Composting for the curious
In a typical household, up to half your waste can from food scraps that could otherwise be composted. Transporting all that waste to a landfill and then incinerating it not only costs energy; it produces greenhouse gases.
It’s easy to reduce that waste by setting up a composting bin at home. The process varies depending on the type of home you live in. Those with larger properties can easily set up a composting bin in their backyard, while apartment residents may look into curbside or community composting.
If you’re considering giving it a try, here are some helpful links to get you started:
- If you’re new to the idea of composting, the Compost Council of Canada answers 25 questions about composting on its handy website. Visit www.compost.org for more tips.
- Environment Canada offers guidelines on setting up a composting bin in your backyard. They are set out in a recipe style, so they’re easy to follow.
- If you’re accustomed to Home Depot-style projects, here’s a step-by-step guide on building a composting bin. It helps you locate the types of materials you might need to purchase in your quest to compost.
- If you want to reduce your food waste to begin with, Eureka Recycling, a zero-waste organization in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, offer tips on avoiding throwing out food scraps.
- If you’re in the food service industry, check out SustainableFoodservice.com for advice on how to set up composting in your business. That’s how we discovered FindAComposter.com, a website that does just that: locate composting services throughout Canada and the U.S.
Welcome to the compost club!
