a solution to urban composting

so before you read this, disclaimer: you will hate yourself and others everytime you see things that could be composted put into a normal garbage can. it makes me cringe on the inside, honestly.

so last summer my husband and i decided to build our own compost- it is very easy, inexpensive, and gives back to you. here are some of the supplies you will need:

2 or 3 rubbermaid tubs with lids
drill
1 lb of worms - go to this website and email them about getting some. it was 25$ for one lb. http://www.transformcompostsystems.com/vermicomposting-worm-bins.php
some coffee grounds, shredded newspaper for insulation

here is the link we used that shows you how to create it step by step:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lcv69QL_Ers

things that you can put in your compost is almost limitless such as: fruits, veggies, bread, nail clippings, hair-gross but really you can, egg shells-make sure these are ground up...i would suggest printing a list offline and keep it on your fridge so you know. nothing cooked can go into a compost, so no leftovers or boiled egg shells.

it helps if you can blend the items you will be putting into your compost that way your worms can eat it faster. like for example, if you throw in a head of broccoli without cutting it up it will take a while for the worms to eat it. in other words, when the food rots the worms eat the rot and when food is smaller it will rot faster = faster composting.

another key is having some kind of bucket or garbage can in your house that you can keep your compostable foods in that way your not running out to put them in the bigger bin all the time. what we do is keep a stainless steel can next to our normal garbage can and we let it fill up over the week- than at the end of the week we throw it all into the bigger bin that has the worms. you will want to get a can that has a lid that closes tightly so it traps the smell. you can actually buy special ones that have filters in them as to trap the smell.

for the most part the compost tubs can stay outside all year. when it got cold we put ours into the shed. a garage would work too- that way the worms do not freeze.

if you find that the ratio of worms to compost is off (more compost, not enough worms), what you can do it build a second compost, steal worms from compost 1, and go from there- this is what we did. worms are a-sexual so they are constantly reproducing so this should work for you. and yes, you will have to get your hands dirty-or use gloves-and pick out the worms for compost 2. not the end of the world...

what are the benefits of composting you may ask?? LET ME TELL YOU!! first, it creates the most beautiful dirt. second, all the juices will fall into the bottom bin thus creating awesome fertilizer aka compost juice. thirdly it will honestly cut down on your garbage. we have definitely noticed a difference. instead of  two bags a week we are down to one. lastly and most important, you will feel so GOOD about yourself and the impact you are making. maybe we are geeks but we love composting and are so excited to use the dirt we created last year for this years garden.

so did i sell it to you? i hope so. it is easy, cuts down on waste and is cost-efficient as it gives back to you in the long run. it is also nice for those of you who do not have backyards but still want to compost.

if you have any questions about starting your own compost, dont hesitate to message me and i can help you get started...

cheers to being green