Alexander Williams graduated from Fordham University with a degree in environmental science in 2013, the same year Blue Earth Compost, which he now leads, was founded.
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Alexander Williams graduated from Fordham University with a degree in environmental science in 2013, the same year Blue Earth Compost, which he now leads, was founded.
Williams joined the company in 2014, taking over ownership from founder Susannah Castle, and works as its director of operations.
The Hartford-based company collects food scraps from about 300 residential customers in Greater Hartford and 70 commercial customers. It uses a natural recycling process to turn the scraps into nutrient-rich compost that it delivers back to customers three times per year.
In an effort to grow the company, Williams earlier this year secured a $133,000 loan from the state Department of Economic and Community Development to buy a new truck. Blue Earth is also raising funds via crowdfunding site Indiegogo.
That fundraising campaign raised $15,000 by the beginning of March, proof, Williams says, of people's desire for Blue Earth's services.
In your experience, how is demand for greener garbage disposal options?
The demand for these options is growing every day with awareness about food waste increasing around the country and state. Our customer base has grown considerably over the last five years. We're doing everything we can to keep this trend moving in the right direction and expect it to continue in the coming years.
Aside from environmental concerns, how is composting a useful option for city-dwellers who don't have yards or gardens?
One of the most frequent comments I get from residential customers is, 'I barely produce any trash any more.' If you recycle and compost you can greatly reduce the amount and nastiness of the trash you create, which reduces trips to the trash can, the number of trash bags you purchase, and the attractiveness of your trash to pests.
What kind of growth trajectory do you expect for Blue Earth over the next five years?
Our first custom-made food scrap collection dump truck arrived in February. This truck greatly increases our capabilities and flexibility. Specifically, it doubles our hauling capacity and can collect both rolling carts and dumpsters. With this and future trucks, I expect us to be the largest hauler of food scraps in Connecticut in the near future.
Blue Earth Compost is a benefit corporation. Can you tell us how Blue Earth fits into this category?
For us, being a benefit corporation is about a commitment to our environment and our community, not just our profitability. We are committed to diverting food scraps and to hiring second-chance employees as well as to making money.
