Compost
Approximately 25% of the waste we generate each day is compostable - given a few weeks in the proper conditions, it will break down in to rich, beautiful organic material called hummus which can then be used to grow plants and enrich soil. The three-bin compost system in our yard is the pride and joy of our house; we regularly feed it all of our food scraps, paper materials, and natural fibers and watch day-by-day as the microorganisms and fungi slowly decompose it until all the ingredients are no longer distinguishable from one another. Amazing!
In the very near future, we also hope to experiment with other types of composting systems, particularly vermiculture, or composing with worms! This system takes up very little space and is much more suitable to a college dorm room or apartment. Vermiculture worms are quite adept at breaking down food scraps quickly, and the finished product is a beautiful, lightweight soil amendment called 'worm castings,' or to be more blunt, worm poop.
Stayed tuned for upcoming information and workshops on composting!