Bring Your Compost Pail Inside
Posted on January 5, 2010 by
I know we all have the best intentions when it comes to recycling and composting. I tend to recycle everything I can get my hands on at home … until the recycling bin gets full (my roommate and I are top-notch procrastinators when it comes to taking the recycling to the the appropriate drop off.) I like to compost … until it gets so cold outside that any extra opening of the door seems wasteful.
So what if you brought the compost pail inside? I know it might sound crazy or smelly, but stick with me.
Gardener’s Supply Company has several kinds of indoor compost pails that hold about a gallon of food scraps and coffee grounds and other compost-worthy items. The vented lids on the pails allow the items inside to breathe as they start the compost process. Some of the pails have lids with charcoal filters to block odors from escaping. The store also sells BioBags to line the pails. They’re like trashcan liners in that they keep the pails clean but these bags biodegrade so when you’re ready to empty the pail into your outdoor compost bin, you can toss the bag with it.
You can get a starter set for about $25. Here’s one that you can mount under the cabinet, or if you prefer something fancier, there’s a beautiful stainless steel crock.
If you don’t have an outdoor bin for your compost items, check out Allie’s post on how to make your own. I tend to keep my simple: I add a variety of food scraps, coffee grounds and stuff from the yard in a mix with old soil that’s been depleted of its nutrients and mix regularly. Allie also has some good reminders of what NOT to compost.
P.S. I’m writing this as I watch TV, and my fella just noticed that Sun Chips is introducing compostable bags for its chips. Way to go, Sun Chips!
(H/T to Southern Living)
We use a stock pot with a lid as our compost bucket. It sits in the corner of the kitchen counter. We don’t smell it or anything!
Our compost pail has always been inside. We just use a gallon ice cream pail with lid. No filters needed, the lid contains any smell. You can also store your food scraps in the freezer to avoid any smells. In October, I brought our whole compost pile inside! I hate trekking out to the pile through three feet of snow in the winter, so I started vermicomposting in my kitchen. That’s right, rotting food right inside my kitchen – right next to the refrigerator to be exact. And no smell! A worm bin is an excellent way to keep composting in the winter or for someone with no access to an outside compost pile. I highly recommend it.
Great idea, Modern Gal! I currently have no outdoor living space (darn apartment), so this is a good solution.
I tried those biodegradable compost pail liners, but they disintegrated before I could empty the compost pail. Since I hate trekking out to the compost pile, I now keep worms in my kitchen. I think I bought my setup through Gardener’s Supply. I recommend Worms Eat My Garbage for those interested in doing likewise.