Urban Climate Action and Community Engagement

The community composter initiative aims to reduce organic waste in urban areas while promoting circular economy practices and climate awareness. Local residents are encouraged to collect biodegradable household waste and deposit it in a shared composting facility installed in a neighbourhood public space. The collected organic waste is transformed into compost, which can later be used for urban gardening, tree planting, and maintaining green areas (for example our nearby city garden with wild plants and flowers).

The initiative also includes educational activities, workshops, and information campaigns explaining the importance of waste reduction, soil health, and sustainable urban ecosystems. It is complimented by the activity of collecting plastic bottle caps which goes for the national campaign Caps for Future which is giving them for recycling and buying hospital and emergency equipment for smaller cities and areas.

Installation of a self made community composting facility (by upcycling materials from old wooden pallets) in a public neighbourhood space to collect biodegradable household waste from local residents. Organic waste is processed into compost used for urban gardening, tree planting, and maintaining local green areas. The initiative is complemented by a plastic bottle cap collection point that supports the national campaign “Caps for Future”, encouraging recycling and contributing to the purchase of medical and emergency equipment. Educational workshops, awareness campaigns, and volunteer activities accompany both actions.

The community composter is a small-scale, open composting installation designed for neighbourhood use and raising awareness. Residents deposit organic waste such as fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, and garden residues. The composting process is maintained through regular aeration, monitoring of humidity and organic balance, and periodic mixing by volunteers. The plastic cap collection is facilitated through a visible public installation (“cap heart” - also made by upcycled wooden materials), which serves as a simple and accessible collection point. Both installations require minimal infrastructure and maintenance and can be easily replicated in urban public spaces.

The initiative actively involves local residents, volunteers and ManEco Foundation. Through projects of the organization, workshops and public events we introduce participants to composting, waste reduction, and circular economy principles. The visible installations encourage everyday participation, making recycling and composting part of daily community practices. Families, children, and local groups regularly contribute organic waste and plastic caps, strengthening environmental awareness and community responsibility.

The initiative started as organizational activity expanding its scope of activities and impact but quickly started to actively involve local residents and volunteers who voluntarily started using the composter and the heart for caps. The visible installations encourage everyday participation, making recycling and composting part of daily community practices. Families, children, and local groups regularly contribute organic waste and plastic caps, strengthening environmental awareness and community responsibility.

Initial challenges included finding funding for creating the compost and the heart. Finally, it was decided to use upcycled materials and to produce them with donated materials and very small amount of bought parts. This showed us the power of individual engagement, creativity and dedication to the topic.

At first the facilities were used only by organization's members but slowly people from the nearing apartment blocks started to use them. As people see that we frequently empty and care for the facilities this activity is lasting almost 5 years already and helped for saving almost 600 kg of plastics and almost 1000 kg of food waste.

Continuous communication and educational activities proved essential to maintain proper use of the composting system. Regular volunteer involvement is also necessary to monitor and maintain the composting process. Visibility and clear instructions significantly improve participation and reduce contamination.

Having both facilities one to another helps people be aware of both practices and connecting the composter to our other initiative for creating and maintaining city garden with wild plants and flowers helps us expand our circular model.

Cities should support small-scale, community-based circular initiatives that combine environmental education with practical actions. Simple infrastructure such as community composters and recycling collection points can generate strong citizen engagement when placed in visible public spaces. Cooperation with local organisations, volunteers, and schools helps maintain long-term participation. Integrating educational activities with practical environmental solutions increases both impact and sustainability of such initiatives.

Creating multiple points for example with community composters will lead to the need of few composting city spots and slowly will bring to installing bins for food waste on a larger scale.