If you’re an Egg Harbor resident, a few simple swaps can help you go green - and a free compost bucket and a reusable grocery bag will help! As a Green Tier Legacy Community, the village is promoting the adoption of sustainable practices that reduce environmental impact by operating a compost site. By doing so, not only does it offer efficient food disposal, but it also creates an opportunity for healthier living.
“Greenhouse gas emissions affect us all, and one of the leading causes of greenhouse gas emissions is actually improperly processed food scraps,” said Jess Sword-Reinke, the Green Tier Coordinator for the Village of Egg Harbor, “Door County also has a finite amount of nutrients in their soil and topsoil in general, so by not diverting and turning it back into compost, we’re essentially losing soil every year.”
When food scraps hit the landfill, it can create 80 times more Methane and Carbon Dioxide than remnants that have been composted. In response, a dedicated compost site, located at 4579 Ball Park Road in Egg Harbor, was established in 2019 to collect fruit, vegetable and other food waste.
If you’re a Village of Egg Harbor resident or taxpayer, you can pick up a free food scrap collection bucket - a 5-gallon pail with a screw-top lid, designed to contain odors and keep lurking critters out. Alternatively, the Climate Change Coalition of Door County has composting buckets available at Tuesday Farmers Markets in Jacksonport.
Locals and visitors alike can also make a pledge to live a greener lifestyle by picking up a limited edition Green Tier Reusable Grocery bag. The bag features art by Renee Schwaller and is available at 12 locations in Egg Harbor for a small donation. Proceeds benefit the Green Tier Task Force, which consists of volunteer residents who perform community cleanups and provide reusable refillable water bottles at festivals to help individuals transition away from plastic water bottles.
“These things are an easy way to make a small change,” Sword-Reinke added, “but they also make a big impact to the community and to the environment.”
For additional information on composting, visit the Village of Egg Harbor’s website here.
