We all know that compost is good for the garden and we also know that recycling garden waste into compost is good for the environment. So the more items that can be turned into compost the better. Naturally grass clippings will be included, but do you collect bee droppings and lint from behind the refrigerator? Or unpaid bills, toenail clippings and dried jellyfish? These are just a few of the things that can be composted and the complete list of 163 should be printed out and stuck to the fridge door to remind us not to throw but to compost. The list is contained in an article by Marion Owens from the Plan Tea website.
A young boy and his father were walking along a beach, when suddenly they came upon thousands of starfish left stranded on the sand by the receding tide. The young boy leaned over, picked up a starfish and tossed it, like a Frisbee, back into the ocean. Then he picked up another one, and carried it to the water’s edge.
“Son, what are you doing? You can’t possibly save them all.”
“I guess not. But these uns’ll make it.”
The youngster believed that even when the situation seemed hopeless, he could do his part. Composting is like that, too.
Every year, tons of organic materials are thrown away, needlessly filling up landfills. By composting these materials, you can lengthen the life of your local landfill. Like tossing a starfish back into the ocean, you can make a difference by composting.
Compost to plants is like a healthy gourmet dinner to us. Compared to preparing a snazzy dinner however, making compost is easy, easy, easy. To learn how to make and use compost, read my Compost Happens! article.
Compost is not limited to tossing leaves and grass clippings into a pile. It’s much more creative than that! Here’s a list of 163 materials (and still counting!) you can add to your compost pile or even bury in your garden. Just think, 163 materials that don’t end up in the landfill. Plus, your plants benefit from the gourmet meal. Such a deal.
If you see something I’ve missed, send me an email so I can add it to the list. Just for fun, scan the whole list. You’ll find more resources, plus a surprise at the end by a letter sent in by Jean Bell, an organic gardener in Scotland…
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Paper napkins
Freezer-burned vegetables
Burlap coffee bags
Pet hair
Potash rock
Post-it notes
See the rest of the list at Plan Tea
Image source: Kirsty Hall
