I recently hosted a backyard barbecue at my Brooklyn apartment. Garbage bins, recycling bins, and compost bins. A friend helped me clean up at the end of the night, and I learned that we have very different ideas about what can be composted. Definitely compostable. But what about meat? A used paper plate? paper towels?
I checked the rules and found that a lot of things went in the wrong bin. So I re-sorted everything the next morning.
As my colleague Somini Sengupta reported this week, states across the country are passing laws to divert food waste from landfills. As these measures become more common, more cities are starting composting programs like the one I recently joined in New York.
This is good for the environment because when food waste rots in landfills, it produces methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. Composting significantly reduces these emissions. In addition, compost can be used as an alternative to chemical fertilizers.
So, whether your state requires it or not, we encourage you to start composting at home.While it won’t solve the climate crisis, it can reduce your personal emissions. I’ve learned a few things since I started composting.
The easiest option to get started: local government programs
In the United States, almost all waste and recycling management occurs at the municipal level. Check with your municipality to see if you have access to a curbside pick-up or drop-off composting program.
Throughout the week, collect debris such as vegetable peels (excluding stickers, rubber bands, and twisted strings), fruit seeds, egg shells, food-stained paper towels, and coffee grounds using paper filters. It’s all in a little plastic bucket that I keep next to my kitchen sink. New York City uses industrial composting facilities, so fish, meat, dairy, and bones can also be included. please. Many large cities have detailed guides online.
Every time the bucket is full, I empty it directly into a container on the street. Containers are collected by the city once a week.
To be honest, when I started, I was worried about the smell and pests. But emptying the kitchen trash can regularly and cleaning it every few weeks has kept the process odor-free.
Vincent Gragnani, spokesman for the New York City Department of Health, says separating food waste from general waste is actually better at fighting pests. “If there’s no food waste in the black bag, rats won’t get into the black bag,” he said. “It should help stop it,” he added.
Another Easy Option: Community Dropoff Points
If you don’t have a citywide option, you can check with other local organizations, such as farmers’ markets, to see if drop-offs are allowed. Before I got the porch container, I used to bring food waste to my local community garden. Again, double check what you are allowed to include. (See below for general rules of thumb).
by myself? It’s not that difficult.
If you have a yard, you can check out the various options in this Wirecutter guide. We’ll cover the methods you can use and some common mistakes. Don’t you have a garden? no problem. You can follow this guide from my colleague Hiroko Tabuchi. She’s been composting in her living room for almost her ten years.
Rule of thumb: “Grow and go away”
Food, garden waste, and food-stained paper can usually be composted. However, be aware of some items that normally cannot be composted.
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🩸 Sanitary pads and diapers.
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💩 Animal waste. Even if you buy dog poop bags that claim to be compostable, most composting facilities will not process the faeces as they may contain pathogens.
There are ways to reduce food waste before it ends up in the trash, including better meal planning and storage. Composting at home has made me pay more attention to the food I waste on a regular basis (sorry for all the limp carrots I’ve thrown away over the years!), so I’ve removed You can remove it completely.
Important news from The Times
Before You Go: Lights Out in the City of Lights
With an energy crisis looming in France, a very healthy and agile young activist is taking action. They practice parkour (the sport of running, climbing and jumping over urban obstacles) and drive around Paris and other cities late at night with their shop signs turned off to save electricity. You can watch the video and read the whole thing here.
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Claire O’Neill and Douglas Alteen contributed to Climate Forward. View past newsletters here.
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