Why Composting Is a Climate Solution, Not Just a Feel-Good Habit
Composting isn't just for gardeners or green thumbs. It's one of the most powerful actions we can each take to fight climate change and restore the health of our local soils.
The Problem with Food Waste
Every banana peel, half-eaten sandwich, or forgotten salad that ends up in the trash might seem harmless. But when food waste goes to a landfill, it becomes a serious climate problem.
Unlike a compost pile, where oxygen helps food break down into healthy soil, landfills are oxygen-starved. That means organic material like food rots anaerobically, producing methane, a greenhouse gas up to 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide in the short term. The U.S. EPA ranks landfills as the third-largest source of methane emissions in the country with more than half of their emissions coming from food waste.
In fact, the average person in the U.S. wastes roughly 220 pounds of food each year. Multiply that by your neighborhood, your workplace, your city and the impact becomes massive.
Composting Is a Climate Solution
Composting takes food waste out of the landfill equation entirely, transforming it into a valuable, nutrient-rich soil amendment. That’s not just good for your garden. It’s good for the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the climate we all share.
Here’s how choosing to upcycle your food scraps helps reverse climate harm:
It slashes methane emissions.
When food waste avoids the landfill, it avoids becoming methane. Project Drawdown ranks composting as one of the most effective climate solutions available today.
It improves soil health and carbon storage.
Healthy soil is a powerful carbon sink. Compost helps soil retain carbon, reduce erosion, and hold more water, making it more resilient in extreme weather.
It reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers.
Compost adds nutrients naturally, cutting dependence on fertilizers that are energy-intensive to produce and often contribute to water pollution.
It builds circular systems.
When local food scraps become local compost that supports local gardens, farms, or green spaces, you’re participating in a closed-loop solution that restores instead of wastes.
Kansas City’s Impact
Here at KC Can Compost, our residential Members and commercial Partners have already helped divert over 6.5 million pounds of food waste from the landfill…and counting.
Every pound collected is weighed, tracked, and reported. That data tells a powerful story of what’s possible when community members take action:
So far, KCC members have prevented an estimated 3,250 metric tons of CO₂e from entering the atmosphere. (That’s the greenhouse gas equivalent of taking over 700 cars off the road for an entire year!)
And, they continue to prevent thousands of pounds of CO₂e from entering the atmosphere each month.
The resulting compost has helped restore organic matter, improve structure, and increase water retention in local soils by up to 20%.
The compost created also helps support local food production to create more affordable, sustainable harvests.
Composting creates a local workforce pipeline in the green economy. Including supporting KC Can’s Green Core Training program, which provides environmental literacy and job readiness training to people facing employment barriers.
Businesses are cutting trash volume by around 30%, improving sustainability engagement and exceeding ESG goals.
Municipal programs are benefiting from cleaner waste streams, reduced landfill costs, and healthier communities.
That’s climate action. And it’s happening in our local community, as we work together.
This Matters for Everyone
Whether you're composting at home, running a local business, or planning city-wide sustainability efforts, composting scales.
Residents: It’s easy to get started with our Member Drop-Off Program. All you need is a collection can and a quick stop at one of our convenient locations.
Businesses: Our Commercial Services include free site assessments, staff training, collection setup, and measurable diversion stats you can share with stakeholders and customers.
Cities & Municipalities: Our model is already working in partnership with cities across the metro. We offer consulting, education, and proven infrastructure to support large-scale diversion goals.
When you choose composting, you’re choosing a cleaner Kansas City and a healthier planet.
Let’s Make Composting the New Normal
Fighting climate change can feel daunting. But composting is a tangible, local action you can take today that makes a measurable difference.
✅ Start composting at home with KC Can Compost
✅ Bring composting to your business or workplace
✅ Share this article with a friend or colleague to share knowledge
Every peel. Every scrap. Every coffee ground. It all adds up.
Let’s turn food waste into climate hope together.
Get started today.