As you Ladies know, this month is all about going GREEN at FIP. Together we have learned how to reduce our plastic waste at home and how to be more eco-friendly while getting fit. To continue on our GREEN journey for March, we want to take this week to talk all about recycling. While you may be thinking that you hardly need an explanation for separating paper and plastic from your regular garbage, the recycling we’re talking about is actually that of organic matter.

Compost, sometimes referred to as Black Gold, is decayed organic material used primarily as plant fertilizer. Like plenty of other people, thoughts of weird smells, big messes, and lots of work might have come to mind at the mention of it. However, when created correctly and made with the right ingredients, compost is a wonderful tool that does much more than simply enrich the soil of your garden.

In today’s society, approximately 25% of what we throw away can be composted. However, instead of saving our scraps, all of our leftovers and unused/expired food gets sent to landfills where it generates 20% of the nations greenhouse gases. That’s crazy, right? But luckily, Americans are starting to realize something can be done to reduce these large numbers by adopting one simple process...composting!

A compost takes a minimal amount of time to get started and even less time to maintain. As long as you have the three key ingredients: green matter, brown matter, and water, you can begin creating Black Gold in no time.

BEGIN WITH A BIN

Depending on the amount of compost you want to create, you will need to find or build a bin suited to your collection process. This bin is where all of your organic material will be held and requires only one key element--air holes! Whether you choose to make your compost in large garbage bins or out of old wooden pallets, the key to success is making sure your compost container has enough aeration.

WHAT TO ADD

As mentioned previously, your compost pile needs three key ingredients. These ingredients--green matter, brown matter, and water, give your compost pile the nitrogen, carbon, and moisture it requires to form the perfect growing medium. Below is a list of materials for you to begin composting with:

Fruit and vegetable scraps
Coffee grounds
Eggshells
Grass clippings
Dried leaves
Paper
Sawdust
Earthworms

For your outdoor compost, it is best to avoid any meats, fish, and dairy. Not only will these items attract unwanted pests and rodents, but are likely to make your compost smell. Other ingredients to avoid include: dog or cat feces, diseased plant materials, oils, fats, and grease.

We'd love to see how you compost! Share with us in the comments below or send us an email at support@flexitpink.com