What is composting? For those less familiar with the process, it is a natural procedure in which organic material like food scraps is converted into a soil-like product. The result is a dirt substance full of vitamins that can help your garden and plants grow!
You might be asking why someone would want this process to happen in their home. There are many benefits to composting for not only your garden but also the environment. Food waste is a big problem, especially in the United States. Americans discard nearly 40 million tons of food every year making it the single largest component taking up space in landfills. When tossed into landfills, organic waste can generate methane gas, which can be avoided if you compost. Composting not only puts less CO2 emissions into the atmosphere, but it can actually pull down what’s already been emitted and store it in our soil.
While many homeowners can easily create a compost pile in their backyard or garden those living in an apartment might feel like it’s less possible due to space available. The good news is that if properly managed, composting is possible in any apartment or small space and is relatively easy!
There are a few different steps that differentiate composting in an apartment versus in a home. For one thing, you might want to avoid composting materials like meat and dairy as they can cause a foul odor in your small apartment. You also will want to decide what type of composting method would best fit your lifestyle. Options include creating a worm bin, using a Bokashi bin or collecting and donating food scraps.
To help you get started, the folks at Zolo created a visual guide to composting in an apartment building. From tips to creating a DIY worm composter to what to do with your compost once it’s matured, they gathered everything you’ll need to get started.
Happy composting!
