Minimal Waste
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Green Party
Friday, July 22, 2011
Composting & Recycling
Trying to be Green, Clean and organized
Ok so most people would recycle and compost if it were easy right… well make it easy. I have some tips for staying organized, reducing clutter and trying to reduce, reuse, and recycle as much as I can. First you need multiple trash cans and they should be conveniently placed, preferable right next to each other. If they are right next to each other there is no excuse not to.
If your interested in composting you should get a ceramic container and place it near the kitchen sink. You can use anything but you don't want it air tight. It will not smell if there is oxygen. This bin gets dumped almost every day usually because its full but you can get away with dumping it every 2-3 days and there is no smell.
Aside from that I have three trash cans. One is for trash. The second for plastic/glass/tins and the third for paper. You might be thinking well then I’m going have to dump all four things that is a lot of work. First of all you don’t have to dump them everyday. They won’t weigh as much since your separating everything. The paper bin won’t smell at all since its just paper so you only have to dump that one every few days or every week. Once you get organized its not bad and what little extra work seems more that worth while.
Almost half (40%) of your trash is paper. Ordinarily most people toss magazines, newspapers, cardboard into the regular trash because its convenient. Your not going to run outside and toss the cardboard from a cereal box or granola box into the recycle bin every time. I certainly did not. However when your standing right over both bins in your kitchen its easy.
Ways to reduce waste and save money.
Paper towel
Cut Down! I have been trying to use rags and cloths as much as I can. Recycle ripped or worm tees into cleaning rags. Bathroom towels that are worm can be cut into smaller car wash rags. I’ve been trying to use paper towel less because its expensive and it adds up money wise and waste wise. I do use it occasionally but I make an effort to take the cardboard tubes from paper towel and toilet paper rolls and add them to the paper recycle bin. At the end of the week I shred them and add them to my compost. Plastic bags
Disposable Water bottles
Really Do I need to cover this one….
Go get yourself a filter and a reusable water bottle.
Why would you waste $20-$40 a month on water anyways?
Monday, March 14, 2011
Phone Books
Think Yellow ....Go Green
The Yellow Pages Association (YPA) has taken steps to reduce their carbon footprint and continues to strive toward more sustainable practices. They publish a sustainability report yearly. Some of the key facts are that the Yellow Pages contain recycled paper content (Up to 40 %) in addition they use wood chips and sawdust a by product of saw mills. The YP obtain their wood from companies that practice sustainable forest cutting throughout the U.S. and Canada.. They are printed with non toxic soy based ink and non toxic glues for the binding. They support recycling organizations throughout the country. Approximately .3 percent of phone books make it into the waste stream. Less than any other print compared to junk mail, magazines, newspapers etc. This is all great news but lets be honest How many of us even use the yellow pages anymore? If I have to look for a number I whip out my smart phone (Yes there's an app for that) or go on www.yellowpages.com
The YPA supports consumer choice and the ability to Opt Out signing up takes less that 2 minutes.
These companies acknowledge the fact that it doesn't make sense to deliver unwanted phone books.
For me personally its about reducing the clutter around the house. The less I bring in the less I have to throw out or recycle.
Information obtained from the 2010 Yellow Pages Association Sustainability Report.
http://www.yellowpagesoptout.com/sites/default/files/pdfs/sustainability_report.pdf
The Yellow Pages Association (YPA) has taken steps to reduce their carbon footprint and continues to strive toward more sustainable practices. They publish a sustainability report yearly. Some of the key facts are that the Yellow Pages contain recycled paper content (Up to 40 %) in addition they use wood chips and sawdust a by product of saw mills. The YP obtain their wood from companies that practice sustainable forest cutting throughout the U.S. and Canada.. They are printed with non toxic soy based ink and non toxic glues for the binding. They support recycling organizations throughout the country. Approximately .3 percent of phone books make it into the waste stream. Less than any other print compared to junk mail, magazines, newspapers etc. This is all great news but lets be honest How many of us even use the yellow pages anymore? If I have to look for a number I whip out my smart phone (Yes there's an app for that) or go on www.yellowpages.com
The YPA supports consumer choice and the ability to Opt Out signing up takes less that 2 minutes.
These companies acknowledge the fact that it doesn't make sense to deliver unwanted phone books.
www.yellowpagesoptout.com
www.supermedia.com/directoryoptout/
For me personally its about reducing the clutter around the house. The less I bring in the less I have to throw out or recycle.
Information obtained from the 2010 Yellow Pages Association Sustainability Report.
http://www.yellowpagesoptout.com/sites/default/files/pdfs/sustainability_report.pdf
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Saving Electricity
There is a power strip (under 40 dollars) that gives you 8 outlets 2 always on and 6 with a wireless kill switch. There is also a kill switch on the power strip itself should you misplace the remote. It will save you approximately 50 dollars the first year. Not a huge difference but If you had 3 or 4 of these in your house it would add up. Its a more practical way to save rather than unplugging all your gadgets every time you leave the room. How much you save depends on what you have plugged in and if you remember to actually shut it off when your not using it. I put mine on the wall near the light switches it makes it easier to remember to shut it off and I won't lose the remote that way.
My example....
I usually watch TV in my bedroom and only in the living room every few days, so I plugged in the DVR cable box to the always on (can't miss my favorite shows) and the TV, DVD player, surround sound and electric fireplace to the switchable outlets so when I'm not using them it shuts the power off to those devices. It even gives you a holding station where you can just stick it to the wall and turning it on/off is as simple as flipping the lights when you leave the room. I won't bore you with numbers or science but some devices like a TV can use up to 30% of its energy just being plugged in on standby. In an office you could plug in the modem and router to the always on and connect the
computer, computer monitor, printer, other devices etc. to the on/off outlets. That is what I plan to do when I buy another one since I need the wireless signal for my laptop but the desktop rarely gets used. I'll admit its not practical for every room or every device in your house but given the fact that its only 40 bucks I think you should keep your eye out for a sale or hopefully the next time you need a power strip at least consider this one or one like it. I think its great for offices and entertainment systems. I will be purchasing another 2 or 3 when I get the money. It seems like a good way to save without sacrificing comfort. I will not be unplugging my alarm clock when I leave for work. I'm not that crazy....yet :)
There is a quick video in the link below.
http://www.belkin.com/conserve/
I got mine at home depot but they have them anywhere and you can get them on e-bay for under 40 with shipping.
My example....
I usually watch TV in my bedroom and only in the living room every few days, so I plugged in the DVR cable box to the always on (can't miss my favorite shows) and the TV, DVD player, surround sound and electric fireplace to the switchable outlets so when I'm not using them it shuts the power off to those devices. It even gives you a holding station where you can just stick it to the wall and turning it on/off is as simple as flipping the lights when you leave the room. I won't bore you with numbers or science but some devices like a TV can use up to 30% of its energy just being plugged in on standby. In an office you could plug in the modem and router to the always on and connect the
computer, computer monitor, printer, other devices etc. to the on/off outlets. That is what I plan to do when I buy another one since I need the wireless signal for my laptop but the desktop rarely gets used. I'll admit its not practical for every room or every device in your house but given the fact that its only 40 bucks I think you should keep your eye out for a sale or hopefully the next time you need a power strip at least consider this one or one like it. I think its great for offices and entertainment systems. I will be purchasing another 2 or 3 when I get the money. It seems like a good way to save without sacrificing comfort. I will not be unplugging my alarm clock when I leave for work. I'm not that crazy....yet :)
There is a quick video in the link below.
http://www.belkin.com/conserve/
I got mine at home depot but they have them anywhere and you can get them on e-bay for under 40 with shipping.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Saving Water
Flushing money down the drain. (pun intended)
I just recently switched to a more Eco friendly shower head for 30 dollars and replaced my toilet with a newer toilet which cost $100. I also had to buy a wax ring and new connect hose but the whole project cost me like $120 with tax. It had a 10 out of 10 rating on the flush scale. One of the signs said this toilet can flush a bucket of golf balls in a single flush. I thought this was odd since who flushes a golf ball....and who flushes a whole bucket of golf balls? and how big is the bucket? Moving on.......My old toilet used 3.5 gallons per flush and the new toilet I bought has 2 settings. It uses 1.1 gallons for a liquid flush and 1.6 for a solid flush. That is a savings of about 2 gallons per flush.
If 4 people go to the bathroom 5 times each day that’s 20 flushes x 2 gallons = 40 gallons saved per day x 30 days in a month. Now your talking a savings of 1,200 gallons a month just from a toilet. That is being very modest since I’m sure I go to the bathroom more than five times a day. The savings are projected to save 90 dollars or more per year. The toilet basically pays for itself the first year.
I just recently switched to a more Eco friendly shower head for 30 dollars and replaced my toilet with a newer toilet which cost $100. I also had to buy a wax ring and new connect hose but the whole project cost me like $120 with tax. It had a 10 out of 10 rating on the flush scale. One of the signs said this toilet can flush a bucket of golf balls in a single flush. I thought this was odd since who flushes a golf ball....and who flushes a whole bucket of golf balls? and how big is the bucket? Moving on.......My old toilet used 3.5 gallons per flush and the new toilet I bought has 2 settings. It uses 1.1 gallons for a liquid flush and 1.6 for a solid flush. That is a savings of about 2 gallons per flush.
If 4 people go to the bathroom 5 times each day that’s 20 flushes x 2 gallons = 40 gallons saved per day x 30 days in a month. Now your talking a savings of 1,200 gallons a month just from a toilet. That is being very modest since I’m sure I go to the bathroom more than five times a day. The savings are projected to save 90 dollars or more per year. The toilet basically pays for itself the first year.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Saving some trees
Who likes junkmail?
Most people are probably not aware that there are websites you can register with that reduce the amount of junk mail you receive, similar to a do not call list. Signing up takes only a few minutes. Registering electronically will remove you from mailing lists for 5 years. Printing out the form signing it and mailing it in will remove you forever. You do have to update it if you move or change your name.
Visit www.dmachoice.org
Free for 5 years online or one dollar fee for permanent removal (well worth it)
And www.optoutprescreen.com
I understand your skepticism since it asks for your social security number. I did my research and I invite you to do the same. The Federal Trade Commission will directly link you to these sites
www.ftc.gov/
Go under Consumer Protection
Then below that go to Consumer Information
In the left corner click Credit & Loans - Privacy
and click on Privacy Choices for you Personal Financial Information
or click
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre17.shtm
Most people are probably not aware that there are websites you can register with that reduce the amount of junk mail you receive, similar to a do not call list. Signing up takes only a few minutes. Registering electronically will remove you from mailing lists for 5 years. Printing out the form signing it and mailing it in will remove you forever. You do have to update it if you move or change your name.
Visit www.dmachoice.org
Free for 5 years online or one dollar fee for permanent removal (well worth it)
And www.optoutprescreen.com
I understand your skepticism since it asks for your social security number. I did my research and I invite you to do the same. The Federal Trade Commission will directly link you to these sites
www.ftc.gov/
Go under Consumer Protection
Then below that go to Consumer Information
In the left corner click Credit & Loans - Privacy
and click on Privacy Choices for you Personal Financial Information
or click
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre17.shtm
Composting
Why compost you ask? Why not?
First what is compost?
Compost is decomposing organic matter. It is a mixture of carbon (brown) and nitrogen (green) By mixing leaves, paper, and cardboard which are browns in with kitchen scraps like vegetable and fruit scraps, coffee grounds, and eggshells that are high in nitrogen it will decompose and leave you with a natural soil amendment or plant fertilizer. Composting is free and easy and it is not gross or smelly like some people think. Compost happens you don't even have to do anything. If you add these materials and let them sit they will decompose within a few months however turning the compost gives it air and helps speed up the decomposition process. Decomposing matter gives off heat as is breaks down. The pile will heat up even in the middle of winter the center of the pile will be warm and you can see steam coming from the pile. Keeping the conditions aerobic (with air) will also prevent the pile from smelling.
Most people do not think about exactly how much waste we produce on a daily basis. It all gets hauled off to overcrowded landfills. Aside from the waste we throw out at our homes we often forget about the waste that accumulates from our work, school and from dining out. The waste can be several pounds, per person, per day. Why not take advantage of that waste and reuse it.
When organic material decomposes it gives off carbon dioxide; however when we place our waste inside of a plastic bag and bury it under several feet of waste it does not get oxygen and break down as it should. This causes methane build up which is a greenhouse gas way more toxic than CO2. Aerobic decomposition is quicker and will not produce methane gas as it would in a landfill.
Landfills typically collect trash and seasonally collect yard debris with different trucks. The yard debris is composted and at the end of every day they cover the trash with several inches of compost to reduce the smell. You can significantly reduce your trash output and produce some fertilizer for your lawn or garden. If you do not have a garden you can spread it across the lawn or I’m sure one of your neighbors will be more than happy to take your finished compost. But most likely you won’t want to share any.
Pet Worms? No they are not pets they are workers.
Vermicomposting is composting with worms. There are many different species of worms and not all worms are suited for composting. The most common type is the Red worm or red wigglers (Eisenia fetida). Another common worm is the European night crawler (eisenia hortensis) and I will explain why….
Garden or soil worms are not well suited for composting within a bin and vice versa. Manure worms will typically not survive when added to a garden since the conditions of a garden are too dry. If there are a few worms in your finished compost when you add it to your plants you do not have to worry since worms will not harm the plants or their roots but the worms will probably not live for very long. The worms only eat decomposing matter not living matter. If you are interested in worms for aerating your lawn you might want to try a larger breed such as Canadian night crawler or Alabama jumpers which tunnel and help move air, water, and nutrients through the soil.
Back to composting…..
Red worms and European night crawlers commonly referred to as ENC or Euros are the best type of worms for composting . Red worms are small but they eat a lot and will tolerate fluctuations in temperature as well as the disturbances of adding and burring food. ENC are a larger worm and prefer it on the cooler side and tend to burrow deeper. Most people require a pound or two of worms. I recommend two. You can purchase these worms at bait shops however they are usually sold in small quantities. Two pounds of red worms sells for around 40 - 50 dollars on the internet. Worm composting may seem more difficult but it definitely speeds up the process and offers benefits over regular composting. If you have kids it can turn into a learning project. Most younger kids will get a kick out of feeding the worms, and then you can use the kids as workers to help pick out worms from the finished compost.
Your choices of a bin should depend on your living situation and how much waste you produce. You can make a bin or buy one. I have several different homemade and store bought bins and I will tell you the advantages and disadvantages of both.
My first bin was a 50 gallon drum with a crank handle so the drum could be turned and it cost me $100. The reason I disliked this bin was because although 50 gallons sounds like a good size the drum can not be filled all the way. You can fill it half way and then it is difficult to turn. You can not keep the material covered easily since you are always turning it. So this style attracted a lot of flies. Don’t even think your going to throw leaves and grass clippings in this style bin. It will not handle the volume. Simply put If I knew then what I knew now I would have saved myself the $100. I did not use worms in this compost bin.
I started composting with worms using an 18 gallon storage bin that I drilled holes in the bottom and along the sides. I do not recommend drilling holes in the lid since rain water could get in and flood the bin. Plastic bins retain water fairly well and it is better to control the amount of water you add rather than worry about too much rain water getting in from the lid. Most people have an old bin lying around the house, garage or shed somewhere. You can pickup one at the store new for a few bucks, a yard sale or thrift store if you really want to recycle.
I recommend two bins depending on the amount of people in your house and how much waste you accumulate. If there are only 2 people in your house you probably only need one. There are 4 people in my house and in the beginning I started out with one bin. After a month I divided half the material in the bin and made a second. This allowed me to alternate every time I added compost. Worms quickly increase in numbers but are limited based on how much food is available and how much room they have to expand in the bin. If i could do it again I would have 2 bins right from the start.
Be patient.....When the material is well aged. Probably 3 - 4 months your going to want to use it in the garden. Feed one bin for a period or 2 weeks or a month and let the bin dry out a little bit. Don't add water or not as much. Take the bin that you have not been adding materials to and run it through a ¼ inch screen. What material falls through the screen can be added to the garden or put into a container. What material that does not fall through the screen can go back into the bin to continue composting. Then add material to the bin you just screened and let the opposite bin dry out. The finished compost passes through a screen easier when is has been left to dry out. You should let the screened compost sit for about a 2 week period before you use it. This also allows you to pick any weed seeds that may have sprouted in your compost. This type of composting does not get hot enough to kill seeds that may germinate. Having 2 bins helps prevent overfeeding and can help prevent the bin from heating up which may cause the worms to leave the bin.
There are different kinds of flow through bins. Stacking and Continuous flow through. The Worm Factory, Worm Factory 360 and Can-O-Worms are examples of stacking flow through. These systems have trays with holes on the bottom. You add you paper, food scraps and worms to the bottom tray. When the bottom tray is filled you add the next tray and keep adding food and paper scraps. The worms consume the food on the bottom and then migrate upward. The idea is that the first tray on the bottom will be the oldest and most broken down. By the time you get to the 4th tray most of the worms will have migrated upwards toward the fresh food source and there will not be many worms in the bottom tray. You then take the bottom tray run it through a screen and then add the bottom tray to the top and the cycle continues. I have the worm factory 360 and I am happy with the design. It saves you time since the new material is not mixed in with the old material like in the homemade storage bin. You will probably have to take the bottom tray out and let it dry our for a week before you run it through a screen. All the moisture will run down this system and the bottom tray is usually pretty wet. I still run the bottom tray through a screen since things like lettuce break down quickly and things like a corn cob take longer. These systems also have a collection area for the excess water which can be drained from the spigot and used as a liquid fertilizer. However I would probably dilute it in water.
Yard waste
A large amount of our waste comes from yard waste especially leaves and grass clippings. It is best to cut without a bag and let the grass clippings sit on the lawn. This will return nitrogen to the soil as well as cut back on what you throw out and reduce the amount of fertilizer you need. Shredding leaves with either a leaf shredder or a mulching lawn mower is a great way to speed up the composting process. The more finely shred the better. If you do add grass clipping to your compost make sure you don’t use chemical fertilizers on your lawn. If you do use chemical fertilizers and add the grass clippings to your pile I would recommend using the finished compost on your lawn and not in your garden where you could be passing along chemicals/pesticides to your tomato plants etc. This requires a bit more space and not everyone is able to compost all of their yard waste at their house. If you can not compost all your yard waste be sure to buy the bio degradable yard bags rather than throwing yard waste out in a plastic bag. If you do compost yard debris you can compost with or without a bin. Someone who lives near the woods could just pile it up at the end of their property without buying anything
If you want to contain the compost the cheapest way is to use a wire/mesh style fence. There are larger plastic bins that you can buy but can get expensive and sometimes simple is best. I purchased a large role of metal fence for 40 bucks and made 2 circles. (The 40 dollars I spent on a wire screen was cheaper than buying lawn bags.) I threw in piles of shredded leaves and added some organic compost starter which I got for 7 dollars at the home depot. My neighbors typically throw out 100 to 150 bags worth of leaves. I threw out a few small bags of acorns and composted all the leaves and believe me I had lots of leaves. I would have thrown out less but the acorns were so heavy I had to split them up in a few bags. My neighbors even asked me what the hell I’m doing with all my leaves. They were joking saying its to bad I can’t sell bags of leaves. I replied you could if you composted. If you do compost yard debris make sure you do not compost right near a tree, or between bushes. Reason being tree roots can grow up into your compost pile in search of nutrients.
First what is compost?
Compost is decomposing organic matter. It is a mixture of carbon (brown) and nitrogen (green) By mixing leaves, paper, and cardboard which are browns in with kitchen scraps like vegetable and fruit scraps, coffee grounds, and eggshells that are high in nitrogen it will decompose and leave you with a natural soil amendment or plant fertilizer. Composting is free and easy and it is not gross or smelly like some people think. Compost happens you don't even have to do anything. If you add these materials and let them sit they will decompose within a few months however turning the compost gives it air and helps speed up the decomposition process. Decomposing matter gives off heat as is breaks down. The pile will heat up even in the middle of winter the center of the pile will be warm and you can see steam coming from the pile. Keeping the conditions aerobic (with air) will also prevent the pile from smelling.
Most people do not think about exactly how much waste we produce on a daily basis. It all gets hauled off to overcrowded landfills. Aside from the waste we throw out at our homes we often forget about the waste that accumulates from our work, school and from dining out. The waste can be several pounds, per person, per day. Why not take advantage of that waste and reuse it.
When organic material decomposes it gives off carbon dioxide; however when we place our waste inside of a plastic bag and bury it under several feet of waste it does not get oxygen and break down as it should. This causes methane build up which is a greenhouse gas way more toxic than CO2. Aerobic decomposition is quicker and will not produce methane gas as it would in a landfill.
Landfills typically collect trash and seasonally collect yard debris with different trucks. The yard debris is composted and at the end of every day they cover the trash with several inches of compost to reduce the smell. You can significantly reduce your trash output and produce some fertilizer for your lawn or garden. If you do not have a garden you can spread it across the lawn or I’m sure one of your neighbors will be more than happy to take your finished compost. But most likely you won’t want to share any.
Pet Worms? No they are not pets they are workers.
Vermicomposting is composting with worms. There are many different species of worms and not all worms are suited for composting. The most common type is the Red worm or red wigglers (Eisenia fetida). Another common worm is the European night crawler (eisenia hortensis) and I will explain why….
Garden or soil worms are not well suited for composting within a bin and vice versa. Manure worms will typically not survive when added to a garden since the conditions of a garden are too dry. If there are a few worms in your finished compost when you add it to your plants you do not have to worry since worms will not harm the plants or their roots but the worms will probably not live for very long. The worms only eat decomposing matter not living matter. If you are interested in worms for aerating your lawn you might want to try a larger breed such as Canadian night crawler or Alabama jumpers which tunnel and help move air, water, and nutrients through the soil.
Back to composting…..
Red worms and European night crawlers commonly referred to as ENC or Euros are the best type of worms for composting . Red worms are small but they eat a lot and will tolerate fluctuations in temperature as well as the disturbances of adding and burring food. ENC are a larger worm and prefer it on the cooler side and tend to burrow deeper. Most people require a pound or two of worms. I recommend two. You can purchase these worms at bait shops however they are usually sold in small quantities. Two pounds of red worms sells for around 40 - 50 dollars on the internet. Worm composting may seem more difficult but it definitely speeds up the process and offers benefits over regular composting. If you have kids it can turn into a learning project. Most younger kids will get a kick out of feeding the worms, and then you can use the kids as workers to help pick out worms from the finished compost.
Your choices of a bin should depend on your living situation and how much waste you produce. You can make a bin or buy one. I have several different homemade and store bought bins and I will tell you the advantages and disadvantages of both.
My first bin was a 50 gallon drum with a crank handle so the drum could be turned and it cost me $100. The reason I disliked this bin was because although 50 gallons sounds like a good size the drum can not be filled all the way. You can fill it half way and then it is difficult to turn. You can not keep the material covered easily since you are always turning it. So this style attracted a lot of flies. Don’t even think your going to throw leaves and grass clippings in this style bin. It will not handle the volume. Simply put If I knew then what I knew now I would have saved myself the $100. I did not use worms in this compost bin.
I started composting with worms using an 18 gallon storage bin that I drilled holes in the bottom and along the sides. I do not recommend drilling holes in the lid since rain water could get in and flood the bin. Plastic bins retain water fairly well and it is better to control the amount of water you add rather than worry about too much rain water getting in from the lid. Most people have an old bin lying around the house, garage or shed somewhere. You can pickup one at the store new for a few bucks, a yard sale or thrift store if you really want to recycle.
I recommend two bins depending on the amount of people in your house and how much waste you accumulate. If there are only 2 people in your house you probably only need one. There are 4 people in my house and in the beginning I started out with one bin. After a month I divided half the material in the bin and made a second. This allowed me to alternate every time I added compost. Worms quickly increase in numbers but are limited based on how much food is available and how much room they have to expand in the bin. If i could do it again I would have 2 bins right from the start.
Be patient.....When the material is well aged. Probably 3 - 4 months your going to want to use it in the garden. Feed one bin for a period or 2 weeks or a month and let the bin dry out a little bit. Don't add water or not as much. Take the bin that you have not been adding materials to and run it through a ¼ inch screen. What material falls through the screen can be added to the garden or put into a container. What material that does not fall through the screen can go back into the bin to continue composting. Then add material to the bin you just screened and let the opposite bin dry out. The finished compost passes through a screen easier when is has been left to dry out. You should let the screened compost sit for about a 2 week period before you use it. This also allows you to pick any weed seeds that may have sprouted in your compost. This type of composting does not get hot enough to kill seeds that may germinate. Having 2 bins helps prevent overfeeding and can help prevent the bin from heating up which may cause the worms to leave the bin.
There are different kinds of flow through bins. Stacking and Continuous flow through. The Worm Factory, Worm Factory 360 and Can-O-Worms are examples of stacking flow through. These systems have trays with holes on the bottom. You add you paper, food scraps and worms to the bottom tray. When the bottom tray is filled you add the next tray and keep adding food and paper scraps. The worms consume the food on the bottom and then migrate upward. The idea is that the first tray on the bottom will be the oldest and most broken down. By the time you get to the 4th tray most of the worms will have migrated upwards toward the fresh food source and there will not be many worms in the bottom tray. You then take the bottom tray run it through a screen and then add the bottom tray to the top and the cycle continues. I have the worm factory 360 and I am happy with the design. It saves you time since the new material is not mixed in with the old material like in the homemade storage bin. You will probably have to take the bottom tray out and let it dry our for a week before you run it through a screen. All the moisture will run down this system and the bottom tray is usually pretty wet. I still run the bottom tray through a screen since things like lettuce break down quickly and things like a corn cob take longer. These systems also have a collection area for the excess water which can be drained from the spigot and used as a liquid fertilizer. However I would probably dilute it in water.
Yard waste
A large amount of our waste comes from yard waste especially leaves and grass clippings. It is best to cut without a bag and let the grass clippings sit on the lawn. This will return nitrogen to the soil as well as cut back on what you throw out and reduce the amount of fertilizer you need. Shredding leaves with either a leaf shredder or a mulching lawn mower is a great way to speed up the composting process. The more finely shred the better. If you do add grass clipping to your compost make sure you don’t use chemical fertilizers on your lawn. If you do use chemical fertilizers and add the grass clippings to your pile I would recommend using the finished compost on your lawn and not in your garden where you could be passing along chemicals/pesticides to your tomato plants etc. This requires a bit more space and not everyone is able to compost all of their yard waste at their house. If you can not compost all your yard waste be sure to buy the bio degradable yard bags rather than throwing yard waste out in a plastic bag. If you do compost yard debris you can compost with or without a bin. Someone who lives near the woods could just pile it up at the end of their property without buying anything
If you want to contain the compost the cheapest way is to use a wire/mesh style fence. There are larger plastic bins that you can buy but can get expensive and sometimes simple is best. I purchased a large role of metal fence for 40 bucks and made 2 circles. (The 40 dollars I spent on a wire screen was cheaper than buying lawn bags.) I threw in piles of shredded leaves and added some organic compost starter which I got for 7 dollars at the home depot. My neighbors typically throw out 100 to 150 bags worth of leaves. I threw out a few small bags of acorns and composted all the leaves and believe me I had lots of leaves. I would have thrown out less but the acorns were so heavy I had to split them up in a few bags. My neighbors even asked me what the hell I’m doing with all my leaves. They were joking saying its to bad I can’t sell bags of leaves. I replied you could if you composted. If you do compost yard debris make sure you do not compost right near a tree, or between bushes. Reason being tree roots can grow up into your compost pile in search of nutrients.
Before
After
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