Karuna Compost and FCJ Centre: Turning Food Scraps into Living Soil

As part of our Laudato Si’ Faith in Action commitment, the FCJ Centre is pleased to partner with Karuna Compost, a grassroots, community-based composting initiative in Calgary.

Karuna Compost brings people together through hands-on composting, shared learning, and neighbourhood-scale environmental action. Their work explores how backyard composting and the study of beneficial microorganisms can contribute to healthier ecosystems, stronger communities, and a deeper appreciation of the living world around us.

On July 23, Karuna Compost provided a hands-on demonstration for members of the FCJ Centre’s Laudato Si’ Committee, kitchen staff, and maintenance staff. Participants learned how the Bokashi composting method works and how food scraps can be transformed into valuable compost through a simple fermentation process. This introductory session is helping prepare for a larger community workshop that will be offered to the FCJ Centre community on September 29.

Bokashi bran contains beneficial microorganisms that ferment food scraps in an airtight environment. Unlike traditional decomposition, fermentation prevents unpleasant odours, does not attract pests, and helps food scraps break down more quickly once returned to the soil.

Together, we are diverting food scraps, organic waste, and grass clippings from the FCJ Centre grounds and transforming them into nutrient-rich compost for our gardens. Within weeks, these materials begin their journey from kitchen scraps to living soil, helping to nourish future plants and reduce waste.

This partnership is one small but meaningful way we are putting Laudato Si’ into action by caring for God’s creation and being faithful stewards of the gifts entrusted to us. Through composting and reducing waste, we honour the earth as a sacred gift from God and recognize our responsibility to protect and nurture it for future generations. By returning food scraps to the soil and supporting the natural cycles of creation, we are reminded that even simple daily actions can reflect our gratitude for God’s abundance and contribute to the flourishing of all life.

As Pope Francis reminds us:

“The entire material universe speaks of God’s love, his boundless affection for us. Soil, water, mountains: everything is, as it were, a caress of God.” (Laudato Si’, 84)

May this partnership help us grow not only healthy soil, but also a deeper appreciation for the gift of creation and our shared responsibility to care for our common home.