Mel Trotter Ministries goes green with food service, recycling and composting to reduce waste

From the Grand Rapids Press, October 19, 2009

GRAND RAPIDS — When Michael Merren talks about going “green” at Mel Trotter Ministries, he could be talking about the cash they are saving the downtown shelter for the homeless and hungry.

Since forming a “green team” earlier this year, the shelter has used recycling programs to find cost savings of about $32,000 a year, said Merren, Mel Trotter’s director of food services.

“We were probably dumping a couple of thousand pounds of food waste a week,” he said.

Instead of sending out four trash bins of food waste a week, the shelter is sending out one every three weeks, said Merren, whose kitchen prepares about 550 meals a day.

Most of those gains were made by switching to nondisposable dishes and utensils whenever possible, Merren said.

A food composter bin also helped cut waste costs by $20,000 a year, he said.

“I’m mixing ministry and a passion for social justice with food,” said Merren, a former Catholic priest who joined Mel Trotter Ministries as a chef five years ago.

Sustainability, he said, “has always been a passion. I just needed to get the opportunity.”

Merren’s 10-member “green team” also has focused “waste audits” on paper and plastic waste generated by the offices and residents of the mission.

Focusing on recyclables means they have reduced waste by 90 percent, which means sending out a trash bin once every four months instead of once every three weeks — a savings of $12,000 a year.

Their efforts to reduce waste are made more challenging by the fact they rely heavily on donated food and supplies, Merren said.

Sandra Gaddy, director of marketing and communications, said the “green team” not only saves them money but also fulfills their Christian mission.

“I think it’s part of being a good steward,” she said. “A lot of our donors are happy we’re doing this.”

Merren said his next big challenge will be hosting a “compostable” Thanksgiving dinner for about 2,200 guests they expect to serve at DeVos Place next month.