If you feel like you are cooking more than ever while being stuck at home during the pandemic, you are not alone. More cooking at home means people are also generating more food waste than ever. If you are among the more frequent home cooks, now is good time to consider taking up home composting. Not only is it good for your garden, it also helps fight climate change.
When organic materials are sent to the landfill, they break down and create methane, a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. Composting food and yard waste creates compost, an organic material that gardeners often refer to as black gold. Compost provides additional nutrients for your garden and gives your garden beds better water holding capacity, keeping plants happier and healthier.
So, don't throw those banana peels, potato peels, eggshells, tea bags, coffee grounds, rice, and grains in the garbage. Instead, compost them along with your grass clippings and leaves.
Getting started is simple. You can purchase a compost bin from a home, garden or hardware store, or you can make your own like described in this video. To learn more about how to compost at home, check out EGLE's Home Composting: Reap and Heap of Benefits Guide.
If home composting isn't an option, you can still enjoy the benefits of composting. Many communities offer pickup or drop-off services for grass, leaves, sticks, and landscape trimmings. You can also find municipal or commercial compost locations that take yard and food waste in the Michigan Recycling Directory. While you're there, don't forget to complete the circle and purchase some compost to help your garden grow all summer long.
Photo caption: EGLE staffer placing coffee grounds into compost bin at home.