Best of Cleveland 2014: Waste Removal

Waste removal

Extend your green thumb beyond your own backyard with the help of Rust Belt Riders. The idea for a bike-fueled organic waste removal company came about after Michael Robinson and Dan Brown started donating their coffee grinds to their community garden. "We thought we could marry our love of cycling with our love of gardening," says Brown. Using bikes with custom-built trailers to store plastic bins, the duo picks up scraps such as potato peels and lemon rinds from homes and local restaurants, including Beet Jar Juice Bar and Takeaway and Spice Kitchen & Bar, as often as three times a week for a small fee. Then they deliver the haul, which can weigh up to 250 pounds to around eight community gardens for free. "You're able to support a community garden whether or not you have time to pick weeds or vegetables," says Brown. "When you look at a banana peel, you don't view it as garbage anymore." rustbeltriderscomposting.com