Food Scraps that Fuel Community

Episode 22 of The Green Route with MAREDI Design is here! Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or click here.

Chicago composting just got accessible for everyone. In the latest episode, we welcome Kyle Preuss, partner and Chief Marketing Officer at Block Bins in Chicago, to unpack their crowdfunded shared-bin model that’s transforming urban waste into community gold.

Kyle explains his journey cultivating his marketing expertise and harnessing his San Francisco-inspired passion for sustainability into Block Bins. Launched in 2018, the service deploys locked neighborhood bins at affordable prices, empowering apartments and homes to divert food scraps. These scraps are kept entirely within the city of Chicago, teaming with projects like Green Era Chicago as the food waste processor to create nutrient-rich compost for local residents.

With a thoughtful approach based in raising community awareness and focusing on educating city residents on the importance of composting efforts, Block Bins has experienced steady growth across Chicago, even expanding into some suburbs. Kyle shares the model’s uniqueness, as well as composting’s massive impact as a simple daily action.

Highlighting the bold expansion initiatives in sight for Chicagoland communities, we learn about the key challenges and milestones in developing a concept that is so deep-rooted in community investment. Kyle emphasizes the fact that powerful change starts with accessible steps anyone can take, no yard needed.

After tuning in, we’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave a review, share your favorite takeaways, or tell us what sustainability topics you’d like us to dive into next.

See you down the Green Route 😊