Composting

Composting – the mix of materials

It is important to use a mix of green and brown materials in your compost bin. Green materials are nitrogen rich. They break down quickly and help keep the compost moist. Brown materials contain a lot of carbon. They tend to break down more slowly and add structure, encouraging air circulation, which is essential to the creation of compost.

Green materials include: egg shells, fruit, vegetables, garden & house plants, weeds, grass cuttings, tea bags and coffee grounds.

Brown materials include: hedge trimmings, branches, twigs, feathers, shredded cardboard, shredded paper, hay, straw, wood chips and sawdust.

To obtain the best results, first place a layer of twigs and branches in your compost bin to a depth of 6 inches (15cm); then add in roughly equal parts, green and brown materials.

For more details check out our guide to compost bin materials

Materials will always break down more quickly, particularly carbon rich brown materials such as twigs and branches if they are first shredded

Composting - getting the best results

High quality compost can be produced, with only a little care and attention. Two things to consider are air and moisture.

Air : The introduction of air speeds up the composting process by encouraging bacterial action. The two most effective methods of ensuring that compost is aerated are, turning the compost in the bin with a garden fork and periodically emptying the bin contents and returning them.
Moisture : Ideally compost should be neither too wet nor too dry. You should be able to crumble it in your fingers, yet if squeezed it should also stick together. If too dry and dusty a little water should be added, and if too wet, brown materials such as shredded carboard or saw dust should be added to abosrb some of the excess moisture.

Worm composting

Worms are an excellent for aerating compost, their presence in a compost bin will greatly speed the process and increase the quality of the fished product. There are two approaches which can be taken to put worms to work in your compost bin.

Passive worm composting : Placing your compost bin on a soil or grass surface, as opposed to hardstanding will allow worms to enter the bottom of your compost pile and begin to work their magic.
Active worm composting : A more active approach can be taken by introducing a larger number of worms to your compost bin. It is possible to buy in bulk, from suppliers, a ready supply of good composting worms (mainly Red worms and Dendras)

Benefits of home composting

• Free source of nutrients for gardens / window boxes
• Less need for land fill
• Reduction in greenhouse gasses. If kitchen & garden waste breaks down in a landfill, harmful methane is produced
• Saves the Earth's natural resources by reducing the need for peat taken from endangered habitats
• Possible savings in future charges for refuse disposal

Home milk delivery

Home milk delivery and recycling

Having your milk delivered to the doorstep can play a geat role in your efforts to recycle materials. Whilst plastic containers used for the sale of milk in shops create more bulk for your bin and add to landfill problems; the glass bottles typically used in home milk deliveries are much more friendly to the environment. On average, each bottle can be rewashed and used 20 times, before it is of a grade no longer suitable for delivery. Glass is one of the few materials which is totally recyclable, so when the bottle reaches the end of its useful life, it can be simply melted down to produce the materials for a replacement.

Home milk delivery and the local environment

Milk deliveries also makes sense when considering the environmental impact from the required transportation. What better than to have a single (sometimes electic powered) vehicle bring regular supplies direct to the front door, saving numerous short local journeys by car to the local convenience store or supermarket?

Your milkman is a local businessman who sources milk from local farms and dairies. From production to consumption, in terms of food miles, this one of the most energy efficient means of obtaining one of our staple foods.

When opting to have my milk delivered to the door, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the cost of my preferred skimmed organic milk was the same as that at the local supermarket. If you can find a local supplier, what is there to stop you from switching to them?

Benefits of home milk delivery

• Convenience
• Kinder to the environment
• Less need for landfill
• Supporting local business