Omaha’s Climate Action Plan is moving fast. But you have a chance to contribute your ideas. There’s a bunch of “open houses” happening this month. Join one and tell them you want more residential composting (we have a plan brewing :). Check the schedule.

This month’s rundown:

• 🎟️ Events: we’re doing a free seminar & our first awards ceremony!

• ✍️ Tip: Discover how to sustainably source indoor bins on the cheap.

• 🥳 New eco-organizations to celebrate: hint, there’s a bunch of new students participating in our composting programs.

• 🌐 On the web: MCR shows us what a circular food system looks like.

• 📼 Watch: See how Untamed Kitchen uses our services.

FAQ: Where to get Bins for your Recycling Program

It turns out trash cans are expensive. And if you have an organization that needs a lot of them, chances are you don’t have it in the budget. No worries. We have options ranging from free and cheap to beautiful and expensive.

Free & cheap — go hunting online. Since reuse is better than buying new, unleash your inner treasure hunter and explore online marketplaces.

• Repurposed Materials: they call themselves “America’s largest industrial thrift store.” Depending on the day, you may be able to find a large quantity of bins from a former office space.

• Facebook Market Place, Craigslist, or Nextdoor: These old and trusty marketplaces are great if you need a small number of bins.

• Buy Sell Nothing Groups: How about free bins? That’s what these Facebook groups are all about. You’ll need to find your local group. Protip: start your post with “Ask:” if you’re looking for something or “Gift:” if you’re getting rid of something.

• Zero Waste Omaha: Similar to Buy Nothing groups, Omaha’s zero waste community is always up for helping when it can.

Secondhand Stores: For more of a commercial context, you may want to try one of Omaha’s three Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore locations. And if you wanna check from your seat, they also list some items online. Search here.

Here’s a grant program: The Nebraska Recycling Council (NRC) picks one lucky duck per month. Apply and your organization could receive upwards of $25,000 to buy new bins. You’ll need some reference letters, and assuming we’re partnered together, we’re more than happy to provide one. Check it out here.

Interestingly enough, the NRC just posted a bunch of used bins for sale from Lincoln Public Schools.

Where to purchase new: We have three options for ya …

• Larsen Supply Co: the low-cost local option. We love them because they know our process. Plus they keep bins, bags, and compostable service ware in stock. Please mention we referred you!

• Bin Manufacturers: For something more rugged, customer, and aesthetically pleasing, check the link for national companies recommended by Recycle Across America.

• Affiliate Marketing Options: Yes, it’s cringe to recommend purchasing more stuff on Amazon, but check the link for a set we recommend if you need a quick Prime fix. We do get a kickback from any purchases using that link.

Ready for the next step? Now that you have all the hacks for finding low-budget waste bins, you’ll need to think about signage, bin placement, and education. Lucky for you, we have a guide for that!

Local school living the circular food system dream

Our eco-partner Montessori Children’s Room (MCR) gets a big bow of respect from us. They’re absolutely crushing it with all the ways a school can participate in the circular food system. In a recent feature in Nebraska Recycling Council’s email, they interviewed Outdoor Classroom Teacher Rachel Schiele, who heads the garden program. We’ll share some highlights featured in the article, along with additional context we’re keen to:

• They compost all food waste through us

• Host a Compost Club drop-off site for neighbors

• Get finished compost donated to them via Compost Club Gives

• Which goes to their organic on-site flower and food garden

• Which the school chef uses in lunches they serve to students

• Whatever’s left over gets composted to start the process again

Read the interview here.

How Untamed Kitchen uses our services

Think fast casual like Chipotle, but healthier, and where every single-use item handed to you is either recyclable or compostable. That’s Untamed Kitchen. And they are bold and unique in that they allow the customer to dispose of their materials in the correct bins on their own. Take a look inside and in the alley with what we have them set up with. Check it on our Tiktok page here.