City Composting (that won't get you run out of town by an angry mob)

Composting brings up images in the minds of most people of an ugly, stinky pile of refuse rotting in the corner of the yard. I guess if you have 1/2 acre or more and sufficient established tree or shrub cover, that's not a problem. If you happen to be like most urban (or even many suburban) people, this may conjure up images of angry, torch and shovel weilding neighbors banging your door down in the middle of the night. All right - maybe not the torches and shovels - but certainly nasty association letters if you are subject to such and unpleasant looks and snide comments if you are not. Since most people generally want to get along with those around them, this is not the kind of attention you want, not to mention if you're anything like me you take pride in the beauty of your land, however little you may have, and don't want a huge rotting eyesore, not even in the corner. You may not know there are other options - options that will blend in and may even add to the attractiveness of your land while generating some nutrient rich, free topsoil for your spring planting. Certainly the refuse pile is the most well known type of compost, but here are some options for the single family home with a small yard, duplex or townhome, and even apartment or condo. There are many different types and sizes of composting container, ranging from large outdoor bins to mug sized cigarette butt composts. There are compostable trash can liners of all sizes, and even compostable dog waste bags so you can dispose of your best friend's feces in an environmentally friendly manner. As long as you are careful not to throw inappropriate items (such as fat, bones and meat) into the compost, they are virtually odorless when closed. When I discovered just how easy it is I was amazed that everyone doesn't have a compost! OUTDOOR BINS There are three basic types of outdoor bin composts - stationary, tumblers and vermicompost. They come in different colors and styles to blend into your landscaping, but if you live in a cooler climate, you would do well to get a black one in order to make the most of the available solar heat even during the winter. The stationary bin is the most basic kind and requires the least amount of effort on your part. They look like a barrel or refuse bin depending on the kind you choose and come in a range of sizes. Be sure to pick one that will hold about the right amount of compostable material for your family size (for the stationary bins and tumblers go a size up if you feel you will be in between). They cost anywhere from $80-400, but they are really all the same. My personal favorite is The Outside Gourmet - for just $95 it looks like a quality refuse bin and would look nice right next to the others. I suggest you get some compost accelerator to get things going, and if you do not have balanced items to toss in, continue to purchase it. At about $3-4 per pound, it is easy to afford. Tumblers are also relatively simple to use and are mounted on legs so you can rotate the bin to mix your compost. This is nice, since nobody likes to stick something in a bin of rotting organic matter to mix it up. They are a little more expensive than the stationary bin, but if you can afford it they are worth the extra money. They are designed for different size spaces with some rotating vertically and others horizontally. The horizontal ones are great if you have a short space like a deck or porch you want to use to hide it. One of the ones that really broke the mold is the Composphere - at $146 this cute little ball rolls around to mix the compost and then rolls under anything. It looks like anything but a compost. The final kind of outdoor compost I will cover is vermicompost (there are some open styles that don't really work for the urban composter). This is the most complex type of compost because it utilizes worms to aid the breakdown of the organic matter rather than enzymes alone. I cannot reasonably cover all the research necessary to start a vermicompost here, but the article above does a fantastic job of teaching what you will need to know to start off. I'd also recommend getting a book to learn about how to care for your worms. The type of worm I see recommended the most is the red wiggler. These miniature earthworms are more likely than other worms to make their home in your compost provided you provide them with their basic necessities and have voracious appetites. The goal of a vermicompost is to encourage a large number of worms to consume your refuse and the castings then become your dirt. Worm castings are excellent nutrition for plants, and the worms that make it out to your garden will aerate the soil, naturally improving plant growth. Vermicompost bins are comparable in price to the stationary bins and I like this expandable one here. That being said, vermicompost does take a lot of extra work and is not for the short of time, so I had to pass this one by. So it's easy to have a clean compost, even with a small yard, but who really wants to deal with going outside every time you want to scrape your plate, clean your refrigerator, or if you are a smoker, empty your ashtray. It was so much easier when you could just hover over the garbage can and you didn't have to get dressed and put on shoes after your midnight snack. You still don't! With a miniature compost pail with compostable liner, you can fill a smaller version of your kitchen trash can and empty it at predetermined intervals or whenever it is full, just like your trash can. COMPOST PAILS There are as many styles of compost pail as there are kitchen, and it is important to note that you cannot use a compost pail alone. For standalone indoor composts, go down to the indoor compost section. A compost pail is designed to collect your compostable refuse in a compostable bag until you are ready to take it outside. Ranging in price from $10-80 these pails are designed to look like mugs, canisters, and buckets. For the environmentally conscious smoker, there is even a cigarette recycler. If you like the plain look, and want to save some money, go for the plain $20 pail, but if you have a little more to spend and want a compost pail that blends into your kitchen, try one of these fancy ones that look like any other kitchen storage (just be sure your guests don't mistake them for your canister set and try to put compost in their coffee!). Regardless of the type of pail you choose, you will need to purchase some compostable liners unless you want to clean it after every use. For the small investment, these liners will save you a lot of time. Outdoor composts are all fine and good for those of us that have a yard, but what about people who live in townhomes with no private yard, apartments or condos? There is a solution for you too - an indoor compost! But who wants a rotting pile of leftovers in their kitchen? Since the bins are designed for exactly that use, though, you will never notice it and people will wonder how you have the best flowerboxes in the neighborhood come spring! INDOOR BINS Indoor bins come in all shapes and sizes, and some are very high tech. The best of the indoor bins will even handle refuse often referred to as non-compostable such as meat and dairy. This indoor compost (or the pet safe version of the same one) does all the work for you - all you have to do is put in the refuse. It even kills harmful bacteria to make sure it is completely safe for your family and because it works with a sealed chamber the only odor you will ever get is the smell of fresh, clean dirt when you remove the finished product. Unfortunately this exotic composter carries an exotic price tag, ranging around $400. For those of us that don't have that kind of money to drop on a composter, there are some lower tech, lower price options that are just as effective, albeit not as much of a conversation piece. This cost effective $70 kitchen composter uses anaerobic fermentation to make the compost right in your kitchen without the odor of outdoor composting methods and only takes up about a square foot of space so you can fit it anywhere. This small compost is designed for food refuse so it is perfect for a home without a private yard.