4% compost in some other way.
How can we get more Americans to compost? Make it easier as, among those who do not already compost,
two-thirds (67%) agree they would be willing to compost their food waste if it was more convenient to do so in
their community. And, if there was a program implemented in their community to create another bin for food
waste, two-thirds of those who do not compost via a community program (68%) would be willing to manage
another bin to separate their food waste from their other waste. Also, among those for who it would be
applicable, four in five (79%) would be willing to use gardening fertilizers, mulch and other products from food
waste compost in their gardens and/or yards.
So, while there is a large group willing to compost their food waste, or at least separate out and/or use compost
in gardening, one thing that would turn this group off is making them pay for it. More than three in five
Americans (62%) would not be ok with an increase in the cost of their waste and recycling management, either in the form of a separate fee or an increase in taxes.
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People want to do it, they just don’t want to pay for it. Makes sense to me.
According to their study, 28% of Americans compost? That number is a bit higher than I was expecting, but I guess it’s realistic. People would compost if they learned how to take it into their own hands, I think.
Since there’s plenty of low cost composting options, I feel like there’s plenty of room for the number of participants to grow.
This motivates me to get working on my book again. “Thoroughly succinct” is the goal, and quite harder than I thought it would be to achieve. If people knew that it could be managed in less than 5 minutes per week, I think this would become a more common activity pretty quickly. -t