Target just released their newest designer line, MIO for Target, that features outdoor + environmentally-friendly products. My favorite pick: the MIO composter. Only Jaime and Isaac Salm could design a composter that looks this good. I asked the MIO brothers all about composting — since it's such a simple, green change in lifestyle that I'd like to take on (but don't know much about.)
Why is
composting a good thing to do?
Composting removes solid waste from waste streams which can
be turned into useful nutrients for plants. It is an easy way to reduce your
footprint, transform habits and foster awareness and interest in
sustainability. We are (especially in North America)
very detached from our waste and see it as something dirty and undesirable.
Composting makes the "waste = food" mantra a reality in the home.
Why is
composting better than, say, tossing food scraps down your garbage disposal?
Tossing foods into water streams is not a good thing. It is
part of the out-of-sight and out-of-mind mentality that has driven us to where we
are today. There is something quite beautiful about biology at work as well.
Can you compost in the city? What can you do with compost if you don't have a garden (or window box?)
City dwellers can compost. There are compost give-away days
at farmer markets nationwide and there are community gardens which would be
more than happy to accept your compost. One can also search and post
on Craigslist with varying degrees of success. As a last resort, one
can always search nearby trees, flower-beds and other shrubbery to
feed.
Give me
the dirt — does it smell?
Composting when done correctly does not smell. Unless you
count the fresh scent of dirt. It is important to keep the compost
"diet" balanced, not to overfeed and avoid oily foods as well as
meats and meat-derived products. It is important to keep the compost moist but
not too wet and at room temperature. Regulating it by adding
dry shredded paper helps. In general the healthier you eat, the
healthier your compost bin will be.
What do
you need to set up your composter?
All you need to set up the MIO for Target
composter is shredded newspaper or cardboard as a base and two pounds of red wiggler
worms. The rest will be an adjustment period until you get the hang of it.
How is
the MIO for Target composter
different from other composters?
We designed a beautiful and practical composter that fits
indoors. There is no reason why composters should be clunky and unsightly. From
a functional point of view we use a tray mechanism that allows for continuous
compost production and for the worms to easily travel from one bin to the next.
This is to avoid the hassle of having to separate the worms from the compost in
other more time consuming ways. Our composer has a tea tray with a spigot that
is hidden at the bottom keeping the design sleek. We built some nice handles
into the trays to make them easy to transport and remove. I would dare
say it's the most chic composter out there. [I agree!]
What
can you compost? What should you avoid?
Good things to compost: shredded paper,
cardboard, tissues, egg cartons, junk mail (no plastic), napkins, veggies
(table scraps), peels, veggies past their prime, starches such as stale bread,
pancakes, pasta and pizza crusts, fruits (scraps, peels, cores,
overripe), coffee grounds and filters, egg shells, tea bags without
plastic or staples, dead flowers, plants, leaves and trimmings.
Good things to avoid: meat, bones, dairy products, oily
foods, salt, vinegar, plastic, metal, and any other non-biodegradable material.
What are mistakes people make in composting?
The best way to compost is to start with
the simple things that composters are good at biodegrading.
Adding too much food is a common mistake that can be easily avoided by looking
at the compost. If the material is not breaking down into compost at the same
rate as you are feeding it, than you can stop feeding and give the worms a
chance to catch up. Other ways of improving results include using your blender
to break down foods before placing them into the compost bin or chopping everything
into smaller bits for faster breakdown.
[a special thanks to MIO designers Jaime + Isaac Salm for this super helpful composting 101 — and I'm so getting that cool MIO composter!]
The MIO for Target line is only in stores for 4 weeks — it's a quickie so get to Target soon for composters, portable organic cotton hammocks, and solar-powered lights.
{green swap photograph by charlotte jenks lewis}
Friday's topic: an ecovillage in New Zealand
tomorrow's topic: eco-friendly paint
what's green swap? find out more here
