Top: Wormies, a vermicomposting and urban agriculture business, will be composting food scraps collected during the pilot in Grand Rapids, MI. Photo courtesy Wormies

The Urban Core Collective, in partnership with Community Collaboration on Climate Change (C4) and the Kent County Department of Public Works, have launched the 16 For 6 Compost Pilot Program for households in Grand Rapids, Michigan to try out participation in food scraps collection. The pilot, subsidized by C4 and Kent County Department of Public Works, is offering six months of free food scrap pickup services. “We’re excited to kick off this partnership and help folks learn about the many benefits of composting,” says Erica Bouldin of Urban Core Collective. “For many people, living more sustainably has felt inaccessible and we are excited to show our community that anyone can make a difference for our planet from their own home. We are proud to facilitate access to this program — designed to help residents adopt composting practices without any cost — and the education it provides to our neighbors.” Grand Rapids has a pay-as-you-throw trash collection pricing structure, so diverting household food scraps can be a cost-savings, adds Bouldin. Kick-off events, where households can enroll in the program, are being held. Wormies, a Grand Rapids-based vermicompost business, is doing the food scraps collection (offered weekly and biweekly).