Green Living: Composting

It's time to compost!

Ok, so fall has come and gone and winter has come to a close. Spring is here - yay! I missed the boat on composting all our fall leaves, but now that it is spring, I am getting ready for all the grass clippings and kitchen waste.

When I was in college one of my environmental science professors had each student in his class  weigh/measure their garbage for one week. We had to measure paper, glass, plastic, cardboard and organic waste separately. This was a real eye opener of an exercise because I had no idea how much waste I was individually producing. The amount of shopping bags I accumulated was downright shameful! The assignment created quite a class buzz and the importance of recycling, forgoing erroneous packaging, and supporting sustainable products became clear. Ever since then, I have remained a conscious consumer, but I have never had the opportunity to compost. Now that we have a country escape, I thought it was time to get equipped and ready. 

1. My plan is to either construct a compost bin out of recycled materials or go for this Cedar Composter. Our bin will be shielded behind the barn, but this is attractive enough to have out in the garden. An alternative to using a structure (box, bin, tumbler), would be to have a compost heap near your garden (this is good for large scale composting). Regardless of your choice, you will want the compost close to a water source and in a place where there is good air circulation. You also will need to keep the compost covered to help retain the moisture and heat and keep the scavengers away. To ensure that the bacteria in your compost gets aerated properly, you will also need to turn the pile every few weeks. Use a pitch fork or shovel or if you choose a compost tumbler, you can just turn the lever. You can make a no-turn compost, but will need enough coarse material, such as straw, when building the pile. 
2. This sleek Brushed Stainless Steel Compost Pale from Williams & Sonoma is just the right size to hold food scraps under the kitchen sink. It adsorbs odor and having the handle makes it easy to transport to the outdoor composter.  You can compost fruits and vegetables, coffee grounds, egg shells, tea leaves, grains, bread, unbleached paper napkins and coffee filters in this pale. Newspapers and shredded paper are also great for composting, I keep them in a separate bin in the mudroom (avoid glossy and colored papers) . 
3. I thought this was the perfect time to invest in some new gardening gloves. I love these super chic two-toned monogrammed suede gloves that are lined with a 100% cotton.  

Some Benefits of Composting: 

• Reduces Lanfill Waste
• Natural Alternative to Chemical Fertilizers 
• Increases Nutrient Content & Helps Retains Mositure in Soil 
• Helps Prevent Pollution
• Helps Clean-Up Contaminated Soil
• Recycles Kitchen & Yard Waste 

For More Information On Composting Click Here.

Images: 1, 2, 3 & 4