Did You Know? 

The U.S. EPA says about 24 percent of our waste is organic material that can be composted.  In fact, Americans throw away an average of 1.3 pounds of food scraps daily – translating to almost 13 percent of the nation’s municipal and solid waste (MSW) stream. 

Let’s quickly break down the basics of composting:

1. Learn the benefits
Composting is the natural process of decomposition, sped up by a deliberate strategy in a concentrated environment to transform ingredients such as grass clippings, vegetable scraps, newspaper and more into a new material that can then be incorporated back into the soil. One of the largest contributors to home-based composting piles is kitchen waste.  Scraps from meal preparations as well as cooking supplies can be added to a compost bin and, in turn, contribute to your soil and mulch.

2. Pick your location and bin
Before you can collect these scraps in your kitchen, you need to prepare where the compost will be stored.  Composting bins have come a long way throughout the past five years, and the kitchen composter is the leader of that change.  Popular options range from teh stylish counter containers, like the Kitchen Compost Crock, to the hidden cabinet unit, such as NatureMill’s automated composter.  Both these units are useful but serve different purposes.  The crock would be best used for a home that has an outdoor compost pile and is just used to store scraps for a short time inside the house.  The automated composter is useful for smaller spaces or homes without larger piles available.  You can compost your scrapes inside your home in a shorter period of time.

3. Here is what goes into your pile
Once you pick a spot, you have to get educated on what can go into your pile.  Composting guides generally sort matter into tow categories, according to what they contribute to the process: green (nitrogen) and brown (carbon).  A lot of kitchen items are perfect for your pile.  Common items include fruit and vegetable scraps, eggshells, coffee grounds, tea bags, grass clippings, and other yard waste.

4.  Consider vermicomposting
If turning your pile daily seems like a lot of work, consider vermicomposting, or composting with worms.  Vermicomposting is simple to set up and minimal maintenance is required.  Not only is it a great option for your trash bin, but it is also a perfect way to fertilize your household and garden plants!

Amanda Wills
earth911.com

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