Household Composting: Bucket Program

Photo of garden with Bucket Program bucket in foreground

Serving the Tucson Community by Reducing Household Food Waste

The Compost Cats Bucket Program is merging with the City of Tucson’s FoodCycle at Home Program. Our program has diverted over 200,000 pounds of household food waste and continues to expand. To join the FoodCycle at Home Program follow the link below or call our Campus & Community Outreach Coordinator, Kenzie Jackson, at 520-621-7817 for more information.

Start Composting

FoodCycle at Home

Starting March 8th, the Compost Cats Bucket Program is merging with the City of Tucson’s FoodCycle at Home Program! This merger, operating under the FoodCycle at Home name, allows us to expand composting across the city and increase education and training for our community.

To join the FoodCycle at Home Program, please go to the City of Tucson Website to sign up for a training session, get your FREE bucket, and start composting!

Please contact Kenzie Jackson at 520-621-7817 or makenziejackson@arizona.edu for any questions on this program or composting in your community. 

 

Bucket Program History

The program began as a three-phase pilot project in August 2020. By the end of Phase III, the Bucket Program had successfully served over 100 Tucson community members, finishing the pilot period with over 11,600 pounds of food waste collected and diverted from Tucson’s landfills.

Due to the success of the pilot program, and the never-ending line of students and community members interested in reducing their food waste, the Bucket Program is now a paid service. As a paid service, the program helps cover our costs and ensures we can keep up with growing demand. Our program continues to grow, and we welcome you to grow with us!

Bucket Program FAQs

Instead of ending up in the landfill, your food scraps will be used to create compost, a valuable resource that can be incorporated into our community! Most of the compost made from the UArizona Bucket Program will enhance the food grown in local community projects, such as in the UArizona Community Garden. Some of the compost will be reserved for Bucket Program participants to use in their home gardens!
Moldy food is fantastic to put in your bucket! Mold is just the start of decomposition and will die off as the compost heats up during the process.
Ask us! You can email us at compostcats@arizona.edu or DM us on Instagram or Facebook, and we can answer your questions.
Compost enriches the soil by improving moisture retention, suppressing plant diseases, discouraging pests, and lessening soil erosion. In addition to these benefits that promote healthier plant growth, compost is also loaded with the essential nutrients that plants need to survive!

Make a difference in your community and become a leader in reducing food waste! Contact compostcats@arizona.edu or fill out our Interest Form to sign up today.