With Thanksgiving this week, a holiday season full of indulgent meals, special snacks, and sweet treats is upon us. However, these large spreads of delicious food often come with an increase in food waste. At two Brightview Senior Living communities, associates and residents have been working for the past few months to decrease the environmental impact of their food waste through participation in local composting programs.
In partnership with Brightview’s Sustainability Council, Brightview Commons in Wakefield, Rhode Island, and Brightview Perry Hall in Nottingham, Maryland, have started composting programs in their communities. Brightview has long been committed to building and operating sustainable, healthy communities that enhance the well-being of our residents, families, and associates. After a decade of focus on green building design, Brightview’s Sustainability Council is working with communities to explore other sustainable initiatives.
Composting food waste is a simple yet powerful way to reduce environmental impact and contribute to healthier soil and plants. Instead of sending food scraps to landfills, where they release methane, a potent greenhouse gas, composting converts food waste into nutrient-rich soil. This process benefits the environment by reducing landfill contributions and greenhouse gas emissions. Compost also improves soil structure, supports beneficial microorganisms, and enriches the soil with essential nutrients that promote plant growth.
At Brightview Commons, Executive Director Darlene Lepore explained that “composting really fits the values of Brightview and our community.”
“Our residents have always had a very deep interest in recycling and caring about the environment,” she said. “They were thrilled when we got rid of Styrofoam.”
Working with Black Earth Compost, Brightview Commons’ Dining Room Manager, Dining Services Director, and Executive Chef met with the entire dining team to review what can go into the composting bin. They devised a plan of scraping dishes into buckets and then dumping them into the larger bins from Black Earth. The community also educated residents about the composting process and how they can help make the program successful.
“We’ve worked with residents to educate them and remind them not to put any paper on their plate,” Darlene said. “Residents don’t like wasting food, so it makes everyone feel better that the food will be composted.”
The entire community loves to hear about the metrics for how much waste they are diverting from landfills. From August to October of this year, Brightview Commons composted 5.2 tons of food.
The reception to composting has been just as positive at Brightview Perry Hall. According to Associate Executive Director of Hospitality Services Kathy Smith, the team started slowly, implementing the change in the main kitchen. As the dining team saw how easy the composting process was, they immediately jumped in and added bins in other areas of the community.
Residents have been particularly excited that the composting company, Veteran Compost, is veteran-owned and focused on employing veterans and their family members. Brightview Perry Hall collected 3.9 tons of food waste in September and 4.6 tons in October!
After a successful initial months of both composting programs, the entire Brightview team is excited to see how many tons of food waste these communities will divert from landfills and to explore similar opportunities for other Brightview communities
Learn more about Brightview Senior Living’s Sustainability Initiatives here.
Brightview Senior Living builds, owns, and operates award-winning vibrant senior living communities in eight states along the East Coast: Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Virginia. We offer senior Independent Living, Assisted Living, Enhanced Care, and Wellspring Village™, a specialized neighborhood for people living with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. Schedule a personal visit to experience our communities firsthand.
