Thirty Years of Composting Innovation in Austria with Dr. Martin Wellacher

Today, I'm in Austria, joined by Dr. Martin Wellacher. Martin is uber committed to the environment, as most of us in this industry are eco-conscious, but he is next-level. He doesn't even own a car. So, he needed to plan to meet, traveling by bus and by bike just to get to us. After a tour of the Komptech facilities and a tasty locally-sourced lunch, we had a rich conversation about his 30 years in the compost industry, starting out just when legislation was passed requiring household organics to be separated back in '92, where many states are just starting right now. At the time, he worked with universities doing research and with Komptech developing technology and research for the compost industry. He now has his own engineering and consulting firm. Not everywhere has a layout like Austria, where the highly populated urban areas are very close to the farms, but there are a lot of places that are like that, like where I am in New England. There is a lot that we can learn from Austria's last 30 years that we can glean and apply to our own homes and towns and states. Folks who make this show possible... Optimize commercial compost production while maintaining high-quality with Komptech. Use our link here to learn more, get a consultation, and let them know we sent you. The Culinary Breeding Network's Variety Showcase for plant breeders, seed growers, farmers, chefs, comsumers, and more, on October 16th in NY. GET TICKETS HERE! High Country News is an independent, non-profit, publication covering the land, wildlife, and communities of the Western US for over 50+ years. Check them out using our link here. Xsense provides home safety and environmental monitoring products for your peace of mind.