Composting

It's unusual how guilt works. Being raised with a "tie" to Catholicism, guilt in certain circumstances is one of the things I have held on to. Eating veal, driving a non-hybrid car and having a second martini don't make me feel bad, nor deter me from doing them as often as I please. However, throwing items in the garbage makes my brain bounce around my skull. I recycle plastics, paper, cardboard and glass, but is that enough? Thus for my birthday, one of my favorite presents was from my Dad and Terry. My very own spinning composter!

Every day, I toss in rotten veggies, wilted flowers, and various rinds and non-animal skins. Why is this important?

Landfills are a global issue and worsening with a rise in the population. They take up space and destroy natural habitats. Toxins seep down and infect ground water. Further, while the items in landfills breakdown, they emit greenhouse gases that are bad for the planet. Carbon dioxide and methane gas are a huge problem and heat up the earth. Now although my composter will emit the same gases, composting is the most environmentally conscious food waste disposal technique. In about a month, my garbage will turn into a usable product, a nutrient rich soil that some call "black gold" that will enrich my garden and reduce a need for fertilizer. And it's so easy. Shouldn't you get one too? Click here.

Anyhow, on my first week, I was a vigilant composter, siphoning off leftovers from my guests plates and even going as far as to pick things out of my garbage bin that my cleaning lady threw away. I thought to myself, one week down, a mere three to go! And so, one evening after work, I noticed my salad spinach had wilted and off prancing I went to the composter. Do you know what I saw? An empty, perfectly cleaned, washed out composter! My cleaning lady was being helpful -- oh no!

Well, I've printed out the rules of composting in Spanish and we are underway again. Black gold, organic potting soil soon!

Side note: if you really want to do your part to save the earth, don't waste at all. Buy only what you need and finish eating everything while it is fresh.