How to Begin Composting

Interested in beginning composting? The hardest part is figuring out how to start. Once you start, it really is easy. First, evaluate your lifestyle and how involved you want to be. There is a composting method for everyone.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Do I want to use the compost finished product for my garden or houseplants?

• Do I have space to compost? (You might be surprised that you can compost at home, indoors with limited space!)

• Am I willing to pay a monthly fee for composting?

If you have a busy lifestyle and want to be totally handsoff with the process, look into whether you have a composting pick up/drop off service in your area. This would be a company you pay, similar to trash pick up, to come pick up your food waste scraps and compost them for you. Some of these companies allow you to purchase the finished compost from them as well.

Don’t want to pay? You may have some free dropoff points near you. Richmond has 20 dropoff points anyone in the city can use, for free, to drop off their food waste scraps.

Want to be a little more hands on with the process? Consider building a home worm bin! I began doing this in 2018 and I will never go back to tossing organic waste into the trash. I love my pet worms, they are like mini monsters that eat the trash. You can also look into the bokashi method. This uses organic bacteria to break down the waste. I don’t have personal experience with this, but one of my 2023 goals is to try it out!

I’m also going to try to start updating this blog more regularly again, beginning in the new year. I fell out of the habit of updating this with work and life taking most of my energy - but life circumstances recently have given me the opportunity to be able to write and work on things I love more. Maybe it is kismet!