Composting has so many great benefits, practicing it saves money, time and keeps residents mindful of the relationship between what they eat, what they throw out, and the health of their community.
We’ve been talking about whether a municipal compost pickup or promoting backyard composting makes better sense for suburban communities in the Hudson Valley. Some advocae for setting up rounds of municipal trucks that pick up 55 gallon containers of compost from stoop side in places like San Fransisco, Vermont and many European cities.
A simpler tact might be composting on site. Backyard Composting is a low tech solution that that encourages residents to compost their waste without transporting it. The advantage to composting on site is that it requires less work, less transportation (less greenhouse gas emissions.), provides compost for the householder, and brings folks closer to the lifecycle of what they purchase.
Greenburgh Nature Center periodically offer home compost bins at wholesale prices. You can learn to how to set up a compost bin from their great video. You can learn to build one for next to nothing.
Want to compost and your an apartment dweller? Check out under the counter composters and vermiculture. This is an extra great option for families with youg children and makes a wonderful in school science project. Apartment Therapy posted a review of composters including under the counter models. Check out their take on under the counter models and share with us what you think. Especially if you have experience with any of the models or if you know of composters that are not listed.
Multifamily building owners might also want to investigate in-vessel composting. These big round containers replace one of your current dumpsters. They encourage material in it to compost and release the dreaded 80% water whieght and greatly decrease waste volume. This can save your building money on tipping fees and give your residents another great opportunity to build comunity. Finished compost can be spread on your plantings.