Composting isn’t just a great way to reduce the amount of trash you send to landfills, it’s also the most cost efficient organic potting soil you can find.

How: There are several ways you can compost, so it’s easy to find the one that is right for you.

• Worm composting, also known as vermiculture, is a method that will allow you to produce a high quality fertilizer quickly.
• If worms give you the creepy crawlies, perhaps bin composting is a better method for you.
• Worm and bin methods can be supplemented with kitchen compost containers that contain charcoal filters to keep them from smelling foul.
• Don’t have a ton of outdoor space or worried about wildlife getting into your system? There are several automated composting bins you can keep inside without having to worry about the smells associated with decaying fruit, such as the PRO XE from Nature Mill.
• Think because you live in an apartment you can’t compost? Thing again! Many cities offer communal composting. Find a Composter can help you locate the closest facility to you. (Also, check out our tips for quick and easy composting for apartment dwellers.)
• Maybe you want to do your part for Mother Earth but don’t really care to receive the rich soil as a reward? Call Vokashi, which will supply you with everything you need to start EM-Bokashi composting, a Japanese method perfect for small spaces. Vokashi will then pick up your compost and supply it to local farms and gardens.

Why: 16% of our waste stream is made-up of food scraps, which are 100% compostable. Composting, by any of the methods described above, will cut what your sending to landfills by 1/6 and redirect your waste into your growing local food. It’s a win win!