Working to be Eco friendly



Enclosed Composting

For small-scale apartment composting, enclosed Bins are an option. The least expensive method is to build one yourself from a hallway closet in your apartment. Simply drill 1.5-cm aeration holes in rows at roughly 15-cm intervals around the closet. Line the closet with large trash bags or plastic sheets from the hardware store, block the lower part of the door with 1”by 12” pine boards(you can scavenge these from your fence or from a dumpster.

Fill the prepared closet with a mixture of high-carbon and high-nitrogen materials. Stir the contents occasionally to avoid anaerobic pockets and to speed up the composting process.



What to Compost

Material Carbon/Nitrogen Info

table scraps Nitrogen add with dry carbon items

fruit & vegetable scraps Nitrogen add with dry carbon items

eggshells neutral best when crushed

leaves Carbon leaves break down faster when shredded

grass clippings Nitrogen add in thin layers so they don't mat into clumps

garden plants -- use disease-free plants only

lawn & garden weeds Nitrogen only use weeds which have not gone to seed

shrub prunings Carbon woody prunings are slow to break down

straw or hay Carbon straw is best; hay (with seeds) is less ideal

green comfrey leaves Nitrogen excellent compost 'activator'

pine needles Carbon acidic; use in moderate amounts

flowers, cuttings Nitrogen chop up any long woody stems

seaweed and kelp Nitrogen rinse first; good source for trace minerals

wood ash Carbon only use ash from clean materials; sprinkle lightly

chicken manure Nitrogen excellent compost 'activator'

coffee grounds Nitrogen filters may also be included

tea leaves Nitrogen loose or in bags

newspaper Carbon avoid using glossy paper and colored inks

shredded paper Carbon avoid using glossy paper and colored inks

cardboard Carbon shred material to avoid matting

corn cobs, stalks Carbon slow to decompose; best if chopped up

dryer lint Carbon best if from natural fibers

sawdust Carbon high carbon levels; add in layers to avoid clumping

wood chips Carbon high carbon levels; use sparingly



~ Activate your compost. 'Activators' can be added to your compost to help kick-start the process and speed up composting. Common compost activator materials are: comfrey leaves, grass clippings, young weeds, well-rotted chicken manure. Mix in well and add one half gallon of water (don’t worry it gets absorbed into the mix

You are now ready to start helping the environment, in just four to six weeks your compost will be ready to take to your local Park or vacant lot to revive the top soil layer and help the earth recover

Good luck in your new green hobby