You don’t have to be an avid gardener to compost your food scraps. We’re sharing stories of people who are composting for all sorts of reasons!

Tell us a bit about yourself
My name is Chris and I live in Birkenhead with my partner. We have a house with its own garden, but the soil is primarily clay so it’s hard to dig. We have a small veggie garden, but not a huge need for a lot of compost.

What composting method(s) do you use?
We have a traditional cold compost heap for the raw food waste, so things like veggie trimmings and scraps. Then we use a Bokashi system for the things that can’t go straight into the compost heap, like cooked food scraps.

When did you start composting and what do you enjoy about it?
I’ve been composting for about 10 years now and I really enjoy it. It gets me out into the garden regularly, even for just a short time and I like honing the process. I’ve attended Compost Collective workshops to learn more.

I think it’s a bit like cooking in that you have to get the ingredients and composition just right. I’m the main composter in the household and it’s become my ritual to empty the bin and refine how we run our system.

Why do you compost, even if you aren’t using some or all of the end results yourself?
It’s a way to get rid of waste without putting it into a landfill. I do try to use some in the garden, but for me, the main thing is to get rid of this type of waste in an economical and environmentally friendly way.

My rubbish bins are cleaner, I don’t need to use a plastic liner and I’m putting my bin out for collection much less too. Composting has made a huge difference in that respect, I have a lot less waste and that’s saving me money on getting rid of it.

How do you make composting an easy part of everyday life?
You’ve got to have a good system in the kitchen. We have two metal bins, and one is for putting all our raw veggie scraps that go straight into the compost heap.

We collect scraps for our Bokashi using a secondhand steamer-style saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Since you aren’t supposed to put anything that’s too liquid into a Bokashi, this helps drain it off.

The scraps sit in the top part and any liquid drains through the steamer holes. Then when it’s full, I empty the solids into the Bokashi, and get rid of the liquid. It’s a method I arrived at through experimentation to find what works for us.

Inspired to start composting?

To learn more about composting, attend one of our free workshops.

If you want to compost your food scraps but you can’t use the end results yourself, sign up to ShareWaste which connects people with food scraps to give to those who want them for their own backyard compost or chickens.

Are you a composter with a story to share? Get in touch with us.

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