Green Living Ideas
EnergySetting up a Compost Pile
Now that you know the green living benefits of composting and what kind of materials you need, here are the steps to actually start your compost pile.
- Find a location for your compost pile. Once you've decided to start a compost pile in the interests of green living, you'll need to locate a good spot to maintain it. The ideal spot for a compost pile would be someplace convenient and accessible to you. It's not necessary for it to be the sunniest possible place, but sunlight creates heat which aids the decomposition process central to composting. On the other hand, if you live in a dry environment it's best to avoid too much sun because you don't want the compost pile to dry out completely.
- The bottom layer includes sticks and twigs. Start by laying down twigs and sticks to form a bottom layer about 3" inches thick, give or take. This will allow air to circulate around the compost pile, facilitating this green living objective.
- Next, add a layer of green material to the compost pile. This is where you should add all that kitchen waste and other green materials. Materials like egg shells, coffee grounds, and fruit and vegetable scraps, which are all nitrogen rich, will help jump start your compost pile in support of green living.
- After that comes all the brown material. At this point you should add an amount of brown material to the compost pile approximately equal to the amount of green material you added in the last step. Your new step toward green living is almost done!
- Add soil to the top of the compost pile. Cover the top of the compost pile with soil. This will speed up the decomposition within the compost pile, as well as helping to keep pests away.
Now that you're that much more on board for green living, here are a few last things to remember about your new compost pile. The smaller the pieces of green and brown material you put in the compost pile, the faster they will decompose. You should keep your compost pile moist, but not sopping wet (which can cause a bad smell). Also, make sure to aerate the compost pile regularly to mix the contents and add oxygen, vital to the process. Mix up the middle of the pile whenever you add new contents, and try to keep a fairly equal balance of green and brown materials.
Most things will be decomposed in a compost pile after about six months. The humus is ready to use in the garden or soil once the pile has reduced in size to about one quarter to one third its original size and once the individual materials are no longer distinguishable. Now use that soil and continue promoting green living!
