Food waste that is not composted generally goes directly to a landfill. Do your part to minimize the impact of food waste, start composting today! Follow this compost recipe to get started:

1. Choose a 4-foot by 8-foot area, preferably shaded, where water does not collect when it rains.

2. Cover half the area with a 6-inch layer of leaves. Water thoroughly.

3. Next, add a 2-inch layer of grass clippings and/or fruit and vegetable scraps and a dash of soil.

4. Mix this layer into the layer below it using a hoe or a cultivator. At this point, water thoroughly.

5. Top with a 2-inch layer of leaves.

Thereupon, repeat steps 3 through 5 as ingredients are available. Eventually, the top layer of the completed pile should be at least 4 inches of leaves covering all food materials. Build pile to 3 feet high as soon as you can.

Turn the whole pile over with a hay fork or shovel every 2 to 3 weeks, adding water as needed to make the whole pile moist (similar to a wrung-out sponge).

Finally, the compost is well done when most of the original ingredients have broken down and when it smells like rich soil.

ITEMS THAT CAN BE COMPOSTED:
Fruits, vegetables, dairy products, grains, bread, unbleached paper napkins, coffee filters, eggshells, meats and newspaper can be composted. If it can be eaten or grown in a field or garden, it can be composted.

DO NOT COMPOST:

Plastics, grease, glass and metals — including plastic utensils, condiment packages, plastic wrap, plastic bags, foil, silverware, drinking straws, bottles, polystyrene or chemicals.

For advanced composters: Items such as red meat, bones and small amounts of paper are acceptable, but they take longer to decompose. Add red meat and bones to only a well-controlled compost pile to avoid attracting vermin, pests and insects to partially decomposed meat scraps.

There are many ways to compost, as well as a plethora of tools to make it easier on consumers, from small countertop compost bins to large backyard tumblers. You can even buy earth-friendly compost ready to go, such as Living Earth® Organic Compost.

Explore your options, experiment and find a solution that fits your lifestylNEX