It may tempt you to toss those potato peels in the kitchen trashcan, but resist the urge. Not only will they make your trash smell terrible but they'll attract critters once the bag goes outside. By putting your vegetable scraps and coffee grounds back into the earth, you're helping to prevent trash from going into your local landfill. By composting, you can be a part of the solution and reap tons of rewarding benefits in return.
If you set out multiple bags of trash each garbage day, a small composting bin that sets on your kitchen counter could be a solution. It may surprise you to learn how much organic waste you toss into the trash every day. In California alone, food and yard scraps once made up roughly one-third of the household trash that ended up in landfills. That's millions of pounds of lawn clippings and onion skins that could easily have been recycled. Many food scraps are suitable for compost, including:
Nutshells
Coffee grounds
Fruit and vegetable peels
Eggshells
Tea bags
California took action to lessen the amount of organic waste going to landfills in 2016, and other states across the country are taking notice. Keeping food scraps out of the trash is the right thing to do for the planet, and it's a healthy choice for families who grow their own food, as well.
Even in urban areas, poor soil is not a problem for homeowners who compost. But before you decide whether composting is right for you, it's good to understand how the whole process works.
When you toss organic waste such as banana peels or watermelon rinds into a trash bag, they eventually rot, turn slimy and emit odor. However, if you compost them the decay process speeds up. Your cast-off food becomes a fresh meal for millions of tiny micro-organisms who break down the waste and change its composition. In a compost pile, food scraps decompose just as they would in nature, but they do so at an accelerated rate. As a result, you're left with a rich, brown soil that's perfect for planting.
Possibly the biggest benefit to composting is the beautiful gardens and houseplants it supports. Imagine your beautiful new home trimmed with window boxes that trail colorful vines of vinca, fuchsia or lobelia. Plants flourish without the use of harsh chemicals and fertilizers that damage soil and endanger the water table.
Organic compost acts as a natural fertilizer without introducing toxins into the ground. Use your compost, indoors or out, in vegetable gardens and driveway borders. It will boost the growth of herbs in your windowsill pots and will keep your ferns happy and content.
Food scraps tossed in your trash make your kitchen smell unpleasant. If you keep a small composting bucket with a charcoal filter on your countertop, odors are easily contained. When the bin is full, simply take it outside and add it to your compost pile for rich, beautiful soil that's ready when you need it.
Ryan Mandigo is an award-winning professional broker associate with Omni Real Estate. Originally a native of New Hampshire, his love of real estate began 30+ years ago while swinging a hammer on a framing crew. He has always had a strong passion for helping people, whether it be assisting a couple in purchasing their first home, finding a home that fits a growing family's needs, or downsizing for those with an empty nest. He strives to build strong personal and professional relationships with being a true believer in the power of positive thinking and always willing to lend a helping hand.
He is also a co-founder and board member of the Swing Fore the Kids organization. A local charity that is 100% nonprofit and their sole purpose is to help needy children and young adults within Horry County communities. He finds great satisfaction and pleasure in seeing how working hard for a great cause and raising funds can help others in need. He is also on the Board of Directors for the Waccamaw Youth Center in Conway, where their mission is to provide at-risk youth "A Place To Call Home"
When he is not working, he enjoys music, working around the home, spending time with family and friends, turning wrenches on vintage vehicles, getting some wind therapy on the Harley or chilling with their dogs.
Some quotes he lives by - "Do what you like and like what you do" - "You have to be odd to be number one" - "Dreams don't work unless you do" And one of his favorites. "Positive and enthusiastic thinking in all you do"