Trying to do our part to leave a better world for future generations can be easier than you think. An easy way to start reducing your waste and repurposing it is by composting. Just think of all the stuff in your kitchen and garden that goes to waste. By simply changing your habits and turning that waste into compost you can generate a free source of rich compost to help improve your garden and help reduce global warming in the process.
How does home composting help to reduce global warming?
When organic waste is sent to a landfill it is combined with tonnes of other waste types therefore it does not get enough access to air to properly decompose. For each pound of waste you don’t send to a landfill and compost instead you’re avoid 2.5 pounds of C02 emissions! Every little bit counts.
The Compost Bin
In order to start composting at home you need a compost bin, you can either purchase one or make your own. You can purchase bins at a local home and garden center or check to see if your municipality has any programs to encourage composting in your area.
The next step is to find the perfect spot to situate your compost bin. For optimum results place the bin in a well drained area that has good access to sunlight. Drainage enables excess water to drain out form the compost and the sun helps speed up the process!
What waste items can I put in my compost bin?
There are many household waste items that can go into your compost bin. To make it simple they are broken down into greens and browns.
Greens are the type of items that provide moisture and nitrogen and are quick to rot, such as:
- Grass cuttings
- Vegetable peelings
- Leaves
- Fruit
- Tea bags
- Weeds
Browns are waste items that take longer to rot but provide pockets of air, along with fiber and carbon, which include:
- Cardboard boxes
- Newspapers (scrunched up)
- Toilet roll tubes
- Egg shells (crushed)
- Shredded paper
- Twigs and hedge clippings
How do I make a good quality compost?
In order to get good quality compost it is important to use a good mix of both green and brown wastes. After that it is simply a matter of monitoring the compost and adding more waste depending on the look and texture of the compost.
Too dry – add more green waste
Too wet – add more brown waste
Once in awhile it is best to mix or turn the contents in the compost bin in order to add air and help speed up the process.
How long will it take for my compost to be ready to use?
There really isn’t an exact answer because it depends on the mixture of waste you place in your compost bin, the area you place it in, and the weather. Generally it takes between six and nine months for compost to be ready to use!
Help reduce your carbon footprint and give composting a try!
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Thank you to Laura Cyra-Korsgaard for this imformative post!
Cynthia R says
June 27, 2014 at 12:34 pmSo this may be a stupid question, but does it smell?
Rachel C says
June 27, 2014 at 8:53 pmLoving these gardening posts. I can’t wait until we move and I would love to start our own compost pile.
Right now we save some of our scraps to take to the library where my kids are in the garden club and they have a worm composting system set up.
Ari T. says
June 28, 2014 at 8:58 pmWe compost at my house, but I’m glad to learn more about the differences between green and brown waste categories. I think we may need to add more brown waste to our pile. Also, I had no idea that generic tea bags can be added to the compost. Thanks for this helpful post!
Sarah says
June 29, 2014 at 2:47 pmI love the article but I have to comment, almost everything I have read says that leaves are a brown, not a green. You can also compost coffee grounds and the filters. I believe the grounds are a green and the filters are a brown. No, it does not really stink if you have enough browns in your pile. You can compost weeds, but I would be VERY careful not to compost any weeds that have gone to seed. If your compost pile doesn’t get hot enough it will not kill the seeds. You do not have to have a compost bin, you can just have a pile. The more vigilant you are about turning your compost, the faster it will break down. The article suggests putting twigs in your compost, but the would take a long time to break down unless you cut them up. Leaves will also break down faster if you go over them with a lawn mower to break them up.
Jordan says
July 2, 2014 at 9:40 pmThis is an excellent guide! Thank you!
Holly E says
July 5, 2014 at 8:32 amGreat guide! We love composting. It always make such great soil for planting veggies.
Nicole Dz says
July 19, 2014 at 11:27 pmWe actually just started to compost. When I asked my neighbors why and how there plants in there garden are much bigger then mine they said they do compost. They grow the same thing as I have in my garden but since they use compost it really makes the plants a lot more lively I say.
Lisa says
September 29, 2014 at 6:26 pmLove this info! My husband and I are wanting to do this once we buy a house.
Rosie says
October 21, 2015 at 1:44 pmI miss having a yard and an opportunity to have a compost bin!!! This is a great article!!