On Monday the Raleigh city council put an abrupt end to commercial and residential disposals. Because of the amount of sewage overflows and maintenance required to clean grease from sewage lines the council has mandated that no new food disposals can be installed. Existing disposals can still be used but they cannot be replaced or fixed if they break down.
So what can the disposal-impaired do with those potato shavings and egg shells? Instead of throwing out food scraps like common trash, why not put them to use? Composting is an easy way to turn your cooking remains into a nutrient-rich soil additive for your garden, flower bed, or potted houseplants.
If you are unfamiliar with composting, it is basically the same process that all organic materials go through when they decompose. This biological process creates a cycle where dead plants are broken down into a form that new plants can reuse.
Composting is not difficult or time consuming, but the trick is to create a suitable and sanitary environment for the decomposition to take place. In urban back yards composting can be done in plastic buckets, home-made bins, or composting barrels. Many options are viable and will depend on how much compost you want, how much money you want to spend, and where you want to locate your compost project.
The composting process basically goes like this:
1. Learn about composting methods and create your compost bin
2. Prepare a meal
3. Gather any vegetable scraps
4. Put the scraps in your compost bin
5. Make sure the compost has adequate air circulation, is generating enough heat for decomposition, and is protected from night time scavengers
6. Repeat steps 2-5
7. Allow time for decomposition
8. Mix decomposed matter with soil at a ratio appropriate to what you’re using the soil for
9. Watch your new vegetables, herbs, or houseplants thrive
10. Eat your nutritious vegetables
11. Be the envy of your friends cause you got mad composting skills
12. Repeat steps 2-11
Soil uses aside, composting has other benefits as well. You’ll be accumulating less garbage—that means less stuff in your garbage can and no rotting vegetables to stink it up. There will be less waste in the land fills. It can be a fun learning experience for kids. Also, compost soil retains moisture and run-off better than regular soil—a beneficial quality during the hot summer weeks.
Keep in mind is that compost is not a substitute for soil. Soil is what feeds your plants, and compost is what feeds your soil. Also, meats, dairy, and oils cannot be composted. They don’t decompose like vegetable matter does. Crushed egg shells are ok. If you live in an apartment or don’t have a yard you can do an indoor compost called vermicomposting. That is a process where red wiggler worms are added to the compost to consume the food scraps.
There are some important details to be aware of when creating a compost. The links below provide a lot of good information for getting started on your Raleigh compost project.
North Carolina Organics Recycling and Composting
Carolina Compost
The City of Raleigh has compost bins available for purchase at a reduced price. Visit website.
If you have any tips or local resources for composting feel free to share them as a comment below.
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