To:

Bedford Select Board Member, Emily Mitchell

Bedford Select Board Member, Margot Fleischman

Bedford Select Board Member, Ed Pierce

Bedford Select Board Member, Bopha Malone

Bedford Select Board Member, Shawn Hanegan

Bedford Town Manager, Sarah Stanton

Director of Bedford Department of Public Works, David Manugian

This letter is submitted on behalf of the undersigned, members and allies of Mothers Out Front in Bedford, MA. Mothers Out Front is an organization of mothers and others driven by our obligation to ensure a livable climate for all children. Recognizing that the climate emergency requires us all to reduce emissions across all aspects of our lives individually and collectively as fast as possible, we ask that our Town government help us reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with food waste by providing curbside composting for all residents. 

The US EPA estimates that 24% of solid waste is compostable material which, if composted, can help us drive down our carbon emissions by sequestering carbon in the soil instead of generating climate-change-causing emissions in landfills or incinerators. The money that Bedford saves in trash tipping fees can be used to offset the Town's curbside composting costs. The Town providing this necessary service to all residents would promote equity for those who cannot physically maintain a backyard composter and for those who cannot afford to pay for their own curbside pickup. Other nearby towns providing food waste composting for their residents include Arlington, Cambridge, Concord, Lexington, and Hamilton.

Composting creates healthy soil and food, sequesters carbon, helps reduce methane emissions, produces jobs, and even filters and cleans water while reducing runoff. For a healthy planet and for future generations, we request that Bedford provide curbside composting food waste pick up in addition to the trash and recycling pick up currently provided to residents.

Sincerely,

<Your Name>