sustainable living: how to start composting

This blog is meant to share not only beautiful photography, collections, DIYs and recipes, but also to share a lifestyle. Sustainable living is referred to as a lifestyle that seeks to reduce the impact on Earth's natural resources. Maybe you practice some of these tasks at home already? Recycling, reducing, reusing... But there are so many easy ways to take that a step further. I'm not talking about all-out homesteading (but I will be presenting several pieces of easy homesteading on this blog). I'm just talking about some very simple, do-it-yourself in the urban or the rural, ways to help the planet in your own home. Want to learn more? Today's topic is how to start composting!

 When I first moved to Puerto Rico, I made a pact with myself to change my lifestyle for the better. I wanted to start small and eventually work up to some basic homesteading. So, the first thing I did was make a compost barrel and start composting. It was easy, fast and cheap. Anyone can do this; if you follow the directions, it's also fool-proof.

After only a few weeks of composting

You can find my complete step-by-step "How To" guide on my personal blog by clicking here. I describe in detail the basics of composting and how to get started. You'll notice from the photos that I'm just using a basic, black garbage bin that I got from Home Depot. Yes, it's that simple. I've been composting for several months now and have already seen this process work. I'm so excited to start using it in my own garden. There are so many benefits of composting:

• Utilizing your coffee grinds (and filters), tea bags, vegetable peels and fruit peels in a "recycling" type format. Hurray! They don't end up in landfills anymore!
• Paper shreds, cardboard and grass clippings find a new and useful home. Now you don't have to wonder where to deposit all that paper you've been meaning to take somewhere to recycle.
• Your compost is perfect herb and veggie garden food. Also a great natural fertilizer for all your plants. You won't have to buy mix or fertilizer again. Even better, you're going organic :)

One important thing to remember is that this natural process takes many months to start producing compost. Don't rush it; be patient. And also: if it smells, you might be doing something wrong.. and it's probably that you're keeping the compost too moist. The proper way to compost results in no strong smells or foul odors inside or around your compost bin. Those microbes are eating all that up for you! Science, YES!

So, check out my other post on how to start this process! If you have questions, feel free to leave a comment on either blog. I'll answer to the best of my knowledge, or suggest the best places to find those answers! Another useful source for tips and hints is the Homestead Revival blog. We can both work to live a more sustainable life and learn about it together along the way. Thanks for reading and happy composting!

Until tomorrow,