IFSCC’s Board of Directors Election is right around the corner. We’re sharing responses from both incumbent and incoming board candidates interested in joining the Board of Directors via an online vote. The Illinois Food Scrap & Composting Coalition continues to create an environment in Illinois where great ideas can thrive. Thank you to the entire compost community past, present and future! Members, please keep an eye on your inboxes to cast your ballot beginning April 29. Any questions? Please email illinoiscomposts@gmail.com. NEW CANDIDATES Spencer LaBelle, SCS Engineers Please explain ..read more

Pictured: Liz Kunkle, IEC Zero Waste Policy Manager and IFSCC Policy Co-Chair, and Samira Hanessian, IEC Energy Policy Director The IFSCC Policy Committee recently hosted compost industry tours at IFSCC Gold Sustaining Member Whole Earth Compost and with an IFSCC organizational member, Teegen Compost Services. These tours provided helpful information about how processors make compost from our yard and food waste. IFSCC aims to educate and show first-hand how organics diversion and composting improve human and environmental health in Illinois while reducing methane emissions and waste and cre ..read more

Author:  Dianarose Fraum Blivaiss, Education Committee On August 2, 2023 Senator Dick Durbin spoke to a full house at the Food Tank and White House summit Empowering Eaters: Access, Affordability, and Healthy Choices, Chicago. Addressing food waste, he stated,  “the obvious question for us is, is there an alternative?…I live in a condo here [Chicago]…In the condo here there is a trash chute. What do you put in the trash chute? Whatever you have..food waste…something that isn’t quite recyclable…becoming part of landfills and creating problems in years to come. We have to be more thoug ..read more

The Illinois Food Scrap & Composting Coalition reached out to SAVOR, our valued Sustaining Platinum Member, and learned about their organic recycling program and so much more! After more than eight years with the food service company responsible for providing food and beverage service at McCormick Place, Doug Bradley, SAVOR VP Culinary, reflects on what has been put in place and how SAVOR has approached diverting overproduced food, as well as food preparation trim, in day-to-day food operations at McCormick Place. Firstly, the event business at a convention center is largely a catering bus ..read more

Dear IFSCC Community, Thank you to everyone who had a hand in making our 2023 International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) celebration such a wonderful success. This year’s theme was For Healthier Soil, Healthier Food… Compost! Perhaps you were part of our talented and amazing ICAW team, coordinated an Adventure in Composting (AIC), or happening at a library, attended one of the marvelous programs or events throughout the week, or commented on or liked one of our posts. To all of you who contributed to and supported these efforts, a heartfelt thank you. We believe we were able to reach well ove ..read more

Blog post content was submitted by Katherine Tellock, IFSCC We Compost Recognition Program and Policy Committee member. Katherine is the Business Operations Manager for Block Bins. She has a degree in Economics from the University of Wisconsin and is a leader in environmental volunteering efforts in Chicago. Block Bins recently launched a bin mural project in collaboration with local Chicago artist Brie Hines (The Brie Show). Their goal is to raise awareness about the environmental benefits of composting through Brie’s colorful and lively designs. These bins are placed around West Town, Ukrain ..read more

IFSCC’s May Election is right around the corner. We’re sharing responses from both incumbent and incoming board candidates interested in joining the Board of Directors via an online vote. The Illinois Food Scrap & Composting Coalition continues to create an environment in Illinois where great ideas can thrive. Thank you to the entire compost community past, present and future! Members, please keep an eye on your inboxes to cast your ballot. Any questions? Please email illinoiscomposts@gmail.com. NEW CANDIDATE Why would you like to serve on the IFSCC Board of Directors? Liam Donnelly, CEO ..read more

2023 ICAW Poster The 2023 International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) Planning Team of the Illinois Food Scrap & Composting Coalition invites public and institutional libraries throughout Illinois to join in efforts to raise awareness about the importance of composting. ICAW is the global compost community’s largest and most comprehensive education initiative. Scheduled this year for May 7-13, ICAW is an annual weeklong celebration aiming to increase the diversion of organics from the waste stream through awareness of and participation in composting. Throughout the week co ..read more

Duke’s Alehouse & Kitchen is an upscale-casual gastropub in Crystal Lake, IL that creates gourmet comfort foods utilizing sustainable ingredients from local farmers and producers. They believe food should not only be responsibly sourced, but also healthy for the community, environment, and our health. The IFSCC is proud to have members that do more than talk. Duke’s walks the walk. Find out more from our interview with Chef Zak Dolezal. When did Duke’s first start thinking about ways to reduce food waste and keep food scraps out of the landfill? Can you briefly describe what prompted this ..read more

University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), IFSCC Member Organization and We Compost Silver Partner, currently collects food waste for composting at 5 locations on campus (Student Center East; Student Center West; UI Health Hospital; Isadore & Sadie Dorin Forum; and the School of Public Health). Their grounds crew has been composting landscape waste since 1990 following Public Act 85-1430, and in 2013 they added “back-of-house” food scrap composting at their Student Center East where most of the campus dining operations take place. This was made possible with the help of a grant that improved th ..read more