3514 Calibogue Cir.
Indianapolis, Indiana, 46228

info@greenwithindy.com

1. What are your terms of agreement?

COMMERCIAL: We require a one-year agreement with an automatic renewal option, unless notified within 60 days written notice of cancellation. Terms are cancellable with 60 days written notification by either party.

RESIDENTIAL: Service is provided on a month by month basis. We provide either weekly or bi-weekly service. You may cancel at anytime. We do ask for notification to be given 24 hours in advance, if you need to suspend or cancel the service for any reason.

2. What is compost?

Compost is the poop of small creatures, both big and small, essentially microorganisms. It’s the decomposition or biodegradation of organic material that we refer to as rotting. It’s the waste residue of worms, flies and micro-organisms; naturally returning this digested material back to whence it came, the earth.

Composting organic waste is an old-school solution to waste management that requires no perfection. It is a proven approach to recycling a wide variety of organic materials e.g., food, leaves, grass and twigs, that when properly managed(watered, turned and aerated), produces a valued organic matter that enhances the chemical, physical and biological properties of soil. It is not a “fertilizer”, although it can reduce the amount of fertilizer needed by replacing nitrogen naturally. Using food waste to grow more food defines sustainability. And, because of its many uses, it is commonly referred to as black gold.

3. Why should I compost?

Builds healthier soil. Compost adds organic matter and improves soil structure. This can increase nutrient availability, encourage beneficial microorganisms, improve root growth, and help degraded soil recover.
Conserves water. Soil containing more organic matter generally holds water better. That can reduce irrigation requirements and make landscapes and agricultural land more resilient during dry periods.
Keeps food waste out of landfills. Food scraps, coffee grounds, spoiled produce, and other compostable materials can become useful soil amendments instead of being buried as waste. This also preserves landfill capacity.
Reduces methane emissions. When organic material decomposes in a landfill under oxygen-poor conditions, it generates methane—a powerful greenhouse gas. Proper composting uses aerobic decomposition and can substantially reduce those landfill-related emissions.
Returns nutrients to the soil. Composting creates a circular system:
Food → food scraps → compost → soil → plants → food
Instead of treating nutrients as waste, communities can continually return some of them to productive soils.
Can reduce dependence on synthetic fertilizers. Compost supplies organic matter and nutrients, although it isn’t a complete substitute for fertilizer in every situation. Its use can reduce fertilizer requirements in some applications and improve how efficiently soil retains nutrients. That has an additional strategic benefit: nitrogen fertilizer production is heavily dependent on natural gas, so greater use of locally produced soil amendments can reduce some exposure to volatile fertilizer and energy markets.
Helps control erosion. Improved soil structure and vegetation establishment can reduce runoff and soil loss. This is particularly valuable for construction sites, landscaping, agriculture, stream restoration, and disturbed land.
Supports local agriculture. Instead of shipping nutrients away as garbage, composting can return them to nearby farms, gardens, landscapers, nurseries, and community gardens. That creates a more localized nutrient economy.
Creates economic activity. Composting requires collection, hauling, processing, equipment, sales, and distribution. Unlike simply disposing of material, the process can turn a waste stream into a marketable product. For Indianapolis, that means food waste from a restaurant, hospital, university, grocery store, or corporate cafeteria can potentially become an input for another regional business.
Helps businesses meet sustainability goals. Commercial composting can help organizations demonstrate measurable waste-diversion and environmental initiatives. That’s especially relevant for organizations with corporate sustainability, zero-waste, ESG, or waste-reduction objectives.
Strengthens local resilience. This connects to your previous question about climate change and conflict. Composting certainly doesn’t prevent war by itself, but it can strengthen some of the systems that climate-related instability threatens: soil productivity, water retention, local food production, waste management, and agricultural resilience.
Changes the way people think about “waste”. This may be one of the strongest marketing ideas for Green With Indy: Food scraps aren’t necessarily garbage. They’re a local resource in the wrong place. Collection is the mechanism that moves that resource from restaurants, businesses, institutions, and households back into the productive economy.
In a nutshell, composting provides easy to understand benefits: Waste Less → Build Soil → Strengthens Indianapolis.

Here’s the wonky scientific details of why should you compost:

Global warming occurs as the concentration of gasses that effectively trap heat released into the atmosphere increases. The main culprit is carbon dioxide (CO2). However, other gasses such as methane gas (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) also can be released into the environment. Food rotting in landfills releases large amounts for methane gas. Here’s why…

Both of these gasses (methane and nitrous oxide) are much more efficient than carbon dioxide - CO2 (23 times for methane and 296 times for nitrous oxide) at holding heat. Therefore, their impact on global warming is many times that of carbon dioxide.

Methane is formed when organics, e.g., food waste, decomposes in an anaerobic (airless) environment. It is an inefficient decomposition reaction from a microbial perspective and will only occur when all oxygen is depleted. In other words, landfills are not designed to supply oxygen to waste material.

Local Government Benefits: it’s about reduced costs and increased security

Diverts materials from landfills and incinerators
Allows management of organic materials close to the source, thereby reducing costs
Meets local directives for recycling and waste reduction
Extends life of regional landfills, avoiding cost and environmental impact of new disposal facilities
Helps reduce public and private sector solid waste management costs
Builds support for local municipal composting programs
Offsets stormwater costs (when compost is used in low-impact development)
Local Economy, Jobs Training & Employment Benefits

Stimulates and diversifies local economies by supporting local small-scale enterprises
Encourages local training, volunteering, and employment opportunities
Sustains more jobs on a per-ton basis than landfilling or incineration
Helps urban and rural farmers diversify farm products and increase farm income
Supports new businesses in green infrastructure and low-impact development (e.g., rain gardens, green roofs, conservation landscapes, and bioswales)

So, if you like clean, breathable air, less soil depleting pesticide/herbicide usage, clean drinking water and beneficial cost savings…these are why you should compost. Sign up today.

4. What can I compost?

If it’s natural, it most likely can be composted. Here’s a list of acceptable compostable items from both residential and commercial sources.

5. What size buckets are available?

For residential customers, we use 5-7 gallon buckets with lids. Residential buckets are reclaimed and repurposed from local businesses to reduce the amount of plastic introduced into the area. For commercial customers, we use 64 gallon rollout bins with lids.

6. Can I use my own bin or bucket for collecting waste?

No. We use buckets and roll-out totes that reduce pest issues and are of the same color to further identify its use.

7. Do I have to use your compostable bag liners?

Yes. They are used for transferring waste from an indoor collection bin to an outdoor collection bin so the bags are necessary. Our compostable bag liners provide consistency and are stamped and approved by BPI (Biodegradable Products Institute) or meet the standards of the U.S. Composting Council with a designated ASTM number that demonstrates that the bags have been certified and meets their standards for biodegradability. If you don't already have biodegradable bags, we would love to help you out! Purchase your bag liners here!

8. How frequently do you pick up waste?

For residential and commercial customers we offer weekly or bi-weekly service. Service for commercial accounts are Tuesday/Friday. Residential service is provided Wednesday/Thursday schedule.

9. What happens to the waste once it’s picked up?

We transfer the waste to IDEM approved and registered compost sites around the city.

1o. Can I get some of the compost back?

Yes, but only in bulk. We charge by the yard (9 cubic feet) for bulk delivery, plus shipping cost. For bulk rate information, contact us today!

11. How do I sign up?

It's easy! Visit our sign up page to join our community!

12. How much is curbside pick up?

For residential service, click here. For commercial or institutional service, click here.

13. How do I pay?

Commercial accounts are invoiced monthly. We accept payments by ACH, checks or credit cards. Residential customers are required to setup automatic payments via our website. You can pay online by purchasing a monthly package.

14. What areas do you serve?

We’re growing GWI by zip code. If we do not currently service your zip code, keep in touch, we will be there soon.

15. Why should I pay for this service and another trash service as the same time?

Simple, dumping trash or garbage into a landfill is untenable for a living, thriving and healthy Earth. Indiana is responsible for the second largest landfill operation, and may be known as the landfill capital of the world. Our state's waste “tipping” fees (not a gratuity) are so low that other states dump their waste here, which results in a large accumulation of waste on our precious land. If you want to learn more, click here!

The goal is to reduce the amount of compostable waste dumped into landfills. This shift will reduce your waste management cost and grow a greener, more sustainable Indiana.