For about five years the Rotary Club of Annapolis and Annapolis Green Inc., an environmental group, have worked together to recycle and/or compost all the refuge and trash from the annual Rotary Club Crab Feast held each August. The crab feast has more than 2,000 people eating more than 300 bushels of crabs and more – a lot of waste! But the challenging goal of making the event a Zero Waste project has succeeded.
Annapolis Green (and Rotary) enjoyed some Compost Fame this past December – the co-founders, Lynne Forsman and Elvia Thompson, had the clever idea of selling the compost created from the crab feast as a unique holiday gift.
First, the Capital newspaper in Annapolis published the news about the holiday gift idea, and then second, WBAL –TV Channel 11 in Baltimore visited and interviewed the organizers. The coverage was aired at least four days by the station, and compost sales rocketed. On the previous Thursday, the environmentalists had sold six buckets (they are about five gallons and weigh about 25 pounds). Suddenly the sales jumped to more than 120 buckets. Each bag and bucket had a card attached that tells the story of the crab feast going to Zero Waste.
“Truly, we thought we’d sell about 30 to 40,” said Ms. Forsman. “At every opportunity, we’ve promoted our terrific relationship and partnership with the Annapolis Rotary.”
The WBAL video can be found at http://www.wbaltv.com/article/video-crabby-dirt-makes-for-a-unique-christmas-idea/8481110. The 72nd annual crab feast will be held August 4 at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Visit www.annapolisrotary.org for ticket information by early June. Rotary Club of Annapolis usually raises about $70,000, which is granted to about 30 community charitable organizations. For more information on Annapolis Green Inc., visit www.annapolisgreen.com.
- - Mary Felter, Rotary Club of Annapolis