BY SILAS ROGERS
The Ramspondents
Fort Collins has launched a one-year pilot partnership with Compost Queen as a sustainability measure intended to lower emissions and reach its zero-waste goals. Funded by disposable bag ordinance fees, the program aims to increase the accessibility of food scrap composting for both residents and local businesses.
In addition, data collected during operations will inform future Zero Waste strategies. Compost Queen’s services include drop-off and curbside pickups of food waste and an optional biannual share of compost produced by the program.
Compost Queen is a woman-owned business based in Fort Collins that provides composting solutions across northern Colorado. It operates the only state-compliant food recycling facilities in Larimer County, where food waste is processed and returned to local soil. This minimizes emissions compared to providers who transport waste out of the area and into landfills.
Jamie Blanchard-Poling, founder of Compost Queen, describes the partnership as “...a major step toward reducing landfill materials, cutting emissions, and advancing Fort Collins’ Road to Zero Waste and Climate Action goals.”
City officials expect this initiative to prevent up to 165 tons of food waste from entering landfills. Organic material creates methane when it decomposes; if these emissions are diverted into compost instead, harmful emissions will be kept from the atmosphere. Compost can then support local agriculture and extend the life of landfills.
Business owners and residents can learn more and sign up for the program here.
Silas Rogers is a fourth-year journalism major at CSU with a focus on editing and proofreading.
FoCoMX Music Festival opens artist submissions
BY SCOTT REIF
The Ramspondents
The Fort Collins Music Experiment (FoCoMX) is an annual music festival held by the Fort Collins Musicians Association (FoCoMA) that returns to over 35 different bars, restaurants, and concert venues each April. Each year, hundreds of different Colorado musicians fill the various hotspots of Old Town – and any Fort Collins musician who is interested in being a part of the festivities can now apply to play for the festival as of Nov. 7.
To apply, go to this link and keep in mind the submission criteria, which includes a live audio or video recording. Applicants will additionally be automatically included in the FoCoMA Colorado Music Directory – a directory of Colorado musicians that is available year-round for those looking to book local talent. Applications will be open until Jan. 11, and the actual event will be taking place the weekend of April 24-25. Don’t wait to submit though, as according to the application website, FoCoMA receives about three times the submissions as their performance slots allow.
For those interested in being a part of FoCoMX outside of playing music, volunteer applications for the event are also open here.
Scott Reif is a senior student of CSU’s Journalism & Media Communications program minoring in Music Business. He also works as a videographer and production assistant for Barnfly Productions, led by Emmy-award-winner John Barnhardt.