OCEAN CITY, Md - Setting itself apart from organizations more focused on ocean and bay preservation, Go Green OC has been working toward a greener and cleaner future in Ocean City by honing in on problems related to waste, recycling, and composting. In its latest efforts, the organization is joining forces with local business to compost 100,000 lbs of food waste - removing an estimated 50% of waste from these establishments in the process.
Enlisting the help of five local restaurants: The Hobbit, The Dough Roller, Real Raw Organics, Mother's Cantina, and the Bonfire to help reduce food waste, Go Green is embarking on a mission that organizers say has environmental and financial benefits. “What we can do is we can move the food waste at a lower price than what the city is currently paying for them to burn it," said Josh Chamberlain, founder of Go Green OC. He explained that cost-cutting measures like the organization's ability to use smaller vehicles, and having teams mostly comprised of volunteers is what makes this possible.
With less volunteers able to be on hand due to the pandemic, and the organization's permit currently limiting Go Green to moving 140,000 lbs of food per year, not every Ocean City restaurant that wants to participate is able to just yet. Go Green OC says a successful run of the pilot program not only includes reaching the goal of 100,000 lbs of composted food waste, but expanding the program to include as many interested businesses as possible and reach even beyond Ocean City. "It's been so fantastic to have a huge outreach of restaurants wanting to participate with us. In fact we've started to assemble a wait-list", said Chamberlain. “I think restaurants have always wanted to do better for the environment, but the foundation and the mechanisms haven’t yet been put in place."
If you want to volunteer with Go Green OC there are a number of opportunities and ways to reach them via social media. Click here for more volunteering information, or you can also visit their website.