Compostables
Q: I had a meal today at Willy St East and was excited to be able to throw compostable materials in the bin. Then I looked at what was labeled compostable and was shocked. I couldn't compost napkins and other products that easily break down in my home compost. Other 'compostable' plastics were listed for the garbage as well which is not surprising to me, as these 'biodegrable/compostable plastics' don't seem to break down like the labels would make you believe.
I am curious, why you are unable to take paper products like napkins. Without knowing all the numbers involved, it seems like this would be a great way to reduce waste going into our landfills and take care of our Earth. It makes it seem like the Co-op is not as committed to sustainability as I would expect.
A: Willy Street Co-op does not compost at any of our sites. We pay a service (Earth Stew Composting) to remove the food waste for us and compost it. So, what can and can not be put in the food waste buckets in the Commons areas at our 3 stores is determined by the composting service, not by us.
Many, if not all, of the plastic items that are labeled as compostable will only break down in a high heat, industrial composting system. Neither of the two companies that we contract with to take our front-of-house and back-of-house food waste have an industrial composting facility and are therefore unable to take the plastics that are supposed to be compostable. As far as I have been able to determine, there are no local industrial composting services available to us at this time. -Jim Jirous, Facilities Director
Cat’s last meal
Q: I’d like to share a story about how wonderful humans can be. Yesterday I went to the seafood counter at Willy East and mentioned I had a rather strange request. I asked the fish monger behind the counter if he could cut me come salmon bits for my cat who was going to cross the rainbow bridge the next day. I wanted to get him some special treats on his last day with us. Mind you it was busy, there were 2 people waiting behind me... yet the wonderful fish monger selected a beautiful salmon and tuna and proceeded to cut and fill a 1/4 lb container with high quality fish for my kitty. He went out of his way to do this, and even went as far as to write cat food on the container. It took all I had not to break down and cry right there at the counter. I can’t even describe how much that gesture meant to me, and Sampson very much enjoyed the fish before we ended his fight with cancer. I regret not getting his name, but wanted to say thank you so much for your kindness! You have most certainly gained a very loyal customer!
A Thanks so much for sharing your touching story. I have passed your email on to our category manager Jeremy Johnson who can ensure that your positive feedback gets back to the appropriate Seafood Center employee at East. Much gratitude to our partners at the Seafood Center for supporting your delicious tribute to Sampson. And on behalf of all of us at the Co-op, deepest sympathies to you and your family. Be well. -Kirsten Moore, Cooperative Services Director
Collecting food scraps
Q: Hello, I'm looking to collect food scraps from local restaurants, juice bars, and grocery stores. I will be composting the food scraps/ damaged produce and later adding the finished compost to an organic garden. I can do pick ups at your convenience.
A: We certainly have a lot of produce trimmings that are destined for the compost! We're not able to set aside or hold scraps, but you are more than welcome to ask any Produce staff if they have a full container of trimmings in the prep room that you can take. These are given out on a first-come, first-served basis.
Please let me know if there is anything else I may help you with. Happy composting! -Liz Hawley, Education and Outreach Coordinator
Online ordering
Q: Your FB page features an article about online ordering and delivery but I don’t find any link or info about using this service.
A: Sorry for the confusion regarding our online shopping service. You can find it at https://shop.willystreet.coop or click the "Shop" link in the top right corner of our website. If you run into any issues or have questions about online shopping, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Happy shopping! -Brendon Smith, Communications Director
Willy East Mural
Q: In 2012, after Brazilian graffiti artist Panmela Castro had painted a temporary mural on the side of Mother Fool’s, the city of Madison Arts Administrator contacted the Willy St Art Center to see if we could arrange for a more permanent mural by the international rock-star artist. We secured the Willy St Coop site, obtained Landmark Commission permission for all three Willy St Coop East mural locations (required in a historic district) picked Panmela up at the airport in Milwaukee, housed her with us, and managed the project.
Marquette Neighborhood Association paid for her airfare (she was in NYC at the time) and gave her a small honorarium. The Coop had a yellow base coat of paint applied to the wall, supplied the paint, provided Panmela with a gift certificate for meals, provided on-site logistics and hosted a mural dedication.
As to the message of the mural, many women in Brazil have been affected by domestic violence, including Panmela. Thus, the empowerment of women is a prominent theme in her art. The mural itself is decidedly tired looking. As a south facing wall, it suffers from the ravages of the sunlight. In addition, spray paint is less stable than house paint or other paint typically used for murals. At one point, Vital Voices, the DC organization which sponsors the advancement of women world-wide, had suggested that perhaps a donor interested in revitalizing selected murals of Panmela’s could help with restoration of the Coop mural. Nothing has come of this so far.
Whether the theme of the mural—or its style—no longer speak to the Coop membership, Willy Street has been honored to have a work by such a prominent artist in our midst. No other wall in Madison is by such an illustrious person—with such a compelling story—a poor graffiti writer from the favelas of Rio de Janeiro who has risen to international acclaim.
A: Thanks for sharing this, I had also seen this message on our Facebook Messenger and it was forwarded to me as published to the Marquette Neighborhood Association group. As we dedicated the wall to MNA to use for public art and they are our key partner in this project, I am also going to share my response to you with MNA’s President Anita Krasno and the Chair of the MNA Arts Committee Jack Kear (who also happens to be a Co-op employee).
I cannot speak for the entire Ownership as to their feelings about the theme of the mural or the style and whether it speaks to them collectively; we assume that all of our customers have varying opinions about all the art featured at our stores. I can say that Panmela Castro’s mural, Utopia, has sparked more conversation and positive/negative feedback than the other murals over the years. Perhaps this is because it has been around the longest, and also because it is thought provoking and inspires contemplation. This is exactly what art is designed to do. We on staff have enjoyed these community conversations over the years, and the opportunities Utopia has offered to consider the empowerment and freedom of women. It truly has been an absolute honor for the Co-op to dedicate that wall to the community via the Marquette Neighborhood Association and feature Castro’s work. Not only has it sparked community conversation, but inspired the Co-op to continue to invest in community mural projects.
You are right that it’s high time to discuss the future of this mural, as it has faded from southern exposure and other weather incidents. We have already started talks with the neighborhood association about the potential for either its restoration, or for alternative ways to honor the time we have had as a community to enjoy the piece so the wall can potentially feature new work. We appreciate your contributions to the project and your offering up this history for the community. -Kirsten Moore, Cooperative Services Director