Falls Golf Club Launches Zero-Waste Food Initiative

Silver Spring Country Club in Menomonee Falls will soon become the first golf club to launch a system to eliminate all food waste from its operations. 

The club's entire restaurant, wedding and banquet operation at the club will generate zero waste by implementing an on-site Bokashi program. Bokashi uses fermentation to break down all food scraps – including meat and dairy – in less than half the time of conventional composting. It also prevents unpleasant odors and deters pests.

The process creates a natural fertilizer as a byproduct, which will be used in a new organic chef’s garden at the country club. 

“As the premier wedding venue in the area, we produce approximately 8 tons of food waste every year that goes right into the landfill where it decomposes very slowly and contributes to the production of harmful gases," said Damon DeVito, managing director and a founder of the ownership group operating Silver Spring, Affinity Management.

Silver Spring is also planning an educational program with local public schools that illustrates the importance of sustainability, with tours of Silver Spring’s zero- waste initiative and also through hands-on school-garden and composting projects. 

"This program will eliminate all of that waste. We have had great success with Bokashi and it was recognized by the National Golf Course Owners Association as the industry idea of the year in 2012. We are proud to be the first to bring to this area.”

Silver Spring and members of the Falls business community will cut the ribbon on the new operation at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the country club.