Why does composting matter? Composting reduces greenhouse gas emissions and enriches the soil. Half of the public landfill serving Antigua Guatemala comprises food and yard waste. This landfill will have to close within two years at the present fill rate. Diverting the organic waste will extend the landfill’s life and reduce greenhouse gas emissions for the city. The compost produced by this organic material will nourish our soils, improve the quality of food grown in them and make the people who eat that food healthier. Green Mama Compost began operations in Alotenango, Sacatepéquez in August 2023. In the first 10 months, the organization diverted and processed 92,652 lbs of waste, yielding 15,442 lbs of compost, mulch, and worm castings. At the current rate, they divert and process around 4,000 lbs of food waste per week. Visitors on this site visit will follow a delivery of the day’s waste collection from the time it enters the gates until it is transformed into finished compost.

Duration: 2.5 hours
Departure time: 12:30pm
Departure location: Site Visit Meeting Point at Casa Santo Domingo
Time on bus: 30 minutes each way
Language: English & Spanish
Food/drinks: None
Maximum capacity: 20 people
Is there still space in this site visit? Yes

Register: To participate in this site visit, attendees must sign up directly via Green Mama Compost. Please register to participate via this form and reach out to Eleanor Lawrence at [email protected] with any questions.

Registration is only available to CADF 2024 attendees.