Tim Steckel is a German-American entrepreneur on a mission to make compost mainstream. As the founder of Compost Marketing Agency, Tim brings a unique blend of technical expertise, marketing mastery, and infectious enthusiasm to the world of organic waste management.
Tim’s approach is refreshingly honest – describing composters as “soft people in a hard world” who see value where others see waste.
Tim bridges worlds that rarely meet – connecting German engineering with American entrepreneurship, linking microscopic life to business metrics, and translating academic soil science into backyard solutions.
After 3.5 years of daily posting and building a global network of composters across 30+ countries, Tim proves that environmental change happens through persistent optimism and authentic community building.
Tim believes microbes deserve a voice, because they “can’t post on the internet” themselves.
Tim’s journey from the mountains of Goslar, Germany, to becoming Cleveland’s (and now international) composting advocate reflects his bridge-building philosophy.
He translates complex composting and soil science into accessible wisdom, turning microscope observations into compelling stories that inspire action.
From contamination issues to infrastructure bottlenecks, Tim addresses composting’s real challenges with unflinching honesty and practical solutions that work in municipalities around the globe.
A practitioner as much as an educator, Tim has personally composted tens of thousands of pounds of food waste from his neighbors using methods ranging from vermicomposting to hot composting and Johnson-Su bioreactors.
He’s equally comfortable speaking at international conferences, consulting with municipalities on educational campaigns around contamination education, or teaching neighbors about the deep litter method for backyard chickens.
When he’s not examining compost under his microscope or creating content, you’ll find Tim taking cold swims, supporting community composting initiatives, or reminding anyone who’ll listen that food scraps aren’t waste – they’re “deferred value” waiting to feed the soil.
Tim Steckel is a German-American entrepreneur on a mission to make compost mainstream. As the founder of Compost Marketing Agency, Tim brings a unique blend of technical expertise, marketing mastery, and infectious enthusiasm to the world of organic waste management.
Tim’s approach is refreshingly honest – describing composters as “soft people in a hard world” who see value where others see waste.
Tim bridges worlds that rarely meet – connecting German engineering with American entrepreneurship, linking microscopic life to business metrics, and translating academic soil science into backyard solutions.
After 3.5 years of daily posting and building a global network of composters across 30+ countries, Tim proves that environmental change happens through persistent optimism and authentic community building.
Tim believes microbes deserve a voice, because they “can’t post on the internet” themselves.
Tim’s journey from the mountains of Goslar, Germany, to becoming Cleveland’s (and now international) composting advocate reflects his bridge-building philosophy.
He translates complex composting and soil science into accessible wisdom, turning microscope observations into compelling stories that inspire action.
From contamination issues to infrastructure bottlenecks, Tim addresses composting’s real challenges with unflinching honesty and practical solutions that work in municipalities around the globe.
A practitioner as much as an educator, Tim has personally composted tens of thousands of pounds of food waste from his neighbors using methods ranging from vermicomposting to hot composting and Johnson-Su bioreactors.
He’s equally comfortable speaking at international conferences, consulting with municipalities on educational campaigns around contamination education, or teaching neighbors about the deep litter method for backyard chickens.
When he’s not examining compost under his microscope or creating content, you’ll find Tim taking cold swims, supporting community composting initiatives, or reminding anyone who’ll listen that food scraps aren’t waste – they’re “deferred value” waiting to feed the soil.
Marketing strategist building America’s organic recycling infrastructure through persistent advocacy. Daily storytelling, strategic outreach, and educational campaigns help organizations transform communities from waste-focused to soil-focused.
My daughter brought home a leaf from daycare. Speckled, she said. She wanted to look at it under my "telescope." I corrected her - it's a microscope, for looking at small things. Those specks looked like a fungus infection. When we stared at the screen together, she...
Preface I have learned a lot over the course of the last year in regards to the status quo of the composting industry. My encounter with Ron Alexander at COMPOST2023 was a catalyst to look further into important aspects of composting such as the regulatory side of...
USCC Electing New Board Members If you’re a member of the United States Composting Council (USCC), you may be aware that we’re currently voting on new board members. To make it easy for you to research candidates, we’ve compiled their information. Our Methodology We...
Register for our workshop at the COMPOST Conference 2023. If you’re passionate about composting but have a desire to learn more, you’d benefit from going to the Compost Conference in Ontario, as well as our pre-conference workshop. We’d love to see you there! What...