Compost is on the menu at the Ex Lion Tamer.
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And it's a popular item. Just this week cafe manager Matt Mildwater spoke to two women who had heard about the item and were keen to try it.
The unique menu item is part of the business's commitment to sending no organic waste to landfill.
Zero is an ambitious target, but one statutory authority is working to make that the amount of organic waste the Loddon Mallee sends to landfill by 2025.
The Loddon Mallee Waste and Resource Recovery Group has set the bold vision as part of its new Regional Organics Strategy.
Staff at the Ex Lion Tamer clear out and refill "Chloe" every Sunday. She's a closed loop organic system, a machine that turns the cafe's food waste to compost.
Hot air runs through the food waste while it's churned by paddles inside. Microbes break the material down and the heat and air kill any bacteria.
Twenty-four hours later the staff can push a push a few buttons, open a flap and access the compost, which they give to their customers.
By the time it's done the organic matter really just looks like dirt. But, it's dirt that will make gardens grow.
Microbes have transformed the organic matter into a rich compost, similar in use to blood and bone.
The building's developer Scott Jackman bought the organic system, which was half funded with a grant from the LMWRRG.
It might be just one building, but Mr Jackman was confident that the system would make a difference.
"We’ve all got to live in this planet and we should probably try and look after it," Mr Jackman said.
"There should be 10 to 15 ton a year less organic material go to landfill just because of that singular machine."
We’ve all got to live in this planet and we should probably try and look after it.
- Scott Jackman
There's a pragmatic element for Mr Jackman as well. Council's organics collection comes round every two weeks. If the Ex Lion Tamer produces 200 kilograms of organic waste a week, that needs to be stored.
It's a recipe for stench, germs, rodents and disharmony among building users, he said.
And for cafe staff, the organics system hasn't made much of a change to their kitchen habits. It's been with the cafe since it began.
Mr Mildwaters said within a week were right on making sure no food waste went to the landfill bin.
"I think it's fantastic, I'm all for it," Mr Mildwaters said.
"I think it is an excellent idea, because a lot of businesses produce a lot of food waste."
An ambitious vision
It'll take an effort from local government, industry, business, and the community at large to reduce organic waste heading to landfill, according to LMWRRG executive Karen Fazanni.
To implement the vision, the organics strategy has set objectives to reduce food waste, and divert more organic waste from households and businesses.
"Everyone has a role in reducing organics to landfill," Ms Fazzani said.
"It will have huge benefits for the region. Just getting organics out of landfill will reduce greenhouse gases in the rest of Australia and the world."
LMWRRG hopes to make a "huge" difference working with councils to implement food organics and garden organics bins in the region.
In the City of Greater Bendigo these bins already save a large amount of organic waste from going to landfill, Ms Fazzani said.
From food rescue to Foodshare
Bendigo Foodshare is stopping organics heading to landfill, by sending them to people's tummies.
It's early days for the pilot program, which Foodshare began with two businesses on board late last year. Foodshare chair Cathie Steele says it is ready for more food businesses to begin using the program.
It's a simple system.
If food businesses have leftovers at the end of the day they can take a photo, upload it to a website, and groups that can use the food are able to pick it up.
The system is open to both primary producers and commercial kitchens.
Ms Steele said it was a waste to see food go into landfill, when there were so many people out there who need it.
"Bendigo can do this. We can do it, it just needs people to sit up and think what are we doing with this waste food and why are we wasting it," Ms Steele said.
"It’s not good for our community to waste it, it’s not good for our hip pockets as well."
Join the food rescue at: donations.bendigofoodshare.org.au/
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