5 Simple Steps to Compost Mania! It's Easy to Join Us, Go Green and Reduce Your Eco Footprint!!


If you haven't yet heard, compost mania is taking America by storm.  People from coast to coast are discovering how easy it is to make their own organic compost, cut the amount of trash they send to the landfill, and reduce their eco footprint.  If you want to join us in the compost mania, it's easy to do in 5 simple steps.
  1. Get Your Bins: Keep food waste in a bin with a ventilated lid in your kitchen (I really like these bins for freezer storage...no mess or smell) then mix it with yard waste and soil in a compost bin outside.  You can also simply put your compost in a pile but you will have to deal with critters feasting on your compost.  After a few months, the broken-down concoction you will be left with is rich, organic compost that can be returned to the garden, ground or potted plants. 
  2. Add Your Foods: You can add items like coffee grounds, tea bags, vegetable and fruit scraps as well as corn husks.  Greasy foods like poultry and fish, dairy products, meat scraps and bones will make the pile stink, could create harmful bacteria and might attract unwanted critters.  I still need to tell the compost dog story.  Oh and you can also add unwrapped candy. That little tip comes in handy around Halloween. 
  3. Add Your Non-food's to the Mix: Add yard waste to your compost pile.  Leaves, grass clippings, shrub waste and wood chips work well. Keep in mind that a mixture of wet and dry items will help the pile break down faster. Interestingly, it is not a good idea to add weeds with big roots unless your pile gets super hot to break them down.  Also, do not add metal, glass, puppy or kitty poo, inorganic garbage, plastic or chemically treated wood.
  4. Maintain It: To thrive and decompose, a compost pile requires oxygen and a good carbon-to-nitrogen ratio. Periodically mixing up the compost with a shovel (or giving your composter a tumble), adding shredded cardboard to the pile and making sure the bin gets adequate ventilation can help.  
  5. Keep It Hot: Compost decomposes most efficiently when it is between 90 and 135 degrees Fahrenheit. It is a good idea to keep it nice and hot by placing your compost pile or composter in the sun. We have a black Tumbleweed composter that works really great to soak up the sun's heat. You can also deck your bi out in an insulation jacket.
You can find all of the things you will need plus lots more advice at my favorite online composting destination, CompostMania.com. I love their site because it is one of the most comprehensive resources I have found for all things composting. They do a wonderful job of encouraging people to reduce their ecological footprint and reconnect with their local ecosystems through composting. 

Oh, and by the way, glad to have you join us.



P.S.- Have you heard about The Green PolkaDot Box! Recently launched with over 12,000 members and backed by the Organic Consumer's Association, you can easily buy NonGMO organics at wholesale pricing online.  It's like a Sam's club but focused on products for green, healthy living!!  You can even shop by dietary restrictions like gluten free, vegan or diabetic.  


Sources: CompostMania.com, Compost Info Guide, sierraclubgreenhome.com, composting101.com, Rose Raymond for NPR

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