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Building a Legacy: Composting for a Greener Wilmington

 

During our recent trip to Wilmington, NC, we had the privilege of catching up with our friends Riley and Trey Alber, the masterminds behind a remarkable sustainability initiative. They recognized a critical gap in the local waste management system: a staggering 40-70% of landfill waste is compostable, and they were determined to make a difference. Their solution? Creating a simple and accessible composting system for the Wilmington community.

We spent an inspiring day with them, learning about their operations and their passion for environmental change. By diverting compostable materials from landfills, they're not only reducing waste but also enriching the soil and fostering a healthier ecosystem. By diverting this organic matter from landfills, Riley and Trey are playing an essential role in reducing the immense methane emissions that come from landfills, a key driver of climate change. It’s a win-win: less waste in the landfill and healthier, more productive soil for the community.

“People are starting to see value in growing their own food in their backyard, so I think that there's going to be a shift from dependency on our grocery stores and kind of the traditional food chain to folks actually harvesting their own stuff out of their backyard and their gardens there.” -Trey Alber

Their work is not just about reducing waste; it’s about changing how we think about our resources, our food, and our connection to the environment. As we walked through their composting facility and chatted about their journey, it became clear that this project isn’t just a business—it's a movement towards a more sustainable way of life.

“One thing it's really taught me out here is if we do slow down and approach life from a more holistic, more inclusive approach, it tends to give you more back.” -Riley Alber

It was truly inspiring to see how Riley and Trey have turned their vision into a reality, building a legacy of sustainability from the ground up. And of course, no visit to Wilmington would be complete without a few beers by the fire, toasting their success and the greener future they're helping to create.