Last week, one of my Coworkers excitedly told me about a compost pile that she started in her backyard, which is totally understandable–composting is fun and great for the environment!
As she talked about how easy it is to add coffee grounds and grass clippings to her compost, I could tell that she really enjoys turning things that would normally go in the trash into something useful. So why don’t more people regularly compost? Well, if you’ve never tried it before, composting might seem a little daunting. So here are some common composting myths–busted!
I can’t compost because I live in a city.
Even if you don’t have a yard, you can still compost! You can buy a fairly inexpensive compost bin to keep in your kitchen, or make one by drilling a few holes into the lid of a garbage can.
Compost smells bad and will attract pesky animals to my yard.
I’ll admit, the concept of decomposing waste isn’t exactly appealing. But if your compost pile is mixed correctly and allows air to circulate, it shouldn’t smell like much of anything. To keep animals away, avoid putting meat, dairy products, or pet waste in your compost.
I need to maintain a specific ratio of nitrogen to carbon materials.
While you need to have a good balance of nitrogen-rich “green” materials (grass clippings, food waste, and coffee grounds) and carbon-rich “brown” materials (dead leaves, branches, and twigs), there really isn’t a magic ratio to maintain. Just try to have an even amount of each, and make sure your pile doesn’t become too wet or too dry.
Composting at home is too much work.
The great thing about compost is that Mother Nature takes care of almost everything. Just combine your nitrogen and carbon materials, add some water, and mix it occasionally. And remember, compost produces nutrient-rich soil that can replace lawn fertilizer–saving you money and a trip to the store!
Do you compost at home? Let us know by commenting below. DING! You are now free to be green!
