Earth Day starts off energizing, but then becomes a guilt
trip.
I feel reverent thinking about the planet God made for
us.
So, I want to minimize my carbon footprint.
But I really, really like hot showers and my refrigerator
and lights in the dark. I love how my
thermostat keeps me warm in the cold and cold in the warm. I want to recycle, but somehow the pile of
good intentions in the garage gets dumped in the big black can because our city
does not have hip blue cans for recycling.
And I changed all of the light bulbs last year.
Do you feel like me?
Want to "save the world" without changing too much of your
lifestyle?
I have a solution, but you have to promise to read until I say STOP..
I believe that the best solutions are the easiest
solutions--easy enough for a child to understand and complete. So I call my solution to Earth Day Guilt
"Child Compost".
The goal of "Child Compost" is for every house to
compost all of their vegetable and fruit waste all year long.
Steps:
Put bucket in kitchen to collect scraps
Set up 2 compost bins outside (see below for cheap bins). Ideal places are near a back door, next to
the garbage can, near a hose faucet.
Whenever the bucket is full, dump scraps into the bin.
Rinse out the bucket.
(If convenient, dump the water on the pile.)
When one compost bin is full, start filling the second bin.
When both bins are full (hopefully after a year or more),
take the first bin off, pile the finished compost in garden, behind shrubs,
under trees, where grass refuses to grow.
If there are large chunks, still recognizable, put them back in the bin
when you set it up in the same place.
If there are a LOT of large chunks,
you are probably eating very healthy with lots of fruits and vegetables! Way to go!
Just add another bin so that the compost has more time to decompose.
Pat yourself on the back.
Questions:
Why are compost bins so expensive?
$100 compost bins can make compost faster and look stylish,
but it does seem like a lot of money for garbage. I
have used poultry or rabbit fencing and stakes with good success and much less
cost. Prices and directions are below.
Why two compost bins?
Decomposition takes time.
After you fill a bin, it takes a year or so for everything to
decompose. During that time, you need
another bin to fill up. If the first bin
isn't decomposed when the second bin is full, you might think about adding a
third bin.
Do I have to chop, turn, water, add anything or take the
temperature of compost?
Kitchen scraps will decompose naturally if given enough
time. Your goal is to keep potentially
good things out of the landfill; the small amount of compost you generate is
the earth's thank you. Other
compost-making techniques and tools are for gardeners who go through compost
like teenage boys go through food, and they're just as impatient.
Will it smell?
A little. Rotting
food can have a vinegar-type smell for periods, but since the bin will be
outside, rain, wind, the neighbor's barbeque, and the smell of fresh cut grass
make it minimal.
Will it attract animals?
From experience, dogs, cats, and skunks have not disturbed
my compost; they are only attracted to animal products (bones, meat). However, I have not tried composting in a
fenced yard with a bored dog.
Will it attract flies or bugs?
Yes, but that's a good thing! Flies, bugs, and earthworms are in your yard
already; it will only look like more because they are concentrated around the
compost bin, helping everything decompose.
The only time they can be a nuisance is the annual turning out of the
bin.
Will it look like a pile of garbage?
Yes. Using a bin
rather than a pile keeps it looking neat.
Rabbit fencing with small holes keeps pieces from falling out. A plastic tarp or sheet on the top keeps the
wind from blowing things around; weight with a brick. Planting a nasturtium or sweet pea at the base
makes it decorative. But don't hide your
good deeds too much!
What can I add to the compost bin?
Peelings, ends, tops, bad spots, and spoiled vegetables or
fruits. Coffee grounds and tea
bags. Egg shells. Plain frozen or cooked fruits or vegetables.
What should I NOT add to the compost bin?
Any vegetable or fruit that has butter, syrups, dressings, dips,
oils, breading or other ingredients; these will attract animals.
Grass clippings, weeds, garden waste, leaves and other
organic material can be added to the bins, but you will need bigger bins and
more time for everything to decompose.
It can start to take over…or you can bring those items over to my
compost bins.
Why doesn't the compost bin ever get full?
Rain, snow, and decomposition naturally condense the pile by
decreasing the air spaces between the kitchen scraps. When the first bin is full, start filling the
second bin and let the first bin decompose.
How will I know when the compost is "done"?
When the compost volume shrinks to ½ or less of the bin, and
you can no longer recognize pieces of food (below the top few inches), you can
use it. Decomposition starts from the
bottom, so put the top few inches and any extra large pieces into the second
compost bin. If its not as small and
crumbly as you want, put it all back in and wait another season.
What can I do with the compost when its done?
Spread it anywhere there is something growing—around any
plant, raked on top of grass, in a hole before you plant something new. The small bin will create about one cubic
foot of compost or the size of one 25 pound bag of flour.
Can I compost in the winter?
Yes! If you have a
tarp or cloth on top of the pile, take it off for the winter so you can easily dump
kitchen scraps.
STOP READING—unless I've convinced you to try
composting. If you're ready to buy or
make a compost bin, information is below.
Rabbit Fencing Compost Bin Prices
$10 for 1 small compost bin, 3 feet high, 1.5 feet diameter,
and posts
$15 for 1 large compost bin, 3 feet high, 3 feet diameter,
and posts
Rabbit Fencing Compost Bin Directions
Cut 10 foot length of conduit into 3 equal pieces (about 33
inches)
Cut 36 inch rabbit or poultry fencing into 5 foot or 10 foot
lengths
Form fencing into a circle and join "seam" with
wire
Stand fencing in position and push or pound conduit lengths
inside the circle
Start filling compost bin with kitchen scraps.
To keep this simple, DO NOT:
Read anything else about compost.
Turn the compost.
Buy anything to add to the compost.
Check the temperature of the compost.
Add yard waste to the compost.
Get impatient to use the compost.
