We, the undersigned residents and community members of Brownsville, Texas, respectfully call upon the City of Brownsville to establish a Municipal Composting Program that diverts organic waste from our landfills and returns nutrients to our community's soil.

The facts demand action: Cameron County generates approximately 140,000 tons of municipal solid waste annually, of which 50–60% is organic material that could be composted instead of buried. Our landfills have an estimated 20 years of remaining capacity at current rates. Landfill decomposition of food waste is the 3rd largest source of human-caused methane in the United States (U.S. EPA, 2023).

Cities like Austin, San Antonio, and Houston already operate successful municipal composting programs. Brownsville deserves the same. We call on the City Council to study, fund, and launch a composting program that serves all Brownsville residents — for the health of our families, our environment, and our future.