It’s time to give back to the earth! Whether you live in an apartment or on a ranch everyone can drastically reduce their waste by composting. Here are the top 3 methods of choice:
1. A traditional compost. This involves some type of heap or container kept in a backyard. It requires specific layering between dry, brown matter (like leaves) and wet matter (like produce scraps and grass.) Since the pile needs to be turned with a pitch fork to add in oxygen and speed up the rate of materials breaking down it can feel pretty labor intensive. Some companies offer rotating models that have a handle so the whole unit can be spun, but you still need a good amount of space for them.
2. A worm bin. This is also called vermicomposting and it’s my favorite choice! It hardly takes up any space as stackable trays and requires little maintenance. Worm Factory is the company I chose, partly because their products are made in the U.S. from food-grade, recycled plastic. Anyway, as the worms break down your carrot tops, apple cores, and such an incredible, liquid fertilizer collects in the bottom tray that can be poured into a watering can through the built-in spigot. Worm bins can even be kept indoors for those who are brave enough.
3. Giving your compost away. This is the easiest and cleanest option for sure. If you don’t have the time or space for gardening, share your compost treasures with someone who does. It could be a neighbor, a community garden, of perhaps the city you live in. For example, if you live in Los Angeles, curbside composting is actually provided through the green bins (they’re not just for grass clippings!) Of course, the benefit of finding someone to give your compost to is that you usually end up with some of their fresh food and/or flowers in exchange. For this trade you might want to store the scraps in a travel-friendly container in the freezer. I don’t recommend using plastic bags because it basically defeats the whole purpose of reducing waste.
No matter which method you choose, having a handy little container with a lid on your kitchen counter to temporarily collect composting materials can keep your system running smoothly and keep bugs away. Speaking of which, fruit flies are more active in warmer weather, so if you’re not ready yet to compost year ’round you can do it seasonally instead.
Note: Most soils and fertilizers sold in the U.S. contain chemicals and/or animal parts and animal waste (like blood, bone meal, and manure.) When you take charge of home composting you can count on healthier and more humane gardening.
Do you currently compost? What are your tips for reducing waste?
My mission: As a Certified Holistic Nutritionist & Eco Expert, I’m dedicated to leading you straight to the core of what it takes to enjoy a new level of vitality, weight loss, and detoxification. I love helping clients across the U.S. transform their lives.
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