It’s a real pain to have to take the trash out. It’s messy, it smells, and it contributes to landfills. However, there is one way to reduce your garbage production drastically, that will also almost completely eliminate the problems that come with garbage: Composting!
Why is composting so great?
Composting turns food scraps into a wonderful fertilizer you can use in a garden or a pot. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S dumps about 133 billion pounds of food per year into landfills, which is about one third of the amount of food produced annually! This food waste can be drastically reduced with more composting, because it creates a natural outlet for wasted food to go, and takes as little as 3-4 weeks to decompose compared to food waste in landfills that can take up to six months.
How do I compost?
You can purchase a small inexpensive compost bin for your kitchen or if you have a couple of square feet outdoors, you can create a box outside! Some cities, such as Boulder, CO and Brooklyn, NY have free city-wide composting programs for all residents. But you don't need an organized program to compost in your home. For more info on how to get started, check out this link.
Step One: Choose a compost bin & place to put it
There are many different bins you can use to make your compost. Outside bins can be made out of plastic or wood, or you can purchase a ready-made one in a variety of different sizes and shapes. If you don't have space outside, you can buy a kitchen composter that sits right on your counter. Either way, just make sure to put it in a space that is easily accessible.
Step Two: Add the correct materials
You want to add an even amount of “green” and “brown” materials, to ensure the process runs smoothly. Green materials include: vegetable and fruits, grass, coffee grounds, weeds and hedge trimmings. Brown materials include: Leaves, hay, straw, paper, cardboard, egg shells, and teabags.
Then what?
Keep putting your food and plant waste into the compost bin. It can take anywhere from four weeks to a year to change over to dirt, depending on factors like what you put in, the temperature, and how much mixing you do. Once it turns, you can use your new dirt in potted plants, outdoor gardens, tree beds, or you can even put it in the garbage - it will be smaller volume and less smelly than rotting food would have been.
There are two ways to enter:
1. Comment below and tell us: Does composting seem like a possibility for you and your family? Or if you already compost, what are some tips or strategies that make it easy for you?
2. Tweet about the giveaway: “Entered the #SheSpeaksCompost Giveaway to win an in-home composting bin, thx to @SheSpeaksUp! bit.ly/2jEZUAQ"
*One lucky commenter or Tweeter will be chosen at random to receive a Full Circle Kitchen Composter. Giveaway is open through October 8th, 2017 to U.S. residents at least 18 years of age. Entrants must be a member of SheSpeaks. If you are not a member, click here to join. Winner will be notified by email.
We already compost and having something on the counter to pop your scraps in is a must.
I compost, and it makes great dirt for my garden. I keep a bag in the refrigerator and fill it with fruit and vegetable scraps & coffee grounds, then put it in my composter with leaves and grass clippings.
i'd love to compost and I think the kids would be on board with the idea. you have to start someehwere
We don't compost, yet! This sounds like an incredible way to start.
Our neighbor said we could use their compost bin if we wanted. So we do!
Yes, I'd love to help reduce waste in any way possible! It would be nice if every community had a program to compost food. Mabey like a recycling program, a can outside for food that gets picked up every week and later composted!
I only compost my coffee grounds and egg shells for my plants. We get too many possums to keep any food or such without having the proper bins.
We don't compost but I sure do feel like we should learn more about it!
Yes, its a great way to recycle and use things again and again~
My family would love to try composting!
This could definitely be a possibility for me and my boyfriend! Our trash stinks!
I started to compost this summer but did not follow through. I am doing Whole30 this month and with making a lot of my own stuff and all the fresh veggies, fruits-- I am reducing my trash amount. That has inspired to go get back into composting since most of what I throw away now, I could just compost. This article was a big help and perfect timing too.
I want to compost one day. It's amazing how many scraps are thrown up.
No I only rent my home, maybe if I owned my house.
Absolutely it is a possibility. Something I have thought a lot about but just haven't taken the plunge.