HOW TO COMPOST IN AN APARTMENT WITHOUT WORMS
Did you know that kitchen scraps and yard waste together make up more than 30% of items thrown away in the United States? At first glance, this percentage is staggering, but not to worry - there’s a solution!
We can make better use of our food and yard waste by composting. You may be wondering, "do I need to live in a house with a big garden for composting to be a realistic option?” The answer is no! You can compost indoors fairly easily, even if you live in a tiny apartment. Additionally, if the thought of worms in your apartment puts you off, we have good news for you. You can successfully compost in your apartment worm-free! Keep reading to learn how to compost in an apartment without worms.
The Benefits of Composting
Before we dive in on how to compost in an apartment without worms, let's touch briefly on the benefits of composting.
While there are many benefits, one of the main advantages to composting is the ability to reduce your gas emissions and lower your carbon footprint. Many people are shocked to learn that food waste represents 8% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions globally. Making the decision to compost in your apartment is a great way to contribute towards a more sustainable future.
Another benefit of composting in your apartment is that it will actually save you cash! Composting worm-free is a low-cost way to convert your food waste into soil that will, in turn, help your plants grow faster and stronger.
How to Compost in an Apartment Without Worms
Contrary to popular belief, apartment composting without worms is not only totally doable, but it is fairly easy!
Follow these simple steps to learn how to compost in an apartment without worms and do your part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions:
Purchase a compost bin with a lid. It can be made of any material: plastic, wood, metal, etc. You will need to drill some holes in your composting bin to allow the air to flow through. Place your bin below the kitchen sink for best results.
Start adding your food waste to the bin. Finished your banana? Throw the skin in the pile. It’s really as simple as that! Keep in mind that it’s helpful to chop up large pieces of food to make sure that they will decompose quickly in the compost pile.
Since you will be composting in your apartment without worms, you will need to turn your compost once a week. With vermicomposting (composting with worms using a worm bin) there is no need for turning, as the worms do this job themselves.
Compositing Organisms Require Four Important Elements to Work Effectively
Nitrogen
Nitrogen is needed to grow and reproduce more organisms to oxidize the carbon. These materials tend to be green and wet (i.e. food scraps).
Carbon
The oxidation of carbon produces the heat that is required for other parts of the composting process. These materials tend to be brown and dry (i.e. dead leaves).
Oxygen
Aerobic bacteria need oxygen levels about 5% to perform the process needed for composting.
Water
If you notice that your compost looks a bit dry, there’s no harm in adding a bit of water. Your compost pile should always be slightly moist. If you accidentally add too much water, add more browns to fix the moisture balance.
The Green-Brown Ratio
Always keep in mind the green-brown ratio. The best ratio of browns to greens for compost bins is 3:1. This is very important, as your compost bin will start to smell and attract bugs if you have the wrong balance of greens and browns.
If you follow the above steps correctly, your home compost should be ready in about a month! You can use your finished compost as fertilizer for your plants or you can donate it to a farmer's market.
Now, you may be wondering what you can compost and what not to compost? Don’t worry - we’ve got you covered.
What to Compost:
Greens
Fruits and vegetables
Fruit and vegetable peels
Food scraps
Eggshells
Coffee grounds
Teabag (make sure they are not made with plastic)
Cooked rice or pasta
Browns
Branches
Dried Leaves
Paper egg cartons
Shredded paper
What NOT to Compost?
Meat or fish (including bones)
Oils
Pet feces
Dairy products
How to Compost in an Apartment Without Worm: Other Composting Methods to Try At-Home
Electric Composter
If you have the budget and want to speed up the composting process,we recommend investing in an electric composter. This type of composter is a game-changer if you want to compost in your apartment without worms, as it speeds up the breakdown of organic waste into smaller fragments. This fragmented waste provides more surface area for microbes to accelerate the composting process. The electric composter method is simple and fast, but it does tend to be pricier than other composting options.
Bokashi Method
The Bokashi Method is another great option for those who want to try apartment composting. Bokashi is the Japanese word for "well-fermented organic material.” It’s a process that converts food waste and other organic matter into a soil amendment which adds vital nutrients and increases the quality of soil texture. The Bokashi Method differs from traditional composting methods in several respects; the main difference being that the input matter is fermented by specialist bacteria, not decomposed. The fermentation process in the Bokashi Method is anaerobic (without oxygen), not aerobic (with oxygen).
There you have it - you now have all the crucial information you need to successfully compost in an apartment without worms! We hope you’ll start making an eco-friendly impact today by recycling your food waste and converting it into something useful: fertilizer.
If you have questions about the composting process or you just want to share your experience with indoor composting, leave a comment below! And don’t forget to follow @mykitchenandmeonline on Instagram for more sustainability tips and ways to live an eco-conscious lifestyle.