Composting: An Easy Way to Include Dry Stuff

Whether you're starting an indoor bin, vermicomposting, or utilizing some outside space for a full-fledged compost pile, it's important to add dry things like newspaper. Want to save a step in the composting process? Read on to learn our newfound tip...

Collect your kitchen scraps in sheets of newspaper at each meal. One or two sheets per pound of scraps will do the trick. You'll add to the healthy balance of wet and dry for the compost heap, and you can keep from dirtying up another dish in the kitchen.

(Image: Flickr member Joi, licensed under Creative Commons.)

Comments (4)

But what do you do if you no longer subscribe to a paper newspaper? What are other things could you use?

posted by Shana Lee on August 31st 2009 at 2:48pm
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Shana- I don't get a newspaper either. You could pick up the discarded ones at your local coffee shop, or you can use paper grocery bags cut up. I don't bring those home anymore either but I still have a stash from when I used to.
My one concern about the newspaper is the ink, is it toxic?

posted by wabadee1 on August 31st 2009 at 3:43pm
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Ooh! I bet my local library might have some newspapers I could have as well. ::smacks forehead:: Duh. I'm a librarian. I should have thought of that.

As for the ink, I think newspapers switched to soy-based inks years ago.

posted by Shana Lee on August 31st 2009 at 5:21pm
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I shred any mail that has sensitive personal information on it, such as bank statements or credit card bills. (Most of these I get only electronically, but my auto insurance carrier, for example, insists on sending me some things via snail mail.) I put the shredded paper into my compost bin, which helps keep it from getting too moist. The shredded paper is particularly good, because it's easy to mix it up evenly with the food scraps.

Like wabadee1, I also wonder if the ink is problematic. Anybody know?

posted by romateamo on September 1st 2009 at 4:57pm
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