EcoTrashSolutions

Gross to Gold

Leftovers, rotten banana peels, and weeds may sound like nothing but useless garbage.  However, these unwanted waste products can be composted to create rich soil for growing plants and vegetables, while reducing the amount of trash you send to the landfill.

Compost is created when aerobic microbes such as fungi and bacteria digest and breakdown the wastes that are thrown in a pile.   Some people express concern that a compost pile full of old food and waste will create an undesirable smell.  This is easily avoided by ensuring there are air spaces in your compost so only aerobic microbes do the work and not anaerobic microbes, which produce the horrible stench of rotting trash.  Aerobic microbes also decompose waste faster, another reason to allow plenty of air into your compost.  A successful compost pile must contain the right amount of moisture.  If it becomes too wet or too dry, the composting process can be slowed significantly.  It is very important to combine a good mixture of materials to your compost.  Items such as fruit and vegetables and fresh grass are classifies as “green” materials.  Other wastes such as sawdust and dry leaves are referred to as “brown” materials.  Because green compost items contain more moisture than brown materials, a good balance of these two types helps to create a healthy amount of moisture.  It usually only takes a month or two for your pile of waste to be turned into rich, healthy compost.  When you can no longer see any of the original items from the pile, you have usable compost.

A final consideration before starting your very own compost pile is how to contain it.  You can either have an open pile that is not contained or a bin or fenced off area for composting.  Personally, I would recommend a compost bin for the many advantages it provides.  Unwanted pests such as raccoons and possums cannot get inside a bin as easily.  It is also less noticeable than a heaping pile of waste in your yard and can be mixed up by simply dumping it into another bin.