Since we began, HCS has been working hard to make sure our operations are fully carbon-neutral and that we have an overall positive impact on our local and global environment. In addition to helping local communities divert food waste away from landfills, HCS also pays to offset our carbon footprint for every mile we drive and are proud members of “1% for the Planet”.
HCS was founded by Jude Joerger, Max Schapiro, and Ben Hunt Wan during the summer of 2019. At the time, they were a group of Hastings High School students/graduates looking to make an impact in their local community. The three noticed that residents were less likely to compost if they had to manage a backyard pile or personally drive their food waste to a drop-off site. They decided to start a pickup program allowing residents to participate in curbside composting, designed to be just like trash and recycling services. After a short pilot program, HCS began accepting Hastings residents for $5/week.
In the summer of 2021, the founders decided to take HCS to the next step. The team expanded the service to Dobbs Ferry, Irvington, Tarrytown, and Sleepy Hollow, growing from 50 to over 250 members. We now service over 500 members in the Rivertowns and have helped divert over 500,000 lbs of organics since 2019.