‘Compost Warriors’ tackle food waste with new initiative

TWO Bellarine locals with a knack for making compost have launched an initiative to help the community reduce food waste and its impact on the environment.

Mara Chambers and Clancey McKenzie, the team behind Bellarine Food Scraps and Compost Warriors, have established a sustainable solution for managing food waste that takes the hard work out of composting.

The duo supply those interested in the taking up the initiative with a bucket to collect food scraps and three convenient drop off locations – in Curlewis, Drysdale and Clifton Springs – for when those buckets are full.

Ms Chambers and Ms McKenzie then take over the responsibility of composting the waste, transforming it into a nutrient-rich fertiliser that participants are also able to use in their own gardens.

Since beginning in November, the pair have already helped to divert approximately 130-kilograms of waste from landfill, which they said is “just the beginning”.

Ms Chambers said there were many people in the community who were keen to adopt more sustainable practices, but either didn’t have the space for their own composting system, were unsure where to begin, or were concerned about the smell.

“We want to create the conversation with people,” she said.

“This is just giving people an option. There’s no judgement. No good, bad, or whatever.

“It’s just putting our little foot forward and doing something for the community.”

The idea for the initiative was sparked in April last year after Ms Chambers and Ms McKenzie attended the South Australia Permaculture Convergence together.

“It’s really motivating when you’re with a whole group of people that are talking about all these goods things they do in the world,” Ms Chambers said.

“We thought, what can we do in our little plot over here.”

She said several local businesses had been quick to offer their support which had encouraged them to keep going.

Land to house the compost warrior’s growing number of compost bins has been donated by the Artisans of Australia gallery located in Curlewis, while Drysdale Mowers has donated a second-hand mulcher, valued at $900, to help mulch down the soft greens collected.

The Cheesecake Shop in Leopold, St Leonards IGA and Bellarine Wholefoods, meanwhile, are helping to keep the compost warriors supplied with buckets.

The Bellarine Food Scraps and Compost Warriors accept all food scraps, except meat and bread, and are also seeking donations of shredded paper, straw, coffee grounds and sawdust.

To find out more, or to get involved, head to the Bellarine Food Scraps & Compost Warriors Facebook page.