Maybe you've been thinking about composting, but aren't sure how to start. Or perhaps you heard compost piles are smelly, or attract bugs and mice. Whatever your lame excuse is, give it up. Here are the 7 best reasons for composting.
1. Composting Is Easy
George Doyle
How much time and effort do you spend putting things in the garbage can? A few seconds each week. That's how simple composting is -- it's basically a matter of opening a lid with one hand, and letting go of what you're holding in the other. (Phew! That was easy!) If you can walk and chew gum at the same time -- or even if you can't -- you can compost. And here's a quick list of what can and can't be composted.
2. Composting Is Dirt Cheap
Medioimages/Photodisc
It costs next to nothing to compost, aside from a tiny initial investment in a compost pail or bin. In fact, if you're a gardener or have any landscaping at all, your compost pile can save you money by reducing what you spend on fertilizer or yard waste removal. It will also greatly reduce what you throw in the garbage each week, so you might be able to save on municipal trash removal costs.
3. That Composting Pail Looks Stylish
Crate & Barrel
I'm not big on buying new kitchen accessories -- or buying anything, for that matter -- but I rather like the fashionable looks of the new, designer-styled composting pails that are on the market. And most have charcoal filters built right in, so no onion or garlic smells can leak out. Available in Hot-Rod Red, Space-Age Steel or Winter White, they'll dress up any hum-drum kitchen decor.
4. Compost Makes a Healthy, Thriving Garden
George Doyle
You really can't find a better soil amendment than compost. It loosens clay soils and helps sandy soils retain water. And not only does compost contain no petroleum-based compounds (like most commercial fertilizers do), it can supress plant diseases and pests. Gardens that are composted produce higher yields of healthier fruits, vegetables and flowers.
5. Composting Is Good for the Planet
Digital Vision
Landfills everywhere are running out of room, and the EPA estimates that roughly 25% of the garbage in the U.S. is made up of yard trimmings and food scraps. That's over 60 million tons each year! Instead of watching your local landfill get bigger and more expensive to maintain each month, try composting.
6. You Can Compost Even if You Don't Have a Yard
Medioimages/Photodisc
No yard? No worries. You can use compost even in a window planter box. And many cities have compost programs which will haul away your composted organic material for free. Not sure how to find one? Consult the fine folks at Earth911.com or the EPA for local resources in your area.
7. No Smell, No Pests
normanack
The rumor that compost attracts bugs, mice or other pests is a dirty, stinking lie. Only compost done wrong smells, or attracts vermin. To do it right, keep dairy products and meats out of your compost pile. Simple. And here's a reference list of what can and can't be composted.
