Our Story

Our mission is to leave this planet better than how we found it

Compost For Life was founded in the middle of the pandemic in March 2020 by Francisco Torres. A planet lover and passionate environmentalist who felt the need to give back to the community and the environment. By volunteering at Clean Miami Beach and the Miami Beach Botanical Garden compost program, he realized the need to offer a doorstep convenient service to our community where everyone can join, participate, and be part of the solution against food waste.

A man kneeling on the floor smiling at the camera, wearing a light pink t-shirt and jeans. Behind him, there are several large pink containers with teal labels arranged on a table. A monitor is visible on the table displaying something, and partially visible people surround the scene.

Francisco

Francisco Torres is the founder and CEO of Compost For Life and co-founder of Glass For Life, two community-driven environmental organizations dedicated to transforming the way South Florida thinks about waste, sustainability, and human connection.

Born with a deep love for nature, community, and service, Francisco believes that real change begins with simple daily actions and the willingness to care for one another and the planet we all share. What started as a grassroots effort collecting food scraps and glass bottles has grown into a movement that has diverted millions of pounds of material from landfills while helping build a culture of environmental responsibility across Miami-Dade and Broward counties.

Under his leadership, Compost For Life has become South Florida’s leading community composting initiative, working alongside families, schools, restaurants, hotels, farmers, and municipalities to create local solutions that regenerate soil, reduce waste, and inspire collective action. Francisco also helped support the adoption of Miami-Dade County’s first countywide community composting legislation, helping open the door for a more sustainable future for future generations.

At the heart of Francisco’s mission is the belief that sustainability is not just about recycling or composting — it is about becoming better humans. It is about remembering our responsibility to care for the earth, support our neighbors, and leave the world better than we found it. Through education, community engagement, and purpose-driven leadership, he hopes to inspire others to realize that every person has the power to create meaningful change.

Francisco is a proud husband, father of two, and Miami Beach resident who continues to dedicate his life to building systems that reconnect people with nature, strengthen communities, and prove that environmental action can also be rooted in compassion, hope, and love for humanity.

Juanito Coco

Rescued from Liberty City, Juanito is Francisco’s loyal companion at the Compost Farm and mostly everywhere. Juanito was rescued in April 2020 from a litter of 11 abandoned puppies and today he is a fine compost inspector. Juanito has his very owned children book’s called Juanito’s Adventures, so Juanito comes and say hello to all the kids after reading his book.

Juanito's Adventures
A happy dog lying on a dirt mound in front of a compost tumbler outdoors.

Family Owned and Operated

Francisco and Valentina were married in December 2021, and in October 2023, they received the greatest blessing of their lives with the birth of their daughter, Leticia Marianela, lovingly known as “Compostina.” Their family continued to grow with the latest addition, Joaquin Enrique, bringing even more love, purpose, and inspiration to their journey.

As a family-owned and operated organization, Compost For Life is deeply rooted in the values of community, compassion, and creating a healthier future for the next generation.

(on the left) - Leticia’s first visit to one of our compost sites (On the right) - Juanito’s book presentation at South Pointe Elementary School in Miami Beach

A man, woman, and baby posing next to a large pile of dark soil outdoors, with plants and trees in the background, under a partly cloudy sky.
A family of four and a dog sitting on a white sheet in a library, holding children's books. The family includes two young girls, a woman, and a man, all smiling. The little girl on the right is holding a book titled "Juenti's Adventures," and the baby in a stroller is also holding the same book. The background features bookshelves filled with colorful books.
A man is throwing vegetable scraps into a pink food waste bin in a kitchen.

Our first week

October 2020 was the first week we offered our service to the community, collecting 110 lbs of food scraps from five families and one local business. Fast-forward five years, and we are rescuing more than 180,000 lbs of food scraps per week from landfills. A total of 10M lbs. have been diverted since we started, this is the equivalent of 250,000 (5 gal) pink buckets serviced.

This is the power of a community coming together, directly impacting our local farmers, schools, community gardens, and, of course, our beloved planet.

We fight climate change and regenerate our planet’s soil one pink bucket at a time!

Group of people, both children and adults, gathered outdoors under a pink and green tent with the words 'FOR THE WELL BEING OF OUR PLANET' printed on it. The group is smiling, some holding drinks, and there is a man kneeling in front with a dog. The setting is sunny with a clear blue sky and greenery around.

At Compost For Life, we are a community-based organization that raises awareness on the importance of composting food scraps for the benefit of all. We make composting easy.

Join our Compost Movement Here