Gary Parente’s Curbside Compost in Central Texas turns food scraps into compost, reducing landfill waste and methane emissions.
AUSTIN, Texas — As Central Texans look for ways to reduce their environmental impact this Earth Day, one local entrepreneur is turning everyday food scraps into something more sustainable — and keeping thousands of pounds of waste out of landfills in the process.
Gary Parente, founder of Curbside Compost, launched the service to make composting as easy as taking out the trash, especially for residents outside Austin city limits who don’t have access to municipal composting programs.
“We are a local and hassle-free way to compost,” Parente said. “You fill your bin with food scraps, you set it out and we do all the rest of the magic.”
The subscription-based service allows customers in communities like Round Rock, Georgetown, Leander and Cedar Park to place food scraps in a bin for pickup. The waste is then transported and turned into nutrient-rich compost.
That finished product doesn’t go far; it’s redistributed to Central Texas farms and, in some cases, back to customers, creating what Parente calls a “closed loop” system.
“It stays right here local to Austin and closes that food loop supply,” he said.
Parente said he started the business after noticing a gap in services outside Austin, which already offers curbside composting to its residents. Inspired in part by similar programs in other states, he saw an opportunity to expand access across the region.
The need is significant. Food waste makes up a large portion of landfill material, and when it’s buried without proper oxygen, it releases methane.
“There are millions of pounds of food waste that go into those landfills and then they’re just lost to the food cycle,” Parente said. “They get buried under trash, release methane and don’t help anything grow.”
Since launching just a few months ago, Parente says his one-man operation has already diverted nearly 10,000 pounds of food waste from landfills — a number he hopes will continue to grow as more people sign up.
Part of that growth, he said, comes down to convenience.
“What we found is a lot of people want to compost. They just don’t want the hassle,” Parente said. “The mess, the smells, the pests — that’s why I started the business. Just throw your scraps in and we take care of the rest.”
Beyond reducing waste, Parente said composting is one of the simplest ways individuals can immediately lower their environmental footprint.
For now, the biggest challenge is awareness. As a small, independently run operation, Parente relies heavily on word of mouth and visibility in neighborhoods to grow his customer base.
Still, he remains optimistic about the future — both for his business and for composting efforts across Texas.
“I’m hoping to make this a full-time job and really make a difference in the Austin community,” he said. “When neighbors see each other doing it, it spreads fast. It becomes a habit, and those small habits can lead to big changes.”
As Earth Day highlights environmental challenges and solutions, Parente believes composting offers a practical starting point — one that can extend far beyond a single day.
Those interested in signing up for the service or learning more can visit Curbside Compost’s website.