Putting waste to work

By Taylor J. Hale
Staff Writer

STEVENS POINT – “Time flies” when you are aiding the community in environmental efforts. Rising Sand Organics (RSO), a cooperative farming group, marked the first anniversary of their curbside compost pickup services with a gathering on June 9.

“It’s just a casual, fun get together that we wanted to have to encourage our curbside composters to come and meet the compost team and other farmers of Rising Sand,” said Kelly Adlington, RSO compost program manager.

The group’s compost pickup services help Stevens Point residents utilize their organic waste productively, keeping it out of area landfills and reducing the build-up of methane gas.

The cooperative uses the compost for gardening and farming. Adlington sees the anniversary as a milestone for RSO and their ventures into environmental advocacy.

“I spent a lot of time in high school working on similar things,” she said. “I definitely dreamt about having a program like this in my hometown.”

The organization now collects compost buckets at over 70 locations in the area, including seven businesses. While the team may already be scooping up organic waste from establishments like Ruby Cafe, Father Fats, and Wicked Willow, they hope to expand their operation.

“I would love to service the city the same way that a big hauling company would, like Advanced Disposal. I think that’s the future — a curbside pickup for every resident of every city of organic waste,” Adlington said, noting that the compost crew collected roughly 25,000 pounds of waste during their first year.

The curbside compost program may be in its early stages, but it’s gaining traction. Adlington and her peers have high hopes that the city will embrace the program and move towards a green future.

“My goal would be to provide this service to nearly every resident,” she added.

To learn more about Rising Sand Organics and their curbside compost pickup services, visit www.risingsand.com.