Meet Jim Little.

Jim makes his own kombucha and smokes his own char (and generously shared both with us).

But what Jim is perhaps better known for is starting Iqaluit’s first and only composting program under the non-profit organization called the Bill Mackenzie Humanitarian Society back in 2004. For the following nine years, Jim organized weekly compost pick-ups from 100 participating households and drop-offs at his composting site near the landfill. The program came to a halt when his ol’ jalopy broke down in 2013.

Many people are surprised that composting is possible in the Canadian Arctic. Academic researchers are even more surprised that achieving “Class-A” soil – pathogen-free soil fit for agricultural use – is further possible. Freezing ambient temperatures above and sub-zero permafrost below pose some challenges, but Jim focuses on the positives, like lower labour costs and no pests. And he's not the only one vouching for this green initiative. From the Nunavut Food Security Strategy:

Other northern jurisdictions have demonstrated viable greenhouses, composting systems, farms, fisheries, and bakeries that may have similar success in Nunavut. The resourcefulness of people exploring new ways to grow food in Nunavut should be supported.

In a recent interview with the CBC, Stephen Leyden, President of the Iqaluit Community Greenhouse Society, noted that one of the biggest costs of running the greenhouse is dirt. No surprise then that the Greenhouse is supportive of a composting program that would not only help with local food production but would also divert waste from the dump.

Composting in Iqaluit in 2014

Given recent events (read: flaming dumpcano), calls for improved waste management encouraged Jim to revitalize his composting program earlier this year. He now has a fancy, new-to-him flatbed pickup truck and a bunch of pristine, green composting bins – all of which he paid for out of his own pocket. At the moment, he has almost two dozen participating households, including several City Councillors who are interested in learning more about the potential for composting in Iqaluit.

Composting in Iqaluit is still a one-man show, and Jim is starting to ask for help. On a larger scale, more public support for the program could influence bureaucrats and funders and really solidify compost as a viable waste management option in Iqaluit. More urgently, Jim reached out to see if anyone could help out with his pick-ups while he was out of town. That's where we came in.