Over the past few years, we have made many changes in our home to be more eco-friendly. From the kitchen to the bedroom to baby care. I believe it’s important to modify our actions and behaviours so that we can to help the planet and make a healthier environment for everyone. Like our family, you can start making small changes that will have a big impact in the long term for your own health and your footprint on this earth.
I actually started writing this blog post a while ago, however it was getting really long. So I thought I would break it down for you into a series on 10 Simple ways to get greener. The first tip and one of the first changes we made, even before we even moved out of home, was to start Composting.
Composting your vegetable scraps is one of the easiest ways to help the planet and contribute less to landfill. You won’t believe how much less you throw out every week. Those veggie scraps and wastage that we usually throw out are still full of vitamins that can feed bugs, worms and the earth. Even if you don’t use the nutrient-rich compost for your garden, the food will keep breaking down and you can keep adding to it. I’m sure a neighbour or a friend would love to put your dirty gold to good use.
You can buy compost bins at any hardware, gardening or big superstore. There are a few different types of compost bins you can buy or make yourself. These include Enclosed Bins, Rolling Bins, Tumblers, Worm Bins. For more information on these or other alternatives see this article, Compost Bins by Planet Natural Research Center. If you live in an apartment building consider asking your body corporate to invest compost bins for all the tenants.
Most compost bins are really easy to set up and can be placed in your garden or in an out of sight grass area on your property. If you live in an apartment building consider asking your body corporate to invest compost bins for all the tenants. They are also pretty durable so you won’t be needing to replacing it under normal circumstances.
I first bought an Enclosed Bin from Bunnings when I set up my veggie patch. However, I had a bit of trouble turning it. Later I bought a Tumbler from Aldi (nearly identical to this Tumbling Composter). This one has two sides, giving time for one side to break down, while we fill the other one. It’s unbelievable how quickly it turns to dust. Initially, I use to keep my scraps in a container on the kitchen bench before depositing them in the compost bin. Now I like to keep them in the fridge so that it doesn’t smell or attract fruit flies and household pests.
You may be wondering what you can and can’t compost. We have had lots of different advice from friends and family on this subject. One person, we know who grew up on a farm recommended composting cooked animal bones, but this one is a no-no.
Below I have listed some of the things you can and cannot compost. If in any doubt a quick google search from reliable websites will give you the answer.
What to add to a Compost Heap
- Vegetable and food scraps
- Fallen leaves (in layers)
- Tea leaves and tea bags
- Coffee grounds
- Vacuum cleaner dust
- Soft stems
- Dead flowers
- Old potting mix
- Used vegetable cooking oil
- Egg shells (wash out the yolk)
- Old newspapers (wet)
- Grass cuttings in layers
- Weeds
- Sawdust (not from treated timber)
- Wood ash
- Human and animal hair
What not to add to a Compost Heap
- Meat and dairy products
- Diseased plants
- Metals, plastic, glass
- Animal manures, human and animal faeces
- Fat
- Magazines
- Large branches
- Weeds that have seeds or underground stems
- Bread or cake
- Bones
- Sawdust from treated timber
- Rice
- Cooking oil
- Heavily coated or printed paper
- Used personal products (diapers, tampons)
- Walnuts
Do you compost? What type do you recommend?
Do you see it having a positive impact on your life, your family and the earth?
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