Letter to the Editor: Black Earth Curbside Composting ~ Thank You from Mothers Out Front

The Bedford Chapter of Mothers Out Front would like to thank the 200+ Bedford residents who are subscribed to Black Earth Curbside Composting, with special thanks to Recycling Coordinator Ed McGrath for sponsoring the recent curbside composting promotion.

Bedford earns Recycling Dividend Points from the MA DEP and is awarded grant money based on those points.  Last week, a portion of these grant funds were dedicated to cover the $34 “starter kit” for 35 new customers to Black Earth. (The starter kit consists of a 13-gallon curbside bin with locking lid and wheels, 25 kitchen container liners & 15 curbside bin liners.)

That 10-day promotion brought Bedford subscriptions from 169 households to more than 200!

Why are the 200 and 300 subscriber thresholds important?Mothers Out Front Bedford collaborated with Black Earth to reduce the subscription rate for our residents on a tiered basis, and many community members have promoted the curbside composting program since.

Once 200 Bedford residents were using Black Earth’s curbside compost service, they would drop the subscription charge 30%, from $99.99 to $69.99/6 month (or $12.99/monthly). When we reach 300 households subscribed to Black Earth, that rate drops even further to $49.99/6 months, half the full price rate. More IS better when it comes to composting!

The system of collecting, landfilling, and incinerating waste is a costly one that contributes to global warming and creates toxic air and water pollution that affect our climate & health.  We ALL win when Bedford households choose sustainable alternatives like curbside composting – it makes economic, ecologic, and public health sense. In one step, residents get the convenience of discounted curbside composting, the town & taxpayers pay less for waste disposal, and we deliver a win for the climate!

If you’re interested in learning more or signing up to help Bedford hit the 300-customer threshold, click here. Mothers Out Front is hoping our town schools and municipal buildings will implement a composting program soon, and are happy to assist in that transition if needed.

Composting with Black Earth is as easy as 1-2-3!

1. Line your 13-gallon curbside bin or a kitchen container and fill it with food scraps (including dairy & meat items), paper towels & napkins, pizza boxes, and more. Here’s the full list of what’s compostable.
2. They swing by once a week and empty your bin. They’ll also drop off compostable bags ordered through your customer login.
3. Get compost in the spring. You will receive a voucher for a bag of finished compost, redeemable at participating garden centers or you can donate your portion of finished compost

Kitchen containers are available at the DPW for $7.00. The simplest way to get one is to mail a check to  “Town of Bedford” to Ed McGrath, DPW, 314 Great Road. He’ll deliver you the container.