Coe College Continues to Pioneer for Composting

Tom Wieseler started composting food waste from the Coe College cafeteria five years ago.  To say that it was an act of love is an understatement.  Every 10 days, or so, he would personally load his van and take the food waste to the Linn County Solid Waste compost site.  This effort would keep 75 tons of food waste out of the landfill.  Today, he has help.

“Before GreenRU came to us with their turn-key solution for organic collection, we were on our own.  Now, we have a partner that will take our food waste with regularity and we know it is going where it should.” 

Wieseler, the General Manager of Sodexo Campus Services at Coe College, learned about a commercial composting operation in the St. Louis area.  Fascinated with the idea, he was disappointed that similar services did not exist locally. He had even discussed composting food waste on the Coe College campus.   “I am very glad that GreenRU has solved our composting concerns.  Let’s say they have taken a load off my back,” Wieseler said. 

GreenRU began collecting food waste from Coe College at the start of the 2012-2013 school year.  They have already diverted over 8 tons.  The collected food scraps are delivered to the Cedar Rapids Linn County Solid Waste Compost Site, where they are conducting a compost pilot program to test the long term practicality of composting.

On April 9 GreenRU presented Coe College with a certificate noting their total 2012 tons diverted and celebrating their commitment to sustainability.      

GreenRU has diverted over 1,800 tons of organics from the landfill, with the help of over 30 customers located across Iowa. For further information contact GreenRU at 855-RU-VERDE.