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| Bin There, Done That Many Americans are already putting their food scraps and yard waste in commercial composters or the homemade variety. Why not join the club? Photos by Sarah Peters, NEIWPCC |
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The Green Corner
By Sarah Peters, NEIWPCC
This issue’s “Green Corner,” our new feature highlighting tips for leading a more sustainable lifestyle, focuses on composting—a simple and inexpensive way to dispose of and recycle food scraps and yard waste that would otherwise enter the waste stream. Aside from reducing your volume of household waste, composting produces a nutrient-rich soil conditioner that can be added to any lawn or garden.
Creating a compost bin can be as simple or intricate as you would like. Bins can be built with wooden or metal posts, and walls can be created from chicken wire, snow fencing, wooden pallets, or wooden slats—anything that contains the food and yard waste while allowing it to decompose. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation website provides an excellent overview of how to start your own compost pile in a backyard with some wood and chicken wire (see NYSDEC website below).
If you live in a more urban area or simply do not want to build a compost bin yourself, several commercial options are available. These bins, approximately the size of a trash can, are designed to keep wildlife out while encouraging the natural composting process. Many municipalities across the Northeast provide compost bins to residents at reduced prices. Check with your local or state recycling program for availability.
Once your compost bin is in place, start adding food scraps and yard waste and let time and nature go to work. Compost bins will be most effective if material is kept loose. Tightly compacted compost inhibits airflow and reduces decomposition; using a pitchfork or shovel to loosen material a few times a year will increase productivity. Water is a key ingredient in the decomposition process, and compost piles should be kept damp but not soggy. For more information, please visit any of the websites below. Happy composting!
More information on composting in your state:
CT DEP - www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2718&q=325344
Maine Resource Recovery Association - www.mrra.net
MassDEP - www.mass.gov/dep/recycle/reduce/compgnt.htm
NH - Northeast Resource Recovery Association - www.nrra.net/compost.html
NYSDEC - www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8799.html
Rhode Island Compost Outreach - www.uri.edu/cels/ceoc/ceoc_programs_mcrp.html
Vermont Master Composter - www.uvm.edu/mastergardener/mastercomposter