Fertile ground: The initiatives reframing food waste and regenerating Bristols’ soils

Bristol is home to a growing movement of initiatives working to transform food waste into nutrient-rich compost. Bristol Food Network volunteer Hannah Shepherd discovers how by engaging citizens in the process, these projects not only regenerate soil and support urban biodiversity but also shift perceptions around waste.

From improving soil health to reducing waste, the benefits of composting are renowned, and yet cities capture less than 2% of organic waste to use productively. In Bristol, we generate around 48,000 tonnes of food waste every year, most of which is processed in anaerobic digesters or energy-from-waste plants. Such technology means that food waste is kept out of landfill, but its potential to become nutrient-dense soil is lost.

However, initiatives such as Generation Soil CIC, Bristol Living Soil and Heart of BS13’s ‘Closed Loop Club’, are part of a growing movement to recoup the benefits of food waste by turning it into rich soil. I caught up with Alex from Generation Soil to hear about their ambitions to reframe waste, build a circular food system and bring Bristol citizens along for the ride.

From linear to circular

Our current linear food system follows a “take, make, dispose” approach and involves incredible amounts of energy, materials and waste. Composting is a crucial clog in a ‘circular’ food system – a model that mimics nature and ensures that resources are reused as part of a cycle.

Generation Soil, Bristol Living Soil and Heart of BS13 offer collection services that pick up food waste from doorsteps across Bristol before undergoing a fermentation and maturation process. (Some of which are postcode-dependent! Visit their websites to find out more.) At Heart of BS13 the compost is used at their on-site sustainable flower farm and members of Generation Soil and Bristol Living Soil can receive a compost delivery or it is distributed to regenerative growing projects elsewhere in the city.

When I ask Alex from Generation Soil how composting creates a more resilient food network, he highlights the importance of holding onto this resource. “We think it makes sense to treat waste locally…and [this] enables us to increase urban biodiversity, and the associated benefits on ecosystem services such as flood/water management, access to nature, and access to locally grown food.”

Changing perceptions

There is a disconnect between our awareness of the environmental impacts associated with food waste and our actions in the kitchen – with most people underestimating how much food they throw away. This notion is upheld by the out-of-sight out-of-mind approach taken by waste management in the UK. “Unlike conventional… systems which remain hidden from the public eye, we champion 100% transparency,” says Alex.

But beyond that, the hands-on involvement with composting actually fosters an “informal education”, as Alex describes it. “Our members are the first step in our composting process, where they add beneficial microorganisms to their food waste which ferments it before we collect it. By directly involving people… they can understand what they need to do and why.”

As well as inspiring their members, Generation Soil hosts educational workshops designed to empower individuals and communities. Similarly, Bristol Living Soil hosts workshops and events and Heart of BS13 organises ‘Compost Tours’ to help raise awareness around the benefits of composting. If you are interested in finding out more, please visit their websites:

• Generation Soil CIC

• Bristol Living Soil or see our previous story

• Heart of BS13 ‘Closed Loop Club’
  

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