Composting!

Good morning, Seattle!

I can’t believe how great the weather is. I would say I brought it with me, but since I’m from Portland, that probably wouldn’t stick.

I am here to talk to you about composting. I have been meaning to post about it, but it wasn’t until I got my boyfriend this adorable little red compost bin that I remembered. So here I am.

I grew up composting – ish. I remember making the dreaded trip out across the yard to the back corner after dinner, flinging the compost out of the bin and into the pile before sprinting to the house as fast as my 7-year-old feet would let me, in order to escape whatever haunting specter lurked in the alley beyond. I had a healthy imagination as a child.

Composting, on the other hand, does not take much imagination. If you live in Seattle, you’ve heard of composting. Your mom does it, your neighbor does it, your friendly local Whole Foods cashier does it. Maybe *you* have an adorable miniature garbage pail on your counter to collect food scraps yourself. But do you know why?

Here are some good reasons to start composting – really composting.

It saves you money. Money you would otherwise spend on commercial fertilizers by using your own food waste to fertilize your yard. Money you can save on weekly or monthly garbage collection by turning your extra cardboard and newspaper and apple peels into worm food instead!

It’s safe and healthy. Besides being cheaper than commercial weed-n-feed, compost is also better for your yard, and the environment that’s affected by runoff from your yard. Compost is more effective at fertilizing, and when it rains, you don’t have to worry about what sort of chemicals may be trailing down to the nearest riverbed.

It needs less water. If you use compost on your garden, you don’t need to water as often, as compost retains more water for your soil than regular top soil or other fertilizers.

Whether you’re looking for a healthier lifestyle, a smaller eco footprint, or to save money, compost is there for you. Happy composting!