Tips On Recycling

We finally started recycling. Why I have waited all of my life to do this, I'm not quite sure.

We are fortunate to have a township recycling program. The drop off is located just two miles down the road from our home and is open 24-7. We pay $50 per year on our township taxes, but in return have 'free' recycling all year long.

The best part is that there's no separating the materials. Paper, plastic, cardboard, glass, empty aersol cans and various metals can be mixed and dumped together into the large collection bins. This is a huge help because it means we don't have to separate all of our recycling into multiple bins.

By recycling not only materials such as paper and plastic, but also your food scraps, you'll be astonished by the decrease in your garbage bin.  

Recycling turned out to be so much easier than anticipated. Here are some ideas that might work for you:

Environmentally Friendly Kitchen Compost Bags

Time for another com'post'. 

Get it... com 'post', because it's a blog post. And it's about compost....com 'post' ing. HA. Good thing I think I'm so funny :) 

Alright, onward to the topic. 

So we've been on this composting kick at our house. We had a plan for outside, but bringing the composting inside was a whole different topic. 

Part of the point of us composting is to reduce garbage in the form of food scraps. That means we need to either purchase or make a small indoor compost bin that's attractive enough to sit on the kitchen counter, or small enough to move from the counter to under the sink. Inside would go all of our potato peels, chopped carrot ends, banana peels..etc. That was the easy part.

The harder part was deciding what kind of bags to use. Do we purchase small garbage bags? Or maybe even use the old plastic grocery bags that we save after shopping?

What if we just leave it empty of a bag and throw the scraps directly into the bin? In that scenario, the scraps would sit in the bin for a couple of days because, let's be honest, who has time to empty it every day? So day three of your food scraps melding together in the kitchen bin rolls around and you finally decide to take it outside to your compost tumbler. When you empty the small container, you notice it's gotten nasty in there. 

Now what? Now you have to scrub out the gunk, clean it with hot soapy water, then let it dry before you're able to use it again.

That program wasn't appealing to me and my poor husband would probably be the one left cleaning the bin every couple of days.

So I started researching compostable bags. I wanted to find something that would biodegrade fast, and also that wouldn't harm our compost pile by containing any toxins. After quite a bit of research, this is what I came up with;

       
Below are some of the reasons that I chose to go with BioBag.

1. They are 100% biodegradable & 100% compostable. 
2. Made from non-GMO starches, vegetable oils and cellulose. 
3. The majority of the bags are made in the USA. One of their main production plants is located in California.  
4. High Water Vapor Transmission Rate (WVTR), which means, in Allison terms, less mold, fungus and stink because the bag can breathe.
5. USDA Certified biobased product. 
6. ASTM D6400 Certified, meaning it passed the test for it's ability to decompose in ideal composting conditions. Also, that the product will not have adverse impacts on the ability of the compost to support plant growth, which is a very important factor here. 

The bags will completely disintegrate in the compost pile without releasing any toxins, and the decomposed matter that's left in the compost will not hinder any plant growth, which is very important to us because we'll be using it for our vegetable garden.

The size is also perfect, they're 3 gallon bags, which just right for a small container that can be moved from under the sink onto the counter when it's being used.

They don't just manufacture kitchen compost bags, here are just a few of the other products they offer;

• Pet Waste Bags - perfect for taking to the dog parks or on walks around the city.
• Lawn, Leaf & Garden Waste Bags - to bag up your clippings for the compost pile. 
• Sandwich Bags
• Kitchen Cling Wrap - like the other products, made with zero plasticizers.
• Produce Bags - great for bagging produce at the farmer's market. 

                                        


As always, I purchased mine through Amazon. In addition to doing my own research, I love being able to see the reviews from real people before I make the purchase. Because all products are compostable, they need to be stored in a cool, dry area and used within one year.

Have you tried these before? If not, what do you use for your compostable bags?

*PS.
In case you missed it, check here for a 'how-to' on composting and check out our DIY compost bin.

9 DIY Compost Bins

Here are some other great ideas for DIY compost bins. They aren't as quick and easy as ours, but they're quite creative. I love the one with the wine barrels, it would look pretty out back even if you do look like a bunch of wine-os! 

 

 

 

Hardware Cloth Bin        -        Wood & Wire Triple Bin        -        Brick & Wire Stationary Bin

Shower Door Compost Bin       -     Wine Barrel Compost Station     -       Spinning Composter

$40 Chicken Wire Bin        -        PVC Pipe Aerator        -        Cement Block Compost Area

 

 

*PS.

If you missed it, how to compost.

 

Cheap, Easy DIY Compost Bin

We talked about how to compost, so I wanted to show you how I made our compost bin. It cost $20.00, and took about 5 minutes of labor.

Please forgive the horrendous photos taken with my phone. There's been an artic wind that blows straight through everything and it's warmer at the North Pole. Seriously. Honey snapped some quick photos, so hopefully they're good enough to give you an idea.

All you need is a simple, outdoor plastic garbage bin with a lid and two bungee cords. Remember, one of the key elements in producing compost is the mass of your pile, so make sure you get a large enough bin; we went with the 30 gallon.

Oh and if you have dogs, your compost bin might just turn into a giant fun play toy.

  

                                  

 

 

Did I mention that it was like 3 degrees outside? If was finally sunny and we just couldn't stay inside any longer.

 

The only tool you will need is a drill fitted with one of the larger drill bits, I used a 3/8.

                         

 

 

 

Take your drill and start making holes. My normally warm wool gloves didn't help much, the project took all of five minutes and my fingers were like icicles when it was finished.

 

Yep, just get right in there with that bad boy. I don't have an exact amount of holes, just drill so there's a fair amount of air able to circulate throughout the barrel.

Once your barrel is full of holes, you're done! Isn't it fabulous? 

We're going to fill the bin to the top line, then comes the super easy part. Remember that the compost needs to be turned every couple days? Use those two bungee cords to make sure that the lid is nice and tight, then simply flop the bin into it's side and roll it around the yard. Easy-shmeasy lemon peasy.

 

Do you compost? Any tips or tricks?

How To Compost

Photo by Diana House, modified

Browns + Greens + Moisture + Turning + Time = Compost

Simple, right? The actual formula would combine the perfectly exact amount of carbon, nitrogen, a little high quality H20, air, and heat, but I'm breaking it down to Allison terms. Easy.

Researchers  John A. Biernbaum & Andy Fogiel from the Department of Horticulture at Michigan State University describe composting like this; 'Making compost is managing a microbe farm.  All it takes is food, air, and water, just like for any other farm animal.  The food does require a certain degree of a balanced diet as for any other living creature.' 

Remember the good old-fashioned food pyramid? It was stamped on every box of food to let us know the right number of servings for a healthy, balanced diet. Your compost needs a balanced diet as well.

Below is a list of foods to feed your pile - it's not all inclusive, but gives an idea. I like to think of the 'Browns' being dry and dead, and the 'Greens' wet and living.

Browns (Carbon):  

Dry Leaves 

Dry Hay 

Dry Grass Clippings 

Dry Corn Stalks 

Straw

Sawdust (from untreated wood)

Nut Shells

Shredded Paper (watch for toxic ink)

Shredded Cardboard

Paper Tubes

Greens (Nitrogen):

Vegetable Scraps

Fruit Scraps

Coffee Grounds w/ Filter

Tea Leaves w/ Bag

Fresh Grass Clippings

Plant Trimmings

Garden Weeds

House Plants

Chicken Manure

Eggs Shells (neutral)

Some Things NOT to Compost:

Large Wood Scraps (long break down time) 

Treated Wood

Colored Paper (be careful for metallic or toxic ink)

Weeds Gone to Seed (Like Gloria Gaynor - they will survive)

Meat Scraps 

Fish Scraps

Bones

Dairy Scraps 

Baked Goods
Pasta

Cooking Oil

Greasy Foods

Heavily Coated Paper 

Aluminum Foil

Dog or Cat Waste (if garden is for human consumption - USDA Study)

Plastics - Recycle!

Now, there are two different kinds of compost. 'Hot' compost takes a little bit of manual labor and the process of decomposition is complete in about two months. 'Cold' compost can take up to two years to decompose, but takes minimal effort- basically throwing everything in a pile and leaving it. Today we're talking 'Hot' compost.

Per scientific studies, your compost pile should be fed a ratio of 25-30:1 Carbon/Nitrogen. Breaking it down to Allison terms; 2 buckets of Browns for every 1 bucket of Greens. 

Excessive Browns will cause your pile to dry out and decomposition to slow down. At the same time, excessive Greens will cause the pile to become too wet and result in ammonia gas releasing- stinky. No one one likes a stinky pile. I don't even like to say stinky pile. Stinky pile. Eww.

Monitoring the moisture will help prevent the stink and keep the composting process speeding along. If you notice your pile becoming too wet, add some Browns. If you notice it becoming too dry, add some Greens or simply sprinkle it with a little water.  

Alright, we've covered food and water, now let's talk about air. Bacteria is going to break down your pile of scraps, and that bacteria needs air to survive.  You don't want to have a smooshed, flat pile and think that just because it's surrounded by air, that will be sufficient. A 'Hot' pile needs air on the inside too. The pile should be nice and fluffy. This can be done by mixing and fluffing your pile with a pitchfork, or by using a fancy compost tumbler.

The last thing the pile needs is heat- after all, it's called 'Hot' compost for a reason. The internal temperature of the pile should be about 140 to 160 degrees F. You can purchase a compost thermometer for around $20.00. It takes about 2 weeks to generate a good amount of heat, and during those weeks you'll need to turn the pile at least five times in order to distribute the heat through all of the materials and keep it at the correct temperature.

I'm going to add scary factor in here. If it gets too hot, it can combust. Yea, apparently that happens in real life. All I can picture is walking outside to a magic fire like I'm Khaleesi in Dragon Land or something. You must turn the pile. 

When the pile is no longer generating heat, the process is almost complete (and now I'm Dr. Seuss), it just need to sit for a couple of weeks to cure.

Which leads me to the final ingredient; time. I like to quote Jim Morrison... 'If you book them, they will come.'

Tips to speed decomposition process:

Mass: Pile size should be 3x3 minimum
Material Size: Keep Browns & Greens shredded and chopped to small pieces 

Temperature: Keep it 140 to 160 F

Breathability: Shake, rattle & roll - aerate that thing!

Mix it Up: This isn't a layer cake, it's a tossed salad

Moisture: Not too dry, definitely not too slimy

Lastly, how do we determine when we have the final, completed product? The process is completed is when none of the materials are recognizable. No leftover carrot chunks or pieces of straw, and definitely no sprouted weeds or plants.

Another suggestion is to scoop up some compost into a mason jar, add water until it's soggy, twist on the lid and let it sit for a week. When you open the jar, it should smell earthy. If it smells icky, it's not finished.

So, now that we've got the 'how' to compost taken care of, where does this process take place? A homemade wooden box? A wire mesh bin? A store-bought composter? There are tons of options, so check back tomorrow and I'll show you how I made our cheap, easy DIY compost bin.