With about 50% of what is thrown out in the average Australian household bin being made up of food and garden waste, cities and towns the world over are looking for solutions to reduce organic waste to landfills to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, communities are facing a mental and physical health crisis due to social isolation, poor diets and lack of exercise. Community composting, which is the collective action of composting together, and its inevitable link with urban agriculture, is one approach to increasing the amount of composting in cities and towns while also bringing people together to learn from each other, exercise and spend time outdoors and involved in growing food.
The aim of this research was to explore how cities and towns in the USA, Mexico, Cuba and Canada support community compost and related urban agricultural initiatives. The research highlighted how community composting is a process which, given adequate support and importance, has the potential to become a significant part of future policy planning in the transition to a circular economy.
Limitations of reporting metrics for community composting and similar community-based initiatives that bring value from waste lead to a situation where decision-makers often overlook the value of these activities. The development of methods of recording the holistic outcomes would provide a clearer picture of the value of community composting.
Key words: Behaviour Change, Circular economy, Climate Change, Community composting, Compost Culture, Greenhouse gas emissions, Organic waste, Sustainable Development
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