"It's what's best for the environment and the community. We are trying to be part of a viable food system in Detroit and maybe help create a few jobs along the way."
So says Pashon Murray; who, with Brother Nature's Greg Willerer, has co-founded a new company, Detroit Dirt, to create one more link in Detroit's self-sustaining food ecosystem.
Detroit Dirt is processing their herbivore-sourced waste into compost, which will be resold to urban gardening collectives, green thumbs, and at nurseries and Eastern Market.
"Everybody that is a client can help us by giving us their waste or scraps," Murray says, "and we can help them by turning around their contribution and growing something with it." Murray adds that they've created different revenue streams by selling some of the compost, and using other portions to grow food at Brother Nature.
Big things are in the works for these compost-crreators. Murray says they are working with Canadian Rail and General Motors to set up locations for two composting facilities -- hopefully, they will have locations in Hamtramck and Corktown within the next 60 days. She says they're also backed up with future orders for compost from growers around the city. The company's also receiving a helping hand from Team Detroit, which is assisting with design and marketing efforts.
Detroit Dirt co-owner Greg Willerer says, "we're doing something that I don't think any other composting company in Michigan is doing. We're going to close a loop on a lot of things." An agreement in the works with General Motors' Hamtramck plant and the company's headquarters in the GM Renaissance Center is one more symbiotic relationship they hope to build.
Sources: Pashon Murray and Greg Willerer, co-owners, Detroit Dirt
Writer: Ashley C. Woods
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.