Approximately 95% of food scraps in the US are thrown away and end up in landfills. Composting is an easy way to divert those scraps, which when tossed into a landfill generates methane gas (harmful greenhouse gas which contributes to global warming), and turns them into something useful. There are many ways to compost, the amount of space you have and where you live will dictate the type of composting you can do. This post is mainly based on our experience composting in a suburban area with a yard. If you’re in an apartment in a city this won’t work for you, but I’ve included some resources and information for that as well.
How to Start A Compost at Home
8 responses
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I have just started composting! Since I do not garden and have a black thumb, I wanted to reduce our trash but had no need for the composted soil. I live in Charlotte NC, and there’s a company that is similar to the city programs you describe above. As a member, you can always buy soil from them, but they also donate to community programs that teach and encourage healthy living. I love it!
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If you live in Philadelphia, check out Circle Compost (https://www.circlecompost.com/). They give you a bin to put your compost items in and pick them up every other week!
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The city of Boston has just launched a pilot program with five community compost bins open to the public:
https://www.boston.gov/departments/environment/project-oscar.
Bootstrap Compost is a company that will give you a five-gallon compost bucket, with pick-up service at your door, and soil in return! http://www.bootstrapcompost.com-
Thanks for posting this Julie! I just moved to Boston and was looking for a way to compost. I looked at the Project Oscar locations and there is one RIGHT by me, so you bet I will be dropping off my compost there!
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City of Denver has a composting program! They give you a small indoor bin and a large outdoor bin and they pick up weekly with your trash service. I believe it’s $30 every 3 months
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LOVE THIS POST! I am in San Francisco and your list of what to compost and what not is very helpful. Thank you for sharing <3 x Shannon • http://www.essellesse.com
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I live in the New York metropolitan area and I have been composting my food scraps for a few years in my backyard garden. I use a tumbling composter (the easiest and most efficient way to compost), a worm factory and a garden tower. If you want to compost with worms, a garden tower is the best solution. You don’t need to stress about their temperature and humidity, plus, it’s a great way to garden vertically. I collect all food scraps in a pretty pail on the kitchen counter. We are two people and typically I only have to empty the pail once a week.
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I have been composting for more than 10 years with a bottomless compost bin. I put my Halloween pumpkins, grass clippings and regular kitchen compost. Sometimes I take some out and add it to my garden but it really is amazing how it never fills up! We barely have any garbage!
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