30% of household trash is compostable. Diverting it into compost cuts your trash volume by a third, saves landfill methane, and gives you free soil for plants. Here's how to start — even from a small apartment.
Choose Your Method
1. Outdoor compost bin (best if you have a yard)
Add greens (food scraps) + browns (leaves, cardboard) in roughly equal volumes. Turn weekly. Finished compost in 2–6 months.
2. Tumbler composter
Faster (4–8 weeks), pest-proof, easier to turn. Best buy if you have a balcony or small yard. $80–$200.
3. Vermicomposting (worm bin)
Indoor-friendly. Red wiggler worms eat ~½ lb of food scraps per day per pound of worms. Almost no smell. Perfect for apartments.
4. Bokashi
Japanese fermentation method. Sealed bucket with bran inoculant. Pickles scraps in 2 weeks — including meat and dairy — then bury or add to a compost pile.
5. Curbside / municipal program
If your city offers compost pickup (most US west coast, NYC, parts of EU), this is the lowest-effort option. Use a kitchen caddy.
What Goes In
| Greens (nitrogen) | Browns (carbon) |
|---|---|
| Fruit/veg scraps | Dry leaves |
| Coffee grounds + filter | Cardboard (shredded) |
| Tea bags (no staple) | Newspaper |
| Eggshells (crushed) | Straw, sawdust |
| Grass clippings | Pine needles |
| Plant trimmings | Wood chips |
What Stays Out (home compost)
- ❌ Meat, fish, bones (smell + pests)
- ❌ Dairy
- ❌ Oils & grease
- ❌ Pet waste (dog/cat)
- ❌ "Compostable" plastics (industrial only)
- ❌ Diseased plants
- ❌ Weeds with seeds
The Green-to-Brown Ratio
Aim for roughly 1 part greens to 2–3 parts browns (by volume). Too many greens → smelly, slimy. Too many browns → won't break down.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Smells bad | Too wet / too many greens | Add browns, turn it |
| Not heating up | Too small / too dry | Add greens + water |
| Fruit flies | Exposed scraps | Bury under browns |
| Rats / mice | Meat or dairy | Switch to Bokashi or remove |
| Slow breakdown | Pieces too big | Chop scraps smaller |
30-Day Starter Plan
- Week 1: Pick a method, buy a bin, dedicate kitchen counter container.
- Week 2: Start collecting. Add browns alongside.
- Week 3: Turn or stir. Check moisture (should feel like a wrung-out sponge).
- Week 4: Adjust ratio. Start observing breakdown progress.
Related
Sort the rest with TrashSort
Composting handles 30% of your waste. TrashSort helps with the other 70%.
