Nonprofit aims to teach Austinites how to compost, recycle better

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the amount of trash also increases by about 25%, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

To reduce the amount of waste, local nonprofit Keep Austin Beautiful is encouraging Austinites to recycle and compost with a new campaign called "Love ATX."

Rodney Ahart, the nonprofit's CEO, said the goal is to increase recycling rates, educate about composting and also reduce contamination rates—or when a piece of waste is put into the wrong bin and contaminates the waste system.

"We're hoping that this campaign could be a way to just educate people about those simple tips that you can integrate every day into your regular day and your regular practice," Ahart said.

Composting is a newer concept to many Austinites, including Ahart.

Austin Resource Recovery, the city department overseeing waste services, launched a curbside composting collection in 2017 for food scraps, yard trimming, nature fibers and other items. The compost program is part of the city's goal to divert 90% of materials from landfills before 2040.

The launch included single-family homes and some multifamily units. The city expanded its compost bin requirement to all multifamily communities Oct. 1.

The new campaign launched Nov. 15 with its first mural outside Galaxy Cafe in the Clarksville neighborhood. The nonprofit plans to add these installations to each of Austin's 10 city council districts, as a way to engage every neighborhood, Ahart said.

Love ATX also marks the 40th anniversary of the nonprofit, ending on Keep Austin Beautiful Day in April.

Ahart said the city of Austin is unique because it's an environmentally minded community with a city that provides curbside pick-up services for recycling, compost, hazardous waste and litter.

"Let's recycle in our blue cart, let's compost in our green cart, and put our trash in the right cart," Ahart said."At the end of the day, that's how we'll continue to keep Austin litter-free and beautiful."

Austin composting and recycling guidelines can be found online.