What is the first image that comes to mind when you hear the word compost? For me, I imagine a farmer in overalls digging through a stinky mound of trash. But obviously that isn’t always the case!

As people are becoming more and more eco-conscious and focusing on their environmental impact, urban composting is becoming more popular. And not only does it help reduce the household trash, it also helps gardens and houseplants thrive.

What is Compost?

Essentially, compost is just decomposed organic material. You place fruit and vegetable scraps, egg shells, coffee grounds, etc (just no meat or dairy) into a bin and let it decompose over time. Eventually it turns into nutrient rich soil.

How is Compost Formed?

So, we know what goes into compost. But how is compost actually formed from what we otherwise consider “trash?” Do you just let it sit and it magically transforms? No!

There are many ways to go about actually turning trash into compost, here are a few:

Work with a Co-op

You can collect all of your kitchen scraps in large Ziploc bags and keep them in the freezer. Freezing them will slow bacteria growth and ensure you don’t have lots of bugs all over your kitchen. Look up farmer’s markets in your area and stop by one once you get enough scraps saved. In my neighborhood, we have a farmer’s market on Saturdays. You should also check to see if any farmers or co-ops have a program where you can drop off scraps with them. They will take them back to their farms or community gardens and compost the scraps for you. When everything is done, you have the option to collect some of it. Your payment is that you give them some of the compost. If you don’t feel like collecting it, you are helping their farm and/or community gardens so they will surely appreciate it!

Worm Composting

If you don’t have the ability or the option to work with a farmer or a co-op, the other popular method is worm composting.

Worm composting requires getting a plastic box that will contain the worms, bedding, and your kitchen scraps. As the worms eat through the kitchen scraps, they produce waste. This waste is your compost. This is a pretty quick process and it does not smell… so don’t worry! There is actually a website devoted to worm composting with a forum full of active users called Vermicom Posters.

Outdoor Composting

If you don’t have the space inside or just aren’t a fan of having to deal with worms, you can create a compost bin outdoors. It can be created on the cheap with something as simple as a plastic trash bin with a lid. Or, you can purchase a tumbling compost bin for $130.

What are the advantages of the tumbling bin? The bin holds the scraps and gets shaken occasionally in order to keep air moving and facilitate the breakdown of the scraps.

The New Recycling?

In a way, composting is the new recycling. Ten years ago you may have produced 2 bags of trash per week. And then you started sorting the aluminum, plastic, glass, and paper out of the trash. By recycling you cut your trash production down to 1 bag per week!

By composting, you may be amazed to find that you can cut your trash usage down again. Now, instead of 1 bag per week you only produce 1/2 a bag per week!

How is that for conservation and frugality!?

Does Your Locale Have a Compost Program?

With the increasing popularity of composting, has your locale created a composting program?

It could either be a farmer or a co-op, or it could be a de-centralized program. Philadelphia has a program called “Philly Compost” which has a central website that lists all of its members who are maintaining the shared community bins. The composting itself is de-centralized with the only form of centralized organization being the website which connects people.