Today, May 8, 2015, would have been Jerome Goldstein’s 84th birthday. For those not familiar with our history, Jerry founded BioCycle in 1960, originally as the journal, Compost Science. Earlier this week, our former coworker, David Riggle, sent a scan of a slide he found of Jerry at his desk dated April 1989. David closed his note to us: “Very best, with due respect to the Man.”
On May 2, a New York Times article, “Food Scraps for Energy,” highlighted the installation of a Grind2Energy system at the Cleveland (Ohio) Indians stadium, Progressive Field (how apt a name!), to process food prep scraps and prepared food that cannot be donated. The slurry is sent to quasar energy group’s anaerobic digester in Cleveland.
The day the “Food Scraps for Energy” story ran in the Times, my cousin, who is an artist in Brooklyn, called to be sure we had seen the story. Jenny is an avid reader of BioCycle. I mentioned to her that we hadn’t been contacted by the reporter, who would have seen the

Jerome Goldstein, Founding Publisher, BioCycle
Photo by David Riggle

BioCycle articles on Grind2Energy and quasar when doing background research. Jenny replied that the reporter didn’t really need to touch base with us because these technologies and systems being covered are not some aberration, but are tools for the established practice of food scraps diversion. She credits BioCycle’s many years of research and reporting on all things organics recycling for making that established practice happen.
The fact that BioCycle is the globally recognized Organics Recycling Authority is embodied in Jerry’s lifetime achievements. He was a man with a vision — a vision that today is the norm in many communities, businesses, institutions, factories and on farms. And yes, stadiums and arenas, from the Pittsburgh Pirates PNC Park to the Portland Trail Blazers Moda Center to the London Olympics held in 2012.
Because the photo David sent was dated April 1989, I pulled out Jerry’s editorial, “Change Is In The Air,” from that issue. Here’s a snippet: “… Change is in the air — Big Change.  … Only a few years ago, common wisdom had us all believing that Americans would never forsake the convenience of a throwaway society — that the effort of separating trash would limit participation in curbside programs to a tiny percentage. Today, eight states have passed … mandatory recycling, and many cities have established similar requirements. Citizen participation often exceeds 60 percent.”
Jerry would have been pleased by the May 2 article in the New York Times, one of his favorite publications. Common wisdom is changing rapidly, in favor of all things organics recycling. So Dad, on your birthday, we stand proud and Salute Your Vision.