Start Garden invests in curbside composting and art gallery

Start Garden invests in curbside composting and art gallery

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Once again, a local art gallery is getting seed funding — thanks to Start Garden’s weekly investments.

The Start Garden community voted to put $5,000 into Craft House, an idea for a collaborative art gallery in Grand Rapids.

The gallery would not only be a place to view art, but also a resource, support system and educational environment for artists to hone their crafts, according to idea creator Amanda Carmer.

“We will offer specific services for hire, including professional photographic documentation of one-of-a-kind artwork and reproduction printing, hourly rates for resume and website building,” Carmer writes on her Start Garden page.

“If funded, Craft House will be able to initiate the following projects: physical gallery improvements; the construction of a library featuring unique artists’ books and printed materials that will accompany a rotating display of featured artwork; the creation of an artist service-trade program designed to connect the knowledgeable to the knowledge seeking with an emphasis on career development,” she writes.

The Start Garden team put $5,000 into Organicycle, an idea for a curbside recycling service, specifically for paper, food, yard and pet waste.

The four recyclable materials, which make up 65 percent of household waste, would be put into renewable processes like composting and energy conversion, according to idea creator Justin Swan.

“Currently, companies like Waste Management and Republic/Allied do not offer curbside composting or organic waste recycling to businesses and residents in West Michigan,” Swan writes on his Start Garden page.

“Organicycle is the only organic waste service provider to offer curbside composting to residents and businesses, and we will never take a profit from landfill service," he writes. "Our revolutionary cart service replaces dumpsters and bins, provides better efficiencies and keeps your waste out of the landfill.”

Start Garden, Rick DeVos' $15 million seed feed, will host its next Update Night on Thursday, Feb. 28 — when funded ideas will present on their progress for additional funding.