A Simple Guide to Composting for Everyone

Climate change affects our food systems, and our food systems play a role in climate change. NPR is dedicating a week to discussing solutions. Approximately 8% of greenhouse gas emissions originate from wasted food, with 30% to 40% of food in the United States being wasted. Even though you plan meals and minimize waste, some food items, like banana peels, are unavoidable. Composting is an effective way to keep such waste out of landfills and combat climate change. This guide will help you transform kitchen scraps into nutrient-rich compost in five easy steps.

1. Select Your Food Scraps

To begin, collect fruit and vegetable scraps such as sweet potato skins or strawberry tops. You can also add tea bags, coffee grounds, eggshells, old flowers, and even human hair. Avoid meat and dairy products as they attract pests. Cooked foods, oily or buttery items, and bones should also be excluded. While some products are labelled as ‘compostable’ for industrial facilities, they might not work well in home composting setups.

2. Store Those Food Scraps

Proper storage of kitchen scraps is crucial before they can be composted. Consider using any available container, like an old milk carton, to store your scraps. Storing them in the freezer or at the back of the fridge helps prevent odors and insects.

3. Choose a Place for Your Compost

Decide based on your living space. If you lack a backyard, you could share a compost pile with neighbors or use a community garden. For apartment dwellers, vermicomposting with worms or using the Bokashi method are excellent small-space options. Some places offer food scrap collection services, or you can ask local stores or markets if they have programs. If you have outdoor space, a simple setup will suffice. An old trash bin, wooden chest, or a simple heap of compost can work. Avoid placing it against walls to prevent staining.

4. Make the Compost Mix

Understand the balance of ‘greens’ and ‘browns’ in your compost mix. ‘Greens’ include nitrogen-rich food scraps and grass clippings, while ‘browns’ comprise carbon-rich egg cartons, newspapers, and dry leaves. Layer these materials carefully, with dry browns at the bottom for aeration. Maintain a higher proportion of browns to greens to prevent a soggy, smelly pile.

5. Wait and Aerate

Decomposition time varies; it can take as little as two months in warm conditions or up to a year for complete breakdown. Turn the pile regularly to ensure airflow and proper moisture balance. If your compost mix has the right balance, it won’t require frequent turning. Finished compost smells earthy and sweet, unlike incomplete compost which might emit a foul odor. When ready, use your compost in gardens or plant pots.

Your nose knows when your compost is ready. Bad compost smells like a landfill; good compost smells earthy and sweet.

Resources

To enhance your composting journey, explore guides from organizations like Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and Oregon State for troubleshooting and vermicomposting tips. Cornell University’s Waste Management Institute also offers comprehensive resources. Share your composting insights with us by voicemail at 202-216-9823 or email [email protected]. Subscribe to our newsletter for more ideas.