Start simple. You need only a small space outdoors to start converting food scraps into a “supercharged” soil additive. Start your compost heap with an airy layer of “brown” materials—dry leaves, hay, or shredded newspaper. “The browns provide carbon.”
Layer it on. Add a thinner “green layer” next. This is where food scraps go—fruits, vegetables, coffee grounds. Grass clippings also work well in the green layers, which produce nitrogen. “Continue layering browns and greens in a 2-to-1 ratio, ending with a layer of brown.”
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.