Greening the Farm on Earth Day

There is no better way to celebrate Earth Day than to divert waste from the landfill. For their Earth Day Celebration at Maya’s Farm in Phoenix, FOR Energy partnered with Green Events Services to provide waste, recycling, and composting services for over 150 attendees. Keep Phoenix Beautiful helped our team coordinate the waste and recycling bins, while Recycled City handled the compost bins.

The event consisted of a farmer’s market, petting zoo, food and drink, and a sustainable cooking demonstration with Chef Elizabeth Mienz. We led our Green Team to bin guard at several waste stations set up throughout the area, instructing event-goers on proper disposal etiquette. Additionally, because of the event’s smaller size, we were able to interact more with the attendees, and took great pride in educating them about the importance of recycling and composting. For example, we let people know that typically over 50% of municipal waste is actually compostable. Hopefully, some people were inspired by our efforts and will start composting more on their own.
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The Green Team ended up achieving a 68% waste diversion rate by generating more compost and recyclables than waste. Our efforts complemented the overarching mission of the farm, which uses no pesticides, herbicides, or commercial fertilizers to grow their organic produce. We look forward to future events with both FOR Energy and Maya’s Farm as we continue to grow and find ways to make the local community more sustainable.

Our Partners:
FOR Energy: FOR Energy specializes in residential solar energy systems, helping homeowners enjoy free energy while helping the environment. They offer residential free consultations in Phoenix, AZ, to provide individuals with valuable information about solar panel systems and how they can benefit. 

Maya’s Farm: Maya’s Farm is a small, sustainable operation which produces high-quality specialty vegetables, herbs, flowers and eggs for local markets, restaurants and schools. A community-supported agriculture (CSA) program gives subscribers a weekly supply of produce that is cut by hand in the field daily.

Keep Phx Beautiful: Founded in 1982, Keep Phoenix Beautiful is a local, sustainably-minded non-profit 501(c)3 organization that aims to empower diverse communities to improve their overall quality of life. They host numerous events every year that focus on recycling, composting, and greening local landscapes.
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Recycled City: Recycled City is a full-circle service in the Phoenix Valley that makes it easy to turn your food waste back into farmland. They are returning nutrients to the soil and using it to grow fresh, local, chemical-free produce.

The Green Team:
Ashley Weisman
Bryce Campbell
Gemini Boudrie
Jessica Simon

Author: Bryce Campbell
Bryce Campbell is a senior at Arizona State pursuing a degree in business and a minor in sustainability. Outside of GreenLight, he is a Renewable Energy Intern for Seaside Sustainability, focusing on analyzing state programs concerning the transition to cleaner energy. He enjoys finding ways to leave an impact on his local community and likes to play guitar and cook in his free time.