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.
SScrocky4Me
Great idea!
I ALREADY COMPOST. A BIN WOULD BE HELPFUL.
I would love to start composting to improve our soil.
I use Coffee Grounds for a face and skin exfoliator! Once a week, it's amazing. I also use it for my legs to give them a fresh look. It really revitalizes the skin. Just mix with a moisturizer, rub in and then rinse off. Amazing!
I don't compost but it seem like a possibility for my family
It seems like a great possibility im def going to look into this further it seems like a great decision
I drink coffee every morning and my diet consists of vegetables and fruits, so I need to compost and really need a Circle Kitchen Composter to get started.
I've been wanting to try composting actually!
My family keeps several containers in the kitchen for composting. It has become second nature to put food scraps in the buckets, but we always argue about whose turn it is to dump the scraps onto the compost pile. A great tip is to line your inside compost container with a sheet or two of newspaper, so that your pot stays cleaner and you will add a little bit of dry "browns" to your compost pile regularly.
we have a compost bin but I am not consistent with it.
i could really use this. we eat a lot of veggies and have so much waste! it would be great to repurpose it!
Composting is a great idea! We love composting, and it really enriches our garden.
My house rabbits help out in making compost. I dump their litter box (newspapers, shredded paper and droppings) into the compost every day. I get some of the best tasting veggies from using the compost.
I love to compost but it's hard in an apartment. This compost bin would be perfect!