June 2021
Compost: Completing the Cycle
In the natural world, nothing goes to waste. Plants and animals may die and decay, but the nutrients are reused to support regrowth and new life. In the human world, this is not always the case. The cycle is stopped when our waste is combined and sequestered into a landfill. Even in our beautiful city of Missoula, it is estimated that yard and food waste alone make up 28% of material in the landfill.
Part of our mission with Missoula Compost is to re-create the cycle, and we wanted to thank you as members for helping us make this happen.
Below are just a few of the benefits your efforts with composting has for our community:
Replenish nutrients in the soil.
Prevent topsoil erosion by fostering plant growth.
Reduce methane emission, a potent greenhouse gas.
Replacement of chemical fertilizers to stimulate plant growth.
Revitalization and filtration of local water sources.
Eco-Business Highlight:
Meadowsweet Herbs
This month's Eco-Business highlight is Meadowsweet Herbs. Meadowsweet has been a longstanding member of our Missoula community, and will soon be celebrating 25 years in business. If you haven't been in this botanical boutique before, be sure to stop in and check out their refreshing salves and essential oils. Most of the products made and sold at Meadowsweet Herbs are 90% organic, and all herbal and food waste is disposed of in a Missoula Compost green bin to be composted.
“Meadowsweet Herbs is a company with a conscience whose commitment to quality, ethics and sustainability ensure integrity in every aspect of our business.”
We had the opportunity to meet with Meadowsweet Herbs owner Kelly Needs, who enlightened us about the use of native plants for infusion into oils. Not only are these plants and herbs processed and wasted sustainably, Kelly is also using "compostable peanuts" for shipping and packaging. Hot cups for customer tea samples are also compostable. Needless to say, we are very impressed and proud to be partnered with Meadowsweet Herbs