Local Woman Works To Turn Food Waste Into Compost

Palm Desert resident Leslie Shockley has started working with restaurants within a two-mile radius of her home to contribute food waste to her backyard compost system.

“I want to keep it as local as possible, to be most effective in my mission to promote waste-free living,” Shockley said.

She said the idea took root after reading an article that stated 1/3 of the world’s food production goes to the dump.

“It was right then was when I knew I had to get up and try to make a difference in this world,’’ Shockley said.

She decided it was time to incorporate composting as an aspect of her waste-reduction business, Tea with Iris, which started as an . She takes old and vintage materials, which would typically be discarded, and gives them a whole new life by re-purposing them.

Last week, Shockley took her daughter, Elle, out for their weekly beloved family tradition -- ordering a delicious chocolate malt shake from -- when thought turned into action.

“The owner happened to be there, and when I pitched him the idea of keeping a small bin next to their coffee maker to collect the used grounds, he agreed to it right away,” Shockley said.

About twice a week, Shockley plans to ride her bike with her daughter in the morning to drop off an empty bin and lid for the restaurant to easily discard their waste for her to collect.

"I'm starting off slow collecting coffee grounds, but I would like to reach out to some of the vegetarian restaurants of the desert to collect their waste such as carrot peels and unused vegetables, and eventually egg shells," she said.

Once the waste is collected, she will distribute them into the three large bins that her husband, artist Tim Shockley, built out of wood scraps.

Currently, one of her bins supports the waste of two households. She plans to start the second bin as soon as she receives more waste donations. It will take a full summer to process just one bin.

This fall, Shockley plans to expand her business, to include a garden consulting aspect.

“I will help those who wish to start a home garden, and I will use my own seedlings, and by then my compost will be fully processed,” Shockley said.

She encouraged anyone who plans to start a garden, to purchase seeds online from Renee's Garden, which is where she buys the seeds that she plants into her own garden.

At the time of purchase, plug in the code "FR558A" and the company will donates 25 percent to the S.C.R.A.P Gallery, a local non-profit environmental art museum which engages youth to create art using discarded material.