Maria Perez’s journey with the Duwamish Valley Sustainability Association (DVSA) began when she was just 14 years old. Enrolled in a youth program that ignited her passion for fighting climate change, she eventually found herself managing a groundbreaking project in Washington to reduce food waste. This innovative program, based in the South Park area of Seattle, was launched by the DVSA in 2021 in collaboration with organizations like Food Lifeline, Sustainable Seattle, Black Star Farmers, and Chomp.
The program involved the use of small-scale biodigesters, designed to transform waste from the neighborhood into liquid plant food. Perez dedicated countless hours to understanding how these sealed containers utilized bacteria to reduce emissions while simultaneously producing food for the predominantly Latino community. She engaged with residents, especially young people, passing on her knowledge and enthusiasm for the project.
The biodigesters, slightly smaller than shipping containers, functioned similarly to a cow’s four-chambered stomach, converting 25 tons of rotting food into 5,400 gallons of fertilizer annually. Additionally, the process generated biogas, a renewable energy source that could be utilized for electricity or fuel.
Edwin Hernandez, the executive director of DVSA, explained that the project was born out of a need to address the significant amount of garbage seen on the streets of the South Park area. Through community meetings and consultations with local residents and businesses, the idea for a biodigester emerged as a sustainable solution. Beyond waste reduction, the project also aimed to provide green jobs and create sustainable infrastructure for the neighborhood.
The initiative received funding from various sources, including an EPA grant and support from the City of Seattle. Collaboration with the University of Washington and participation in the state’s NextCycle Washington program further bolstered the project’s development.
Hernandez emphasized the value of the biodigester in transforming food waste into a valuable resource for local food production. In the United States, over a third of the food supply goes to waste, highlighting the urgent need for more sustainable waste management solutions.
One of the key benefits of biodigesters, according to Adrian Tan of the King County Solid Waste Division, is their ability to mitigate the release of methane gas from decomposing food waste in landfills. By keeping waste local and repurposing it into useful resources, biodigesters offer a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional waste disposal methods.
Jan Allen, CEO of Chomp, the company behind the biodigesters, emphasized the importance of community engagement in addressing shared challenges. Inspired by the desire to reduce pollution associated with trucking garbage in and out of communities, Chomp aims to create a circular economy centered around food, waste, energy, and local food production.
Maria Perez’s role in the project involved educating local restaurants and residents on the benefits of the biodigester and other waste reduction programs. Through her efforts, she empowered the community to turn their trash into valuable resources, contributing to a more sustainable and environmentally conscious future for the neighborhood. DVSA, a community organization in King County, Washington, has successfully implemented a biodigester project in South Park that aims to benefit the neighborhood by creating biogas and producing a liquid soil amendment. When the biodigesters finished processing, the liquid soil amendment was distributed back to the community, providing a valuable resource for residents and local businesses.
In addition to the biodigester project, DVSA also conducted trainings for the neighborhood residents in Spanish, English, and Khmer, the official language of Cambodia. These trainings helped to educate the community about the benefits of the project and how they can get involved. One of the main challenges facing the project now is distributing the liquid soil amendment and finding a free area to install more biodigesters to increase biogas production.
Despite facing challenges, the project has already garnered interest from over 30 residents and 5 restaurants in the neighborhood. DVSA is eager to sign up more participants and expand the reach of the project. While one of the project leaders, Perez, has stepped away to focus on college, she is proud of the impact the project has had on the community and is optimistic about its continued success.
Perez expressed her happiness about the project, stating that it has brought the community together and raised awareness about sustainable practices in South Park. The project has not only provided a valuable resource for the neighborhood but has also fostered a sense of unity and collaboration among residents.
This successful biodigester project in South Park was made possible through the partnership with Communities of Opportunity, a coalition dedicated to investing in the power of communities to create healthy and thriving neighborhoods. Through their support, DVSA was able to implement the project and make a positive impact on the community.
