Browsing by Subject "Compost"
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Item Open Access CREATING VALUE CHAINS FOR SOIL HEALTH AND RESILIENT FOOD SYSTEMS IN WARREN COUNTY(2021-04-30) Hessenius, Angela; Howard, Elizabeth; Martinez, Catarina; Karanikolas, CleopatraThis Master’s Project aims to support Working Landscapes, a rural development nonprofit based in Warren County, NC, in developing a food waste recovery enterprise to handle food scraps from their food processing operation called ByWay Foods. Our project has two main objectives: 1) identify the best model for processing ByWay Foods’ vegetable waste stream to maximize economic, environmental, and social benefits in Warren County and 2) develop a business plan to guide the creation of this food waste recovery enterprise. To achieve these goals, we researched various alternative food waste recovery strategies including composting, vermicomposting, and biochar through literature review and interviews with experts and practitioners. Based on our client’s values and priorities, we selected a mixed-model compost and vermicompost operation as the optimal strategy for our client to create value from ByWay Foods’ food scraps. The result of our project is a business plan that guides Working Landscapes in the implementation of this new social enterprise that will enhance environmental, economic, and social value in the communities they serve.Item Open Access Duke Athletics Zero Waste to Landfill Initiative(2013-04-26) Victor, Britta; Waters, EsiLandfills are a growing threat to public health, releasing emissions to air, soil, and water. With space and resource constraints, recycling and composting are becoming increasingly economically attractive. Duke, as a leading academic institution, has the opportunity to become a leader in waste reduction. Piloting a zero waste to landfill initiative at Cameron Indoor Stadium will bring the Duke community together to reduce waste while garnering public attention. A zero waste program, in which 90% of waste is diverted from the landfill, can be achieved through upstream, downstream, and courtside changes. Through consumer behavior observations, technology evaluation, and empirical data for waste segregation, we have recommended educational, operational, and product packaging changes to achieve Zero Waste at Cameron Indoor Stadium. These recommendations focus on the addition of composting capacity at Duke, educational initiatives for game attendees and staff, the sourcing of products with easily recyclable or compostable packaging, and negotiations with local recycling facilities to increase acceptance of a variety of materials. This long-term project has the opportunity to expand throughout Duke University and to peer institutions to make the greatest impact.Item Open Access Farm to Fork to Farm: Biochar, Compost, Working Landscapes, and a Circular Economy in Warren Co., NC(2023-04-28) Fast, Clara; Bowers, Madeline; Carter, Eliza; Taragittigul, KarinaWorking Landscapes, a non-profit organization located in Warren County, NC, aims to create new value from their natural and cultural assets and share them in more equitable ways. This project explores the market opportunity, community interest, and externalities of installing and operating a biochar unit in and around Warren County. Biochar, a carbon-rich, solid by-product that results from the pyrolysis of discarded woody material sourced from the community, combined with compost generated by Working Landscapes’ food scraps, can increase soil health and contribute to the creation of a circular supply chain. Beyond the economic benefit of waste reduction is the environmental benefit of keeping natural materials from producing greenhouse gasses in landfills. We conducted a market and cash-flow analysis, a geospatial analysis of the soil types, and analyzed results from an electronic survey for community input. To demonstrate a tangible example of a circular supply chain in Warren County and make use of otherwise wasted materials, we recommend that our client invest in biochar production along with scaling up their compost generation. Working Landscapes will gain a new customer touchpoint, reduce its waste, and increase circularity within its supply chain.