18% of the waste sent to landfills is food scraps. As these food scraps decompose they produce millions of tons of methane gas which is released into the atmosphere where it becomes a major contributor to global warming. There is an incredibly simple solution to this problem. Make compost! Food scraps make some of the most nutrient rich
compost, which can then be used in the garden to feed the plants.
Homegrown uses recycled, local or throwaway materials for our compost bins, so they are kind to the environment every step of the way. Vegetable scraps, old bread, cereal, leaf litter, grass clippings- these can all go straight to the compost bin. As microorganisms do their work breaking down the organic material, the compost
begins to heat up, effectively destroying any harmful bacteria. The finished product is a richly colored, odorless plant food!
For those of you with little or no space, an indoor worm composting system is a great solution. Red Wigglers, which are often sold in bait shops, can eat their own weight in food scraps each day. Their bodies are coated in mucous which is antibacterial in nature. As the worms wriggle and eat in the food scraps, any harmful bacteria or pathogens are destroyed. The worms eat so fast, there is no odor, and the end result is high quality compost. This is also a great addition to an outside composting system, particularly for the winter months. The bins are small, and can be kept out of sight- we keep ours in a cupboard in the kitchen!
Above are three great examples of compost bins from the U.S. There are many different versions which can be tailored to suit your needs.
The top example is a basic indoor worm composting bin.
