Composting has always sounded like a little, ok a lot, of work to me. And here’s what I found out: it’s not easy. It’s REALLY easy. We’ve tried a lot of things around our GreenHouse with mixed results, but this one was a grand slam: easy to execute, not expensive, and the learning curve was short.
To be honest, I wasn’t sure why I should compost in the first place. Was there really a difference between food breaking down in a landfill vs in a controlled compost environment? YES.
When food waste breaks down in a landfill, very little oxygen floats around and the by-product is methane. Methane, a greenhouse gas, is 25 times more potent than carbon. But in a well-managed compost pile, the food waste breaks down with the help of oxygen and produces nutrient-rich soil instead.
The great thing about composting is that there are options for everyone---whether it’s a backyard compost pile, a drop-off service, curbside pick-up, or even countertop composting machines.
For us, I quickly decided that a backyard compost pile was out of the question. We have limited space, a dog, and as I beginner wasn’t sure if I could successfully maintain it.
There is something of an art to achieving the right “green to brown” ratio in a backyard compost pile. Your compost area also needs to be able to reach a certain temperature to be successful. If you’re up for the challenge, you can learn more about backyard composting here.
But being a greenish gal, I wanted to do something, so I found a composting program in my town, and it couldn’t be a better fit for our busy family.
Finding a Composting Service
Some cities will provide a curbside composting option to residents. There are also many private compost companies. A call to your municipality or a quick Google search is often all you need to find something in your area. CompostNow also maintains a national directory of private urban compost companies. Our town offers a composting program part of the year, but I was looking for a year-round solution. We ultimately found a local company called Wastenot Compost and we love it.
How the service works
We keep a small compost bucket in the corner of our sink, but you can also keep it on your kitchen counter. The bucket I use is this one: it looks cool, is made from bamboo (not plastic!), and is dishwasher safe. It usually gets full pretty quickly (one of my kids is single-handedly keeping the banana and orange industries profitable.). When it’s full, we dump the scraps in a curbside compost bucket (provided by Wastenot Compost) in the garage.
We keep the curbside compost bucket in our attached garage during the week, so it’s easy to fill. And no one wants to walk outside in the middle of a Chicago winter. The compost bucket we use is well sealed, so there is no odor. It’s also really important to get a well-sealed bucket if you plan to keep it outside, since it will help keep animals away. Then once a week, Wastenot Compost picks up our bucket and leaves a new clean one for the week. Yes, it’s that easy.
What to Compost
So, what can go in a compost bucket? Actually, a lot. This list is my favorite source. It’s also a great article because it highlights how what you can compost varies widely depending on how you compost, your space, pest concerns, recycling habits, etc.
Here’s what you’ll usually find in our bucket:
Fruit and vegetable scraps
Dirty paper towels and napkins (these aren’t recyclable)
Torn up mail
Tea bags and parchment paper (you can also include coffee grounds and filters)
Eggshells
Nuts and seeds
Baked goods
Torn up pizza boxes (cool, right??)
Certified compostable products (there are lots out there, so check the labels!)
Leftovers
Flowers
So to recap: if I can compost, anyone can. It’s a surprisingly easy, and worthwhile, way to live a greenish lifestyle.