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Composting

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March 8, 2005

It's getting warmer out even though it doesn't feel like it. I think spring is in two weeks. But with the warmer weather comes the ability to compost! Composting is a great way to take food waste out of your waste stream. Vegetable scraps and fruit cores are a great source of nutrients that can be put right back into a composting pile and then into your gardens. The City of Saco does some composting with the leaves and grass clippings dropped off at the transfer station, as well as food waste brought in by restaurants.

We don't realize how much space food waste takes up in our trash but compare the amount of trash we generate in the kitchen, and then look at any other trash container in your home. The bulk of my trash, probably about 80-90% comes from my kitchen. Food wrappers are probably the biggest culprits. So here's something to think about. When you go to the grocery store and you buy 5 apples, do you put them in a bag? Because you really don't need to. Most fruit and a lot of vegetables are naturally packaged; they travel well without having to put them in a baggie to take them home. I understand that not every one wants apples and oranges rolling around in their cart or basket so you may need to take one of those bags. Let me ask you this, what do you do with that bag after you've brought your fruits or vegetables home? Chances are it goes in the trash. But those bags can be used again, just like any other plastic bag.

The beauty of plastic is that it's waterproof! Wash it out and use it again. And as for those natural packages, toss them in to your compost pile!

To get a nice compost pile going you will need brown and green waste. Green waste is the food waste that comes from your kitchen, i.e. vegetable scraps, fruit cores, bread that no one wants to eat, just make sure you leave out meats, dairy and anything that is fatty. Brown wastes are wastes like leaves and grass clippings from your yard. A two to one ratio of brown to green waste is ideal (twice as much yard waste as kitchen scraps). Keep mixing your pile and once it is not hot anymore your compost is done! You can use your compost in your garden or to help new grass grow, it will provide nutrients to your baby plants. Another source of nutrients is the gray water that you boil or steam your vegetables, or even your pasta in, that water can be used for watering plants!

Please contact me if you would like to purchase a compost bin or would like to know more about composting. I would love to hear what's going on in your back yards! Contact me at swojcoski@sacomaine.org, or at the Public Works Office.