Sustainability

How to Compost in 3 Steps

Key Takeaways:

Balance Green and Brown Materials: Successful composting requires a mix of nitrogen-rich green materials (like fruit and vegetable scraps) and carbon-rich brown materials (like fallen leaves and newspaper).
Turn Your Pile Regularly: Turning the compost pile once a week ensures proper oxygen flow, which prevents odors, speeds up decomposition, and generates heat to eliminate harmful bacteria.
Use Finished Compost in Your Garden: Once the compost is ready, it can be used to amend soil, mulch around plants, and dress lawns for healthier growth.
Special Situations: Some items, like jack-o’-lanterns and young weeds, require extra care before adding to the compost bin to avoid issues like spreading weeds or odors.
Easy Collection: Using compostable bags, like Glad Lemon Scented Kitchen Compostable Bags, can help keep odors in check and make cleanup easier.

Person in yellow gloves adds compost to bin with fruit peels, eggshells, and leaves; gardening tools in background.

Composting is easier than you think! No matter where you live, you can turn food scraps and yard waste into nutrient-rich soil with just a little effort. Follow these three steps to get started.

Step 1. Choose the Right Compost Ingredients
- The key to a successful compost pile is balancing green (nitrogen-rich) and brown (carbon-rich) materials. Greens provide protein for microbes, while browns offer energy and structure.
  "To keep your compost pile active and productive, turn it once a week to ensure proper oxygen flow."
- Green (Nitrogen-Rich) Materials:
- - Fruit & vegetable scraps
  - Coffee grounds & filters
  - Crushed eggshells
  - Tea bags (BPI-certified compostable packaging & loose-leaf tea)
  - Cooked rice & pasta
  - Stale bread, tortillas, and pitas
  - Spoiled tomato paste & tofu
  - Seaweed
- Brown (Carbon-Rich) Materials:
- - Fallen leaves
  - Woody pruning
  - Black & white newspaper
  - Unwaxed cardboard & paper bags (shredded)
  - Used paper napkins & towels (not soiled with grease/solvents)
  - Floor crumbs, stale cereal, and nut shells (except walnut shells)
  - Wine corks & toothpicks
- Special Situations:
- Certain items require extra care before adding them to your compost bin.
- Remember to be mindful of:
- - Jack-o’-lanterns (must be smashed)
  - Young weeds (may spread if not managed properly)
  - Cooking oil, glue, latex rubber (use with caution)
  - Meat & dairy (freeze or isolate until pickup day to avoid odors)
- For easy collection of food scraps, use Glad Lemon Scented Kitchen Compostable Bags* to keep odors in check while making cleanup a breeze!
Step 2. Turn Your Pile Regularly
- To keep your compost pile active and productive, turn it once a week to ensure proper oxygen flow. This helps:
- - Ventilation: Prevents odors and speeds up decomposition.
  - Faster Breakdown: Proper aeration accelerates the composting process.
  - Heat Generation: The right conditions increase heat, eliminating harmful bacteria and unwanted seeds.
Step 3. Put Your Finished Compost to Use
- Once your compost is ready, put it to work in your garden! Here are some great ways to use it:
- - Soil Amending: Mix compost with your existing soil to improve its nutrient content.
  - Mulch: Spread compost around plants and trees to suppress weeds and enhance fertility.
  - Lawn Dressing: Sprinkle compost on your lawn for healthier, greener grass without synthetic fertilizers.
- Composting is an easy, rewarding way to cut down on waste and nourish your soil. Get started today!
- ^{* Certified for use in municipal composting programs. Do not use or put bags in home compost bins.}