The Vision
At Compost Collective KC, your food scraps are part of our region’s ecosystem. We have a responsibility to return those nutrients to the soil and transform wasted food into a resource for growth.
In nature, food is part of a continuous cycle of growth, nourishment, decay, and regeneration. When organic materials decompose, their energy is transmitted through the soil to supply nutrients for other living beings, and this cycle persists through every facet of life.
You can see examples around us in how seeds germinate best within compost, or how fruits have evolved to attract birds & mammals that consume them then spread their seeds through their manure.
All waste (dead plant matter, manure, even dead animals) is eventually recycled back into the natural system and provides a medium for growth. We believe that built landscapes should mimic nature, and Compost Collective KC is dedicated to creating that closed-loop system here in our city.
We're Just Part of the Process
When you compost with us, your food scraps become part of a full-circle local food system — returning to the soil to help grow food for our community once again. What’s more, this food waste isn’t being cycled into just any soil. It is being cycled into the soil at a local farm, Urbavore, where it provides vital nutrients for an abundant selection of healthy, organic foods for the community. This very special farm serves as the “mothership” and the pilot site for a much greater vision of urban sustainability.
This vision includes holistic compost hubs tied to farms and community gardens scattered throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area. Like the hub we’ve created at Urbavore Farm, these compost hubs would not only handle and process the waste in a environmentally-friendly manner, but they would apply the finished compost to their fields to build soil, conserve water, and increase crop yields, thus strengthening our local food system and making organic produce more readily available.
Beyond composting, we’re building community around food waste reduction, soil health, climate resilience, and local food production.
Local Waste Belongs on Local Farms
We believe the future of food is circular: from farm to table, and back to the farm again.
We are actively seeking new partnerships for such hubs, and this model will be an integral part of our growth in the future. We’re excited to aid in food production and carbon sequestration in every neighborhood throughout our region, keeping food scraps connected to the communities where they’re created instead of hauling them across the region to landfills. Turning waste into a hyper-local resource both holds us all accountable for our waste, but also makes us all the beneficiaries of true climate resilience!
To learn more about their bountiful produce and their regenerative practices, visit Urbavore Urban Farm.
