The idea behind composting is simple: “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”. While a bit cliché, this concept has been around since the beginning of man. Ancient civilizations employed the use of composts to eliminate organic waste and help improve soil quality. Today, millions have latched onto the idea and are beginning to compost in backyards everywhere.

To join the ranks of eco-friendly composters across the globe, here’s what to do:

PICK A BIN:

While the use of composting bins is not necessary to compost, they do serve a purpose. Compost bins allow for quicker decomposition, provide protection of compost materials from scavenging animals, and help keep the compost pile from becoming an unsightly mess.

Bins can be purchased or made from home. Ready made bins can be found online or at most home improvement stores. Dependent on the style and size, most pre-manufactured compost bins start around $30.00 and can range into the hundreds. High quality bins can be expected to cost as much as $600.00.

If this price tag seems a little hefty, creating a homemade composting bin is uncomplicated, requires little skill and the purchase of only a few items. Here are the things needed to build a small starter composter:

• 3ftx5ft precut chicken wire for the compost walls.
• 2 to 4 wooden or metal stakes to steady the walls.
• Hammer to pound in stakes.
• 16 inches of galvanized wire for connecting the walls and stakes.
• Wire cutters to trim extra wire.
• Pliers to bend the connecting wires.

START BUILDING:

After gathering the necessary parts and tools, assembly can begin. Construction should only take10 to 15 minutes for completion. Follow the steps below:

1. With precut chicken wire on the ground lengthwise, hold the top of one end and pull to the opposite end. At this point, the chicken wire should have the shape of a cylinder.
2. Using extra galvanized wire and pliers, connect the two ends. Generally, there should be a connection at the top, middle, and bottom.
3. Stand the cylinder up and place it in the area where composting will be done.
4. Hammer into the ground, 2 to 4 wooden or metal stakes on the inside walls of cylinder.
5. Tie the stakes to side using galvanized wire and trim with wire cutters.

REDUCE AND REUSE:

When assembly is complete, the new composter is ready to work. Simply toss in unused organic scraps such as egg shells, coffee grounds, newspaper, cardboard, and vegetables. Other organic ingredients like hair trimmings, animal manure, and grass cuttings can also be added. It has, however; been recommended that meat and dairy products not be used for composting as they present problems with odor and unwanted pests.

Once the compactor begins to fill, the contents inside will start to decompose. After a couple of weeks, the product of decomposition becomes a high grade fertilizer that can be used in the garden, on the lawn, or in house plants.

Composting may seem like a tiny way to help protect the environment, but its benefits are huge. When people use composting systems, not only does it reduce the amount of bulk waste in landfills, it also creates a valuable product out of common waste.

Since the dawn of civilization, man has created rubbish. Admittedly, waste was minimal in early times and presented no real disposal problems. As it consisted mainly of degradable materials such as vegetable remnants and bones, ancient refuse was either recycled or composted. Items that couldn’t be reused or broken down such as clay pots were scattered away or buried.

As time progressed, humans evolved into more industrial creatures. The manufacture and consumption of new materials presented mankind with a fresh dilemma. Rubbish needed to be maintained, but how?

Forced by disease and pestilence, waste management systems arose to eliminate problem trash. In order for the systems to function properly, individual households and businesses would need a way to store and transport litter to designated elimination areas. The days of sweeping rubbish to the side were over and a new era of personal responsibility emerged.

Rubbish bins became commonplace in homes and institutions. These specialized containers enabled citizens to effectively store accumulated garbage and allowed for easy transfer of its contents to dumping sites. Garbage cans revolutionized waste management into an easy affair.

In present day, the idea that someone would not have a garbage can is preposterous. Most households have at least one in every room. Such high demand for rubbish bins has sent the trash can industry into overload. Trash bins vary in shape, size, and color. General sizes of residential household rubbish bins include 4gallon, 8gallon, 13gallon, and 32gallon. Most trash cans require liners, often called trash bags. Trash bags help to reduce bacteria and make emptying the can effortless. Most bins are made of highly durable plastic, but can be created from wood or metal.

Although most garbage cans are used for trash, there are other tasks in which the rubbish bins can be useful.

RECYCLING: In today’s society, the rubbish bin has transformed into a way to help preserve the planet. Many homes employ the use of trash cans to sort and hold different varieties of recyclables such as aluminum and plastic.

ANIMAL FEED: Lidded garbage cans allow for ample storage of dog, cat and horse feed. Trash cans work well for this purpose as it locks out moisture and pests.

PLANTERS: Depending on the size of the trash can, it may be used indoor or outdoor as a plant or tree pot. When using the can as a planter, it is a good idea to poke or drill small holes in the bottom for excess water drainage.

Rubbish bins can be purchased online or in stores everywhere. Depending on the model, price will vary. Top brands for trash cans include Rubbermaid and Georgia-Pacific, but can be found under many other manufacturers.

While the simple garbage can made taking out the trash easier, the invention of the trash compactor brought managing waste to a whole new level. Created in the 1970’s for home use, the trash compactor was a space saving, built in appliance that stored and crushed rubbish. The purpose for the compactor is to maximize the amount of trash that could go into a single bag. Compounding garbage not only saves money on bags, but also reduces bulk in common dumping areas.