It's a small effort on her part, but Catherine Ryan doesn't want her waste to go to waste. A Manhattanite and contributor to Self Magazine, Ryan learned that she can help the environment by turning her trash into a treasure by composting.
“Composting is taking all of your organic waste and turning into this nutrient-rich soil that you can put back into the soil,” said Ryan.
Most people would think you need space and time to compost, but Ryan does it in a single trashcan on her small patio in Harlem.
She starts by saving her organic scraps in a yogurt container under the sink.
“You can compost any vegetables, any fruits, bread, pasta, rice, paper towels, tea bags, egg shells,” said Ryan. “Anything other than oils and meats - those smell when break down and attract pests.”
One magazine writer has converted her organic trash into compost, saving almost a quarter-ton of garbage from the landfill. Jill Scott filed the following report.
When it fills up, she adds it to a trashcan which serves as a compost bin outside. The waste is mixed with newspaper or dried leaves to keep a balance between wet and dry. A four-inch layer of paper is also left on top to deter pests.
Circles of holes punched into the side of the bin allow for air to pass through, creating aerobic decomposition which leaves practically no odor. A regular sealed garbage can with no air would have anaerobic decomposition, creating a “garbage smell.”
Depending on the season, it can take a few months for scraps to turn into compost - and the only maintenance it requires is a good stirring once a month.
Once it is time to harvest the compost, Ryan dumps out her bin – although other bins have a sliding door at the bottom. The compost is in various stages of decomposition, but the very bottom is the pay dirt.
Compost can be added with water directly onto the soil. In Ryan’s case, she just scoops up some of the muddy substance that no longer looks like food and places it right on the soil. As Ryan adds nutrients to her garden and lets her garden grow, the landfill doesn't.
“I actually save about 5 lbs. a week of scraps from going to landfill, and I calculated that is almost a quarter ton of garbage that is not going to the landfill,” said Ryan.
To learn more about Ryan’s composting experience, check out www.self.com.
There are various methods and materials for composting, and to find out how to get started, visit www.nyccompost.org or www.nyc.gov.