Green Mama Compost

Our idea:

Green Mama Compost is a grass-roots organization operating in Guatemala and registered there and in the US as a 501c3 entity. We offer an organic waste pickup service in Antigua, Guatemala, and sell the finished compost to farmers, horticulturists, local businesses, and residents. We are the first such compost company in our area.

Green Mama Compost helps to solve the organic piece of the growing trash problem. Our service reduces the volume of waste that enters the municipal landfill, with the intention that within a decade no organic waste will go there at all. Our intervention in the cycle reduces methane and diminishes the odor surrounding the landfill. Equally important, turning organic waste into compost improves the quality of the area’s soils and crops.

We are aware of the challenges of a project that relies on behavior change, but we think that many Antigüeños (Antiguans) will continue to welcome a way to improve their own lives and that of the planet. Antigua, with its large community of foreigners already acquainted with recycling, it was an ideal place to start our project. Restaurants and businesses who subscribe to our service get the benefit of our public thanks in social media and formal and informal networks. In turn, their endorsement will help us attract more clients, creating a positive feedback loop.

In marketing our service and product, we teach residents and businesses to properly manage their waste, beautify their immediate surroundings, nourish soils, and improve the nutrition and overall health of their families, neighbors, and friends.

Our team:

Eleanor Lawrence is the founder and Director of Operations. With a Master's in Public Health, she has worked for nearly 10 years in Central and North America and has been composting for 9 years. She likes local projects that can become sustainable with minimal resources in a short time. She has that vision for Green Mama Compost.

Joaquín Aparicio Muñoz, our technical director, is a licensed agronomist in Renewable Natural Resources experienced in business administration, commercialization, and community projects. He designed the site layout and plan for producing compost for Green Mama. As a farmer, Joaquín has been composting throughout his life.

Luis Antonio Irías Cordon is the legal representative for GMC and is also in charge of publicity. A professional musician who travels throughout Guatemala, he is an activist for artists, ecological regeneration, and indigenous rights. With a platform and a network, he represents Green Mama at meetings and events, and spreads the word in person and through social media.

Devin O’Donoghue (not featured in video) is our Field Operations Manager. An environmental scientist with a background in both small-scale and commercial-level horticulture, he has spent 5 years monitoring soil quality for one of the largest medicinal horticulture companies in the US.

We formed a team in May 2022 to assess Antigua’s needs and capacity for a curbside compost business. Based on that research we came up with a plan for a 3-month pilot project to prove the viability of our venture. From a base of 50 initial subscribers, we grew quickly and now have more than 100 residential and two dozen commercial subscribers. We expand both our staff and our service area as needed to meet growing demand. We continually seek collaborators to help us with evolving financial and technical needs as we grow.

Your money: What did we use it for?

We have a detailed business plan and budget. We have the people, the skills, and the location. We bought a truck, hired a driver, built out a compost site, and acquired the materials and staff we needed to start. See a more detailed breakdown below:

As we began collecting food waste and composting, our hands-on experience showed us how to make an even wider impact. While what we most need at this stage are funds, we are always grateful for other support you can make available to us.

We thank you, Antigua thanks you, and Mother Earth thanks you!