Hey earth muffins! Sustainable living is all about reducing our impact on the environment and living in a way that ensures the future of the planet. One of the ways to reduce your impact is through composting. Why is it so important to compost?? Here are the top reasons why composting is essential for sustainable living:
1. Reduces waste going to landfills
One of the biggest benefits of composting is that it reduces the amount of waste that ends up in landfills. Landfills are inherently bad, especially since a lot of organic material is sent there that could have broken down in a sustainable way. By composting organic waste, we can divert it from landfills (and creating methane gas) which reduces our carbon footprint. It is such a great way to reduce food waste as well!
Hey earth muffins! Spring is here, which means we have access to our backyard compost bins again! Having a compost bin is a great way to curb your food waste and reduce the amount of biodegradable scraps headed to the landfill. Keep reading for a list of the best backyard composting tips to ensure you utilize your bin as best you can this spring!
~Be as serious about composting as you want!
The first of the backyard composting tips is to compost in a way that fits your lifestyle. Tumbler composters (like the one I have) are usually easier to deal with than compost piles. Pick your compost method wisely – and then be as serious about composting as you want. Do what fits with your lifestyle and your daily routine! If you try to bite off more than you can chew you might end up not using your bin at all.
Hey earth muffins! Halloween is almost here – are you ready for lots of tricks and/or treats? My carved pumpkins are ready to go on my front steps… And (unfortunately) they are already starting to rot a bit. Once Halloween is over, it is important to figure out how to dispose of your jack-o-lanterns… The eco-friendly way of course! 🎃 Keep reading for the best, most sustainable ways to get rid of a rotted pumpkin.
1. Leave out your rotted pumpkin for the squirrels!
Why not leave out your pumpkins for the local animals and/or birds? This is an easy way to use your pumpkin guts when carving AND after Halloween is done. You might have noticed a few squirrels snacking on them already…. So leave out the pumpkin in your backyard, the forest surrounding your house, etc. for a nice little Halloween treat.
Hey earth muffins! A great way to reduce food waste it to get yourself a compost bin. If you own a house, condo, or apartment with outside space, there is really no reason to not have some sort of bin. When I purchased my house in December, one of the first things I purchased was this compost bin… And I have been using (and loving) it ever since. Today I will be sharing my thoughts on this compost product to convince you all to start using it as well! 😉
What Compost Bin Did I Buy?
After doing a search of all the backyard compost options, I decided on the IM4000 Dual Chamber Tumbling Composter from Amazon (affiliate link). It was the bin with the most reviews (almost 15,000 of them!); so, I figured it had been tried out by many other people. The price point is about $100, with it often being on sale for around $80. Because it isn’t as expensive as other bins, I thought it would be a good place to start since I was new to backyard composting.
Hey earth muffins! Today I will be tackling the terms “biodegradable” and “compostable”. I often see eco-friendly products advertised with these words; but, for people who aren’t active in the eco-space, these terms can be confusing. Plus, it can be hard to distinguish when companies use greenwashing to label their products. I hope this post is helpful and teaches you something… Let’s get right into our discussion of biodegradable vs. compostable!
What is “Biodegradable”?
According to the dictionary, a biodegradable item is one that is “capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms”. Technically, this makes almost everything biodegradable… It just might take hundreds (or even thousands) of years to degrade. Not great. The best products are those that can decompose quickly in natural environments. Ideally, they also won’t leave behind any toxins.
It is important to know where to dispose of these products as well. Most cannot decompose in a landfill due to lack of oxygen. This will cause the item to release methane instead of carbon dioxide, which isn’t good for Mother Earth. Many biodegradable products can easily be recycled or composted; I suggest researching how to dispose of the product properly before buying!
Examples of Biodegradable Items
Some examples include food waste, cotton, wool, plant products like paper, etc. There are also products like Dr. Bronner’s castile soap that have no impact on the environment. When choosing a “biodegradable” product, pick one that is made with natural ingredients. If a product is labelled as such but contains chemicals, it most likely isn’t an eco-friendly product.
What is “Compostable”?
By definition, a compostable item is one that can decompose in a compost environment. This means that all compostable items are biodegradable; but, not all biodegradable items are compostable! This is a great thing to remember in the biodegradable vs. compostable classification.
Compostable items can be easily disposed of in a compost bin. There are many different ways to compost (even if you live in an apartment like me!). From worm bins to pickup services, there is honestly no reason why you shouldn’t be composting. If you incorrectly dispose compostable items in the trash, they will release methane in a landfill. So, it is super important to actually let compostable items break down in a compost environment.
Examples of Compostable Items
Similar to above, compostable examples include food waste and other natural items. We create way too much food waste in our world, so actually composting your household’s is a great way to reduce food waste and help the planet. However be careful with “compostable” items that resemble plastics. I’ve seen a bunch of restaurants swap to compostable cutlery/dishware. But, these can only be composted in huge facilities and under very specific conditions. They will not break down in a household compost bin… Plus, they can ruin batches of recycling if incorrectly put in the recycle bin. If you see a product labelled as compostable, do some research to see what type of compost environment is needed. Then, you can dispose of it correctly!
Biodegradable vs. Compostable
So, which is better?? In my opinion, there are pros to both. I personally tend to lean towards compostables because I can watch my compost turn into soil. Eco-friendly biodegradables are awesome too, but it can sometimes be confusing to decipher what is accurate labelling versus greenwashing. My top tip for you all is to keep your products as natural as possible! And, of course, compost as much as you can! 😍
