Take Action
Composting your own food scraps is step one. Here is how our whole community moves toward zero waste.
The City of Durango has an opportunity to act on organics
After a 5-year public-private partnership with Table to Farm Compost that expired in August of 2026, and unanimously passing the first organics resolution in its history in January of 2025 thanks to hundreds of comments pouring in, the City of Durango will be considering a variety of policy options to expand organics diversion citywide this September and October. The policy options will be presented in a report completed by the State of Colorado’s STEPS (Strategic Technical Expertise for the Public Sector) program and was requested by city sustainability staff. This decision is being made during one of the worst bear seasons on record. And unfortunately, La Plata County has led the state in bear incidents.
City of Durango sustainability plan
Here’s what you can do
If you want to voice your support for the Durango City Council taking an important step toward citywide composting:
#1: Sign the Petition: Thanks to the Climate Study Group, a petition is being circulated that already has hundreds of signatures! Please sign this letter by September 15th and encourage the City to make food scraps and yard trimmings part of their curbside collection program. And forward this petition to 3 friends!
#2: Comment at the September 15th Meeting in advance of the October 6th Study Session: It is unclear at this time if the technical STEPS report being provided to city council will be released for the regularly scheduled September 15th Council Meeting or in advance of the October 6th study session. Organics will be a topic of discussion at both meetings, with the City Council taking an in-depth view of the report during the study session. Because the public is not able to comment during a study session, the best opportunity for you to voice your thoughts on recycling organics is in advance of the September 15th meeting via email, or at the meeting itself during public comment.
- To email city council, send a note to CityCouncil@DurangoCO.gov.
- To comment at the council meeting: show up right at 5:30 and be sure to sign up for public comment under the organics update agenda item.
- Testifying remotely: the information to sign up and the link to access the meeting remotely will be available the day of the meeting, along with the rules around commenting. This can all be found on the city website.
Here are some talking points for your comments if that is helpful.
Selece with Gathings Garden in Northern New Mexico - a local farm that uses T2F compost.
La Plata Healthy Soils Program
Led by The Good Food Collective, Table to Farm Compost, Zero Foodprint, and Local First Foundation, this program funds regenerative agriculture in La Plata County through voluntary 1% donations at participating restaurants and food businesses — supporting cover cropping, composting and other climate-beneficial soil practices. Learn more about this program here.
We are recruiting 20 participating businesses in 2026 and 50 by the end of 2027, with a goal of raising $1M for farm grants. It is a cornerstone of the 2025–2030 La Plata County Food Systems Plan.
Want in?
Business owners and curious neighbors: email info@tabletofarmcompost.com or call 970-508-8768. Newsletter subscribers hear about every development first.
Start with your own bucket.
The simplest action is starting with your own bucket. Join the curbside program and be counted.