Robert Kurtz finds himself right in the middle of a composting (堆肥) revolution. Kurtz is a manager at Rust Belt Riders, a composting company based in Cleveland, Ohio. Its goal is to meet the challenge of climate change by recycling as much food waste as possible.
"If we're going to meet the climate goals, we have to deal with food waste," Kurtz said. "It's a huge part of the problem." Wasted food winds up in landfills. As it breaks down, it creates methane (甲烷), which traps heat in the atmosphere and fuels climate change. The average family in the U.S. spends $1,500 per year on food that doesn't get eaten. Businesses waste food too. That's where Kurtz's job comes in.
Every day, Kurtz contacts grocery stores, restaurants, and other food-service businesses to tell them about the harmful effects of food waste. Then, he offers to help them cope with their extra food. So far, Rust Belt Riders has persuaded 300 companies and 2,800 households to do differently with their food waste. The company's seven trucks and 30 employees pick up their clients' extra food. Then they compost it, turning it into soil. Compost soil is much more than just dirt. It's made up of five ingredients that combine to help plants grow. That's why Kurtz and his colleagues offer a second service: They sell the composted, nutrient-rich soil to people and businesses that need it.
In addition to households and businesses. Rust Belt Riders has teamed up with local schools. At Dentzler Elementary, in Parma, Ohio, Rust Belt Riders helps the kitchen staff compost its food leftovers. The 500 students place their food waste into bins during lunch periods. The bins are then collected by Rust Belt Riders.
"This program has created a space for all students to become environmental supervisors (监督人) in their own cafeteria when they might not otherwise have the opportunity," says Emily Cass, a farm-to-school coordinator at Dentzler.
