Composting

Composting is an excellent way to cut down on the amount of trash that goes to the landfill and has the added benefit of reducing methane production and turning into dirt that can be used for gardening and growing more food! When food waste is sent to the landfill it is unable to biodegrade properly because there isn’t enough oxygen inside the landfill. This creates pockets of methane that contribute to greenhouse gases. This is also true for materials labeled “biodegradable” or “compostable”. These materials will not break down unless they are properly disposed of.  When this food waste is composted instead it actually helps us cut down on greenhouse gas production! You can read more about it in the Conservation Law Foundation’s Composting blog post. Another composting resource is the MassDEP Compost Information webpage.

ARE YOU READY TO START COMPOSTING NOW?

If you have a yard you can compost in a variety of ways by composting in homemade bin like this one or purchasing a tumbler like the one shown above which is good for preventing pest issues. Some towns offer compost tumblers at a reduced cost, so be sure to check with your town first.

If you don’t have a yard or space to compost outside, you have a few different options to choose from. You can try vermicomposting (or worm composting) inside your house or apartment. The worms will eat your food scraps and poop outbeautiful dirt! The down side is that worms won’t eat everything, so there are still some foods that you will have to dispose of somehow. If you’re interested in learning more about vermicomposting, you can check out this article by Mother Earth News.

If there’s a community garden near you, you might be able to find a composter there. Check with the coordinators to see if you can drop off your kitchen scraps or if you have to get a garden plot to be able to participate in composting.

Another option is to sign up for a private composting service. The company will drop off a compost bucket for you to collect your scraps in and will pick it up and bring it to a compost facility, leaving you a fresh bucket. Check out the list below of private compost services in the Boston area. These companies offer residential, office, restaurant and event compost services.

MUNICIPAL COMPOST PROGRAMS BY TOWN