Bowie’s Food Waste Diversion Program received an award during the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) Board of Directors meeting on Sept. 11 for helping to meet the regional goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and advancing equity in environmentalism in an innovative and replicable manner.
The awards were announced by Prince George’s County Council Chair and COG Climate, Energy, and Environment Policy (CEEP) Committee Chair Jolene Ivey and COG Air and Climate Public Advisory Committee Vice Chair Julie Kimmel.
Since the county’s new food waste drop-off site was launched in January, three tons of food waste have been diverted from the Prince George’s landfill. Further, 297 gallons of gasoline were offset by diverting food scraps from the county landfill.
City of Bowie Sustainability Manager Ashleigh Diaz said the program has been implemented through three different methods: low-cost compost bins, curbside collections that now services almost 300 homes, and a food waste drop-off site for residents who are not in the compost collection areas.
“By diverting food waste from the landfill we are cutting greenhouse gas emissions greatly. We also save on fuel and create a product that is healthy and replenishing to soils, growing better foods and better plants, such as pollinator plants, for our local birds, bees, and butterflies,” said Diaz. “Diverting food waste helps the entire environment.”
In continuing toward Maryland’s environmental goals, Diaz recommended that other cities and counties should follow the model of flexible options, whether pickup or dropoff, to make reducing food waste easier for families.
Working to protect the environment has been a priority for Prince George’s County.
During the July meeting of the CEEP Committee, Ivey invited national experts to discuss the serious impacts of climate change along with local and regional efforts to shore up climate resilience. She also discussed a bill she planned to introduce to require vehicle charging stations at new multifamily dwellings, which will be heard this week before the County Council.
Environmental Advisory Committee Chair Abby Snyder said in a 2022 City Council meeting that reducing waste is the Committee’s “first and biggest” priority.
“Having easily accessible food waste pickup, especially for those not thinking about their impact on the environment,” Snyder said, will likely have residents “more inclined to be recycling those food scraps in a much better way than letting them rot in a landfill and create methane emissions.”