Hi all! I have a pretty specific question that I haven't been able to figure out the answer to, but I figured since have been so helpful in other things, perhaps you could shed some light on this. I am renting a house for a year with 2 other housemates. The two boys are not eco-conscious at all...I'm always turning off lights after them and making sure the heat isn't too high, etc. Now, I eat a ton of vegetables and just feel so horrible every time I throw scraps away, and I would so like to compost them. Problem is, my landlord won't allow composting on his property, as when I tried to do a compost bin, he taped a letter that said "Put your trash in the dumpster where it belongs." My housemates will throw away an indoor compost if they see it (they already did), and I don't want to attract fruit flies. I'd love to move out, but it's not an option because I can't afford to rent my own place. Is there anything I can do to compost or at least put the plentiful plant matter somewhere where it can biodegrade and not be in anyone's way? Should I just suck it up for a year and throw things out? Yup, I know this is super specific, but if you have any thoughts or ideas I'd appreciate it, because I hate the thought that so much vegetable matter is going into a landfill when it could be just going back to the earth. Any advice is appreciated.
According to Cascade Manufacturing Sales the Worm Factory 360° is completely odorless and great for indoor use. I haven't tried it yet as were waiting until we get our garden ready. Here's the link:
vermicomposting (with worms indoors). You can put a small bin (for one person you dont need anything very big) under the sink and keep it covered, if you have the right balance you wont get fruit flies, even if you do, it is easily remedied by adding more brown matter to absorb the moisture from the green matter. its super low maintenance, you only need to sift out the castings as often as you'd like- every 3, 6, or 9 months. If you are worried about fruit flies, a really simple way to trap them is to take a water or soda bottle, put some food scraps at the bottom, and a funnel at the bottle opening-they can get in but not out.
If I were you, I would look into some local restaurants that compost. Or perhaps there is a household in your area that might compost. You could post your plight on craigslist. Then you could deliver it once a week or twice a week. Ask you roommates to strike a deal with you. Ask, "Can you guys live with a very small container in the kitchen if it's odorless and you take it out twice a week?"
Make a worm bin! You can keep a lid on it and it is odorless! This is a great video that shows how easy it is.http://vimeo.com/2235946
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