Dr. Karen Bell
Keep Liberty Beautiful
Communities around the world marked International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) 2026 from May 3-9, embracing this year’s theme: “Compost! Feed the Soil that Feeds Us.” The annual observance, the largest education initiative of its kind in the composting industry, aims to raise awareness about the environmental, economic, and agricultural benefits of composting.
The 2026 theme underscores a simple but powerful idea: healthy soil is the foundation of healthy food systems. Composting organic waste such as food scraps and yard debris into nutrient-rich soil amendments plays a critical role in replenishing soil health, improving crop yields, and reducing reliance on chemical fertilizers.
As communities face increasing concerns about climate change and food security, composting is gaining recognition as a practical, accessible solution.
Composting also offers significant environmental benefits. By diverting food and organic waste from landfills, it helps reduce methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas produced when organic materials decompose without oxygen. At the same time, compost improves soil’s ability to retain water, supports biodiversity, and helps store carbon, making it an important tool in climate resilience efforts.
ICAW is celebrated globally by municipalities, schools, universities, nonprofit organizations, and community groups.
Activities ranged from workshops and compost facility tours to school programs, cooking demonstrations, and public festivals, all designed to educate and engage residents. In the United States, the program is led by the Compost Research & Education Foundation in partnership with the U.S. Composting Council and the International Compost Alliance.
Internationally, communities found creative ways to promote composting. In Northern Ireland, residents in Antrim and Newtownabbey received free peat-free compost at local recycling centers. At the same time, Derry City and Strabane hosted a kickoff event at Acorn Farm to encourage the use of brown bins for composting organic waste in public spaces.
Locally, Keep Liberty Beautiful joined the effort by hosting an educational booth during its Earth Day celebration, where residents learned about the basics of composting and its benefits. Throughout the week, the organization also participated in a social media campaign to spread awareness and encourage residents to take action at home.
Looking ahead, Keep Liberty Beautiful plans to expand its composting initiatives. Future efforts may include hands-on workshops and the distribution of composting kits to make it easier for residents to get started. The goal is to build a stronger culture of sustainability across Liberty County by equipping individuals with the knowledge and tools they need.
The importance of composting becomes even clearer when considering the global issue of food waste. Each year, roughly one-third of all food produced for human consumption, about 1.3 billion tons, is lost or wasted. This represents not only a missed opportunity to feed billions of people but also a tremendous waste of resources, including water, energy, and labor.
Food waste also has a significant environmental impact. It accounts for approximately 4.4 gigatons of greenhouse gas emissions annually.
Additionally, about 25% of the world’s freshwater supply is used to grow food that is never eaten.
In the United States alone, nearly half of all produce is discarded due to cosmetic standards, amounting to an estimated 60 million tons of fruits and vegetables.
The economic consequences are equally concerning. Food loss translates into reduced income for farmers and higher prices for consumers. With the global population expected to reach 9 billion by mid-century, food production will need to increase by 70% to meet demand, making waste reduction more critical than ever.
Simple actions can make a meaningful difference. Understanding food labeling, for example, can help reduce unnecessary waste. “Use by” dates indicate when perishable food should be consumed for safety, while “best before” dates indicate that quality food may still be safe to eat afterward.
Composting provides a way to close the loop. By recycling food scraps into compost, individuals can return valuable nutrients to the soil, supporting healthier crops and reducing the need for synthetic inputs. It’s a small step with far-reaching benefits for the environment, the economy, and future generations.
Keep Liberty Beautiful encourages residents to consider ways to reduce food waste and incorporate composting into their daily lives. Whether at home, work, or school, these efforts contribute to a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable community.
For more information on reducing food waste or starting a composting program, residents can visit national resources such as SaveTheFood.com or StopFoodWasteDay. com, or contact Keep Liberty Beautiful directly at (912) 880-4888 or klcb@libertycountyga.gov As International Compost Awareness Week reminds us, caring for our soil is an investment in our future. The question now is simple: will you take the pledge to start composting today?