Let it grow

I think we're about to take the next step and get a barrel composter. I've been a little obsessed with composting lately. I love my worms and enjoy checking in on them, even though I try to disturb them as little as possible. Every time I take a peek there are new creatures in there. The worms seem happy, the conditions seem right. The only thing that really bothers me is that I can't compost everything in there. We don't have enough worms yet to be able to handle all the organic scraps we produce and even if there were more, there's a limit to what can be composted in a worm bin. But if we had a barrel then we could just put all our plate scrapings in, cooked and raw foods alike. That's make a significant change in what goes in our regular trash can.

Another reason for my obsession is because this is something I can do to make a difference. There are a lot of things not to do, like don't waste water or electricity and don't leave the car running and don't through your recyclables in the garbage. But what it comes to what you can do, what you, an everyday normal Joe Shmoe, this is it. Change your simple habits that don't even require you stepping out your front door. Instead of tossing that leftover macaroni in the garbage, put it in the composter. When you're done reading the paper, don't even bother setting it aside to be recycled (when big trucks burning lots of fuel will come pick it up and take it to be processed). Instead, shred it and add it to the bedding of your worm bin.

Why do I need this much compost, you might ask? The answer is simple: I don't. But I do know that the landfills need this biowaste even less than I do. Food in landfills is a major contributor to methane gas and thus, global warming. But by decomposing my food at home, naturally, in a process that breaks down waste in a fraction of the time it takes in a landfill, I do my share to help reduce the damage that can be caused by something as simple as an apple core or a banana peel.

So if anyone wants some free compost in a few weeks, be my guest! I'll use some on my own plants and probably dump the rest out in the field behind our home. Hopefully it'll help the trees in the playground to grow big and strong and shade my children from the sun when they play out there.