![]() You need equal parts browns and greens for proper composting. And water is necessary as moisture is needed to break down all of the above into compost. ![]() Browns are things like twigs, dead leaves, and branches which provide carbon greens are the food scraps you think of when you think of composting, among other compostable items, all of which provide nitrogen. In general, to compost, you need three basic things: What the EPA refers to as browns, greens, and water. (There are plenty of neighborhoods in New York City, for example, that have compost collection days on the sidewalk.) If you don't actually want to create your own compost but would prefer not to just toss compostable items in the trash, you can collect scraps in a bin and check with your city to see if there are local compost collection sites. And in any case, with proper compost bins and care, you shouldn't have any issues with funky smells, not to mention bugs or other pests. For indoor composting, you've got a few options-you can collect scraps in a special compost bin that will allow waste to be broken down and turned into compost, or you can use a worm composter (AKA vermicomposting.) Composting with worms is basically the same concept, except rather than letting the scraps break down on their own, worms do the work for you and speed up the process. No, you don't need a backyard in order to compost. And composting is a lot simpler than it seems. When you compost your food scraps and other compostable waste, you not only reduce methane emissions and your carbon footprint, you also create a nutrient-filled substance that enriches soil, keeps your plants healthier, and reduces the need for chemical fertilizers. And according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, food scraps currently make up around 30 percent of what people throw away, when most of it could be composted instead. Composting puts your food waste to use instead of sending it straight to the landfills with your trash, which is important because when food scraps sit in landfills, they release methane, a greenhouse gas. You might be used to tossing your food scraps in the garbage, but if you're worried about the environment and curious about composting, here's what you need to know.
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