Patron in the City: Anna-Kristin Daub-Murphy
We believe that passionate individuals can spur change in their communities. We refer to those individuals as Patrons in the City, dedicating their time, sweat, and tears to building vibrant communities.
Connecticut’s latest waste characterization study revealed that 41% of residents' trash consists of organic materials, including food scraps and yard waste. Food scraps alone accounted for 22% of household waste. Across Connecticut, communities are considering ways to reduce waste and implement waste diversion programs. Composting organic materials can help to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, reduce waste disposal costs for municipalities, and enhance soil health by generating nutrient-rich compost.
Composting initiatives are one way Connecticut residents are tackling food waste and engaging the community in the process. This was the case for Suffield, Connecticut, a small community with a population of 15,752.
In August 2023, Sustainable Suffield launched a crowdfunding campaign for the Suffield Food Waste Diversion Initiative.
Sustainable Suffield is the Town of Suffield’s Environmental & Sustainability Task Force. They are a group of volunteers eager to promote sustainable practices across the community. They work with town leadership to consider where community activities can encourage or benefit from environmentally conscious practices, educate the community on ways in which environmentally sustainable behaviors can be adopted at home, advise on the use of state funds allocated to Suffield for the purpose of reducing solid waste, and make budgetary recommendations to the First Selectman for future environmental and sustainability projects.
The Suffield Food Waste Diversion Initiative aimed to divert residential organic food waste from landfills by providing residents with a centrally located community organic waste collection bin and at-home composting bins as part of a pilot program. Specifically, the campaign collected funds to purchase a community food scrap and organic waste collection bin and distribute 200 compost bins as part of the pilot program.
Sustainable Suffield engaged the community, and the campaign successfully reached its goal, crowdfunding $6,000 from 126 patrons over three months.
The campaign was supported by Sustainable CT’s Community Match Fund Food Waste Diversion & Composting Amplifier Fund, one of the organization’s four funding focus areas that serve as catalysts for intentional action to address vital issues common across the state. The Food Waste Diversion & Composting Amplifier Fund supports projects that promote food waste diversion and composting, such as the Suffield Waste Diversion Initiative. By reaching their crowdfunding goal with support from the residents, the campaign unlocked an additional $9,000 from the Community Match Fund, for a total of $15,000 to implement their community composting initiative.
We recently spoke with Anna-Kristin Daub-Murphy, volunteer and Chair of Sustainable Suffield, to learn more about the project and her passion for creating a sustainable community.
Anna-Kristin Daub-Murphy is a volunteer and Chair of Sustainable Suffield, the Town of Suffield's Environmental and Sustainability Task Force. She is a part-time farmer, a part-time stay-at-home parent, and a former special education teacher with a focus on applied behavior analysis. She loves volunteering for various organizations in town. Anna-Kristin is originally from Germany but has lived in the United States for most of her life and in New England since 2010. Her family moved to Suffield in 2021.
Patronicity: Why do you love where you live and work? Tell us about your community!
Anna-Kristin: I love living in Suffield because people are welcoming, kind, and very community-focused. There is a large agricultural community in town, and the desire to protect our environment is widespread. Even for those not directly involved in agriculture, many residents appreciate and support local agriculture and understand the value of protecting our natural resources.
Patronicity: What was your Community Match Fund project, and why was it necessary?
Anna-Kristin: Our project was to promote at-home composting by purchasing and distributing at-home composting bins (made of recycled materials) to residents interested in diverting their food waste from the waste stream. It was necessary to both educate residents about the value of recycling food waste as well as decrease the amount of organic waste Suffield residents are sending into the general waste stream.
Patronicity: What inspired you to get involved or build this project?
Anna-Kristin: Our task force was inspired to help residents start diverting organic waste by our high school's Student Sustainability Council. Students had started a composting and food scrap recycling program at the high school the year prior, and our group wanted to expand on that by offering residents with education and materials needed to keep their organic waste close to home and turn it into something valuable for their garden.
Patronicity: What have been the results of your crowdfunding campaign? How has the project changed your community?
Anna-Kristin: We were thrilled by all the donations we received and the overwhelming interest in the at-home bins. We were able to quickly distribute the first 200 bins (purchased through this project) and then expanded the program by distributing another 160 bins in the months to follow. In collaboration with our Parks and Recreation Department as well as Youth Services, we were also able to offer residents a free composting workshop following the second round of bin distributions.
Patronicity: How has the community responded to your project?
Anna-Kristin: We had a lot of positive feedback about the program. One resident, Marla Adelsberger, said, “I recently chatted with two other Suffield residents who are using their composters. They are thrilled with the results. Their compost is almost ready to go into the garden already!”
Patronicity: What do you hope community members take away from this project?
Anna-Kristin: I hope the community learns that organic waste is a valuable resource that can be recycled, and the nutrients can be returned to our soils. Not only are we not producing harmful greenhouse gases by sending our organic waste to landfills/incinerators, but we are actually producing a valuable product that can improve the health of our soil and create a more climate-resilient environment right here in Suffield.
Patronicity: How did Sustainable CT’s matching dollars support your project and further its impact on the community?
Anna-Kristin: We were able to purchase many more compost bins with the matching funds than we would have been able to otherwise with our limited funds for the task force. Sustainable CT also gave us an organized way to collect funds and promote our campaign.
Patronicity: What could other communities learn from your project?
Anna-Kristin: Setting up and running a matching funds campaign doesn't have to be complicated. Sustainable CT and Patronicity provided us with great support to get the campaign launched and see it through to success.
Patronicity: If someone wanted to become more involved in their community, what advice would you give them?
Anna-Kristin: Find other like-minded people to work together with you. More voices, collectively, are always better than one. It's also great to have support from local government officials who share your vision and see the value in your work.
Take Action
We’re inspired by Anna-Kristin and her dedication to creating a more sustainable Suffield. Use this inspiration as a spark to create change in your community!
Purchase a composting bin or enroll in a compost collection service for your home to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and restore nutrients to your soil.
Get involved with your local sustainability action group.
Research if your community has a community composting program.
Follow Anna-Kristin’s advice and contact your local government officials to let them know you are interested in seeing a composting program implemented in your community.
Are you in Connecticut and have an idea to make your Connecticut community more equitable, sustainable, and vibrant? Contact Sustainable CT at funding@sustainablect.org to share your great idea and start crowdfunding your vision. Whether you’re dreaming of more green spaces, solar for public spaces, greenways for biking and walking, murals and other public art, green jobs programs, or community gardens, Sustainable CT’s Community Match Fund can help make your great idea a reality by providing fast, flexible funding and support for sustainability projects that engage your Connecticut community. Learn more at www.patronicity.com/sustainablect.
