Our society recycles more and more each year. This is a great
achievement! Newspapers, glass, aluminum and many plastics can be
recycled indefinitely. But unfortunately, our waste is still
increasing due to
rising personal consumption and overall population growth.
The
Biodegradable Irony
Food and paper decompose by themselves in nature. They are, however,
the two largest components in landfills, accounting for nearly 50% of
all municipal solid waste. There is more food and paper in landfills
than diapers, styrofoam, and tires - combined. According to the US
EPA, food waste is the #1
least recycled material.
Landfills are layered deep and saturated with water. No oxygen can
penetrate. As a result, even "biodegradable" waste will remain
embalmed for centuries to come. Landfills produce methane, a harmful
greenhouse gas 21 times
more potent than carbon dioxide (according to the US EPA),
and leach toxic chemicals into our air and drinking water.
On a more urgent note, we are running out of landfill space-that is,
open space reasonably close to population centers. Stories abound of
trash barges with no place to dock, ocean dumping, and trash exported
to poorer countries. Landfill costs are skyrocketing, which means
higher fees (or taxes) for everyone. The organic nutrients present in
food and paper waste are removed from the food chain, requiring
gardeners and farmers to instead rely on chemical fertilizers to
replenish their soil. National and local governments around the world
are enacting regulations to limit trash and increase recycling.
Please watch a Sierra
Club Composting Video.
Some More Composting Tips
Compost should be well mixed, oxygenated, moist and have
roughly the
right carbon to nitrogen ratio. This sounds difficult, but it is
surprisingly easy.
Keep the Compost Moist and Oxygenated
This
means rotating the drum regularly to add oxygen to the pile, and adding
moisture if you think the compost is looking a bit dry. The drum does
the rest because by tumbling the waste the moisture is evenly
distributed and every part of the mass is exposed to oxygen. In
addition rotation mixes the new waste in with the old which serves to
help to physically break up and mix the waste.
Keep the Compost Warm
This is not usually a concern because the compost in the drum and the
drum's insulating properties tend to keep the heat in. Even so, this
won't work in winter, when depending on the temperature composting can
slow down or under 50F pretty well stop. Once the compost is frozen in
the drum, it is not advisable to try and rotate the drum. The best
course of action is just wait until spring comes. In the meantime by
all means continue to put material in the drum.
Aim for the right Carbon/Nitrogen Ratio
Adding
a mixture of kitchen and regular yard waste is effective, but for
better , faster results, add carbon rich material (browns) like
sawdust, straw, dry leaves, or wood chips (not cedar). These materials
balance out the nitrogen rich green material and kitchen waste.
If
you only add kitchen waste, you may need to add bulking material or
pre-composted materials to help with oxygen penetration as the drum
rotates.
Chop up the waste if possible: the smaller it is the faster the
breakdown process.
Now available in the
Greener Country outlet store in Bohemia, N.Y.:
The Worm
FactoryŽ
is an upward migrating composting worm bin system that uses worms to
turn your kitchen scraps and junk mail into nutrient rich compost.
Out of all worm
composters, the Worm
Factory
is the most efficient, producing the most compost in the least amount
of space. This makes it perfect for anyone with indoor space
limitations, especially apartments and condos! The stacking tray
feature allows you to add up to seven trays to meet your growing
compost needs.
The Worm Factory
is also easier to manage. When full, each tray weighs only 12.5 pounds,
making lifting and arranging trays effortless. The included 16-page
instruction manual makes setup fast and easy and gives detailed tips on
how to best manage your Worm Factory year-round.
The Worm Factory
is the most effective way to eliminate the food and paper waste
produced in your home every day. Go green one step at a time with The
Worm Factory
and Greener Country!
All prices are in USD.
We accept large quantity orders and provide case prices upon request.Call us at 1-631-319-6588 or Toll-Free at 1-877-680-6010 or email us at info@greenercountry.com to ask questions or comment about our products. We want to hear from you.
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This
means rotating the drum regularly to add oxygen to the pile, and adding
moisture if you think the compost is looking a bit dry. The drum does
the rest because by tumbling the waste the moisture is evenly
distributed and every part of the mass is exposed to oxygen. In
addition rotation mixes the new waste in with the old which serves to
help to physically break up and mix the waste.
This is not usually a concern because the compost in the drum and the
drum's insulating properties tend to keep the heat in. Even so, this
won't work in winter, when depending on the temperature composting can
slow down or under 50F pretty well stop. Once the compost is frozen in
the drum, it is not advisable to try and rotate the drum. The best
course of action is just wait until spring comes. In the meantime by
all means continue to put material in the drum.
Adding
a mixture of kitchen and regular yard waste is effective, but for
better , faster results, add carbon rich material (browns) like
sawdust, straw, dry leaves, or wood chips (not cedar). These materials
balance out the nitrogen rich green material and kitchen waste.
