( life update )Anyway, let's knock out a quick Sustainability Sunday, so at least I can keep up with
one of my self-imposed weekly series.
This week I'm going to blather about something I do that is not the most sustainable choice in my current city, but was
great where I used to live: municipal composting.
When I lived in Iceland, my town collected every bit of organic waste for composting, including things like meat bones, tea bags, and paper towels, that shouldn't go in your backyard compost. Every dwelling was issued
a breathable compost bucket (or maybe my landlady bought it, not sure) for use with
biodegradablecompostable corn bags sold at the grocery store, which I'd fill and then put in a small bin that rested inside the large garbage bin out back for collection day. I assume the compost eventually made its way into the flower beds and grassy spaces around town, or perhaps to farmers in the wider region.
I loved it; it was really easy to do; and it really reduces the smell. My mom used to keep compost in a plastic container by the sink, and the difference in smell is
palpable between that airtight environment and the breathable biobag and bucket.
My big US city doesn't municipally compost (I wish; can you imagine??). I live in an apartment, so even if I wanted to, I'm sure it's illegal to compost on the fire escape or in the alley. There are local collectives that you can join for composting, but most of them are neither cost-effective nor time-effective for a household of 1. I was planning to join one anyway, but then the green-friendly shop that had been running the program went out of business. :/
Nonetheless, I'm still keeping the same household practices that I developed in Iceland. I ordered a biobag bin and some bags, and I put all my organics in it .. before the bag goes straight into the trash can. So, in effect, I've bought an unnecessary plastic thing and am actually adding to the amount that goes in the landfill by way of biodegradable corn bags. But it keeps my kitchen cleaner and less smelly than putting food scraps directly in the trash -- especially with kitty(ies) that don't always finish their wet food. And since it isn't actually going to compost, I feel no guilt at using it for any kind of wet, gross, or smelly trash.
So I can't really recommend this method of composting unless you're lucky enough to live in a place that municipally supports it, but I DO recommend it for improved kitchen hygiene.