Composting Household Items?

Question

I just started my first compost pile. I started it not really for the compost but to do my part in reducing trash and helping the environment. So in my bin I've put a base of soil, rabbit food (I read that it was full of nitrogen) and leaves and I've slowly been adding my household trash and covering it with old grass clippings because of flies. So what I need to know is what kind of household items should I compost? I have on my list: veggie and fruit wastes, hair, tea bags, coffee grounds, dryer lint, egg shells. Is there anything else I should be composting? I have a paper shredder should I dump it out into my compost? Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you

Answer 1

It depends on what type of paper you are shredding.  If it is newspaper or bleached or coloured paper then the chemicals in the paper would not be good for the compost and could kill the decaying action.  If, however, you use only unbleached, recycled paper like me, then by all means shred it and compost it.  One thing to watch for is that you do not put meat or any fatty substances into the compost pile as this will draw animals and slow the composting action as well.  Don't forget to turn your pile over every couple of weeks and keep it damp but not too wet.

Answer 2

What you should try to do is achieve heat.  A hot pile is an active pile.  Active means microbes are present and doing their job breaking down all that good stuff.  Heat can be attained by using a few of the following tricks:

Green to brown ratio- try for a 1:1 ratio of green (nitrogen) to carbon (browns)

Grass clippings-very high in nitrogen.  Try to sun dry a little and fluff up a bit to avoid clumping.

Coffee grounds-also very high in nitrogen

Moderate moisture- like a wrung-out sponge

Turn, turn, turn- the microbes need fresh oxygen to do their stuff.  Turning introduces oxygen to the pile.

Sugar-yep that's right!! cane or brown. (or even better: molasses-about a half-cup diluted to a quart of water)  I    think watermelon rhinds also work as a good substitute.  It's got moisture, nitrogen and sugar.

Oh, and don't forget about those banana peels.  They're high in potassium.  Plants love the old vitamin K for disease resistance, fruit production and root growth.

Answer 3

I wouldn't compost your junk mail but you can recycle it.

Answer 4

you just about got it .

meat is better for an animal

have some chickens and half of the stuff can go to them

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

Answer 5

Hmmmm....I dont see why not but then again I dont know anyone who does it....that I know of anyway. I do know not to put meat or bones.

True about the bleach....may not be good.