green is universal

Composting For the Neat Freak

Dear Mr. Green,

I'm committed to being green and I want to create my own compost pile this year. Problem is, I don't like messes and a whole bunch of rotting garbage and worms seems like a big one to me. Any ideas on how I can contain the mess to a small area with out being unsightly or smelly?

Signed,
Clean Cut

Dear Unsoiled Soil,

Gardeners across the planet cherish the rich and chocolaty brown beauty of the richest snack you can offer the earth. And what makes compost so appealing is that you can easily whip-it-up it yourself. Country growers and city dwellers alike can compost--the method is always the same, it's just the volume that changes.

I knew a gallery owner that had a compost bin on her terrace here in New York City. Way above the rumble and madness of taxicabs, businessmen, street performers and the squeal of the subway cars emanating from deep within the bowels of the city, worms wiggled this way and that to turn her kitchen scraps into compost. It allowed her to transform coffee grounds, fruit and vegetable cuttings, and crushed eggshells into something more purposeful than the trash that filled the large plastic bags down on the street below.

A good friend of mine (with the luxury of having a huge backyard in the city) made a compost out of an old milk crate. I told her to pretend that her compost was a vegetarian. Armed with that bit of knowledge she placed her makeshift mini compost bin just outside her backdoor and filled it nightly with the day's non-meat food scraps, and covering it with a salvaged piece of wood. She religiously turned the moistened contents and squealed with delight each and every time a wiggler poked out.

Starting a compost is easy. You can either build a compost frame yourself, purchase one that both suits your space and needs, or better yet, use a recycled plastic container with a lid and holes punched for drainage--all will work. Remember, compost only smells gross when you add meat (beef, pork, fish, chicken, etc., are all no-nos), dairy products or an overabundance of green material. If you keep an even brown to green ratio (say, shredded newspaper to broccoli, or coffee grounds to lettuce) and you'll be good ta' go--and most importantly, turn the mixture over often for aeration. If you can dig some up or buy some night crawlers at a bait and tackle store, add them and they'll do most of the work for you.

Once you've experienced the wonders of the eco-system you've created, and the nutritious gardening you'll be doing, the thought of decomposing food (Not rotting garbage, mind you!) and worms will be a wonder that you'll visit again and again every growing season.

about mr. green

From re-gifting, re-cycling, to natural cleaning products for your home, Mr. Green has all of your ecotiquette answers. Our Mr. Green (aka. Michael De Jong), is the author of "CLEAN: The Humble Art of Zen-Cleansing." He lives in Jersey City with his partner (Richard,) dog (Jack,) and three goldfish (Phil, Jill and Gill) all of which benefit from his natural cleaning techniques. De Jong, who cleaned apartments in New York City while working as a fine artist, began researching and inventing many of the recipes in "CLEAN" and is continually experimenting with safe, effective and eco-friendly alternatives. Raised in the mid-West by an immigrant family that valued the environment and re-cycled before it was fashionable, his quest for non-toxic solutions comes naturally to him. He is currently writing a companion series of "CLEAN" books dealing with such topics as the body, first aid, organization, and food, as well as posting a weekly Blog on www.thedailygreen.com. "CLEAN: The Humble Art of Zen-Cleansing" can be purchased at Barnes & Noble stores across the country or on-line at www.barnesandnoble.com or www.amazon.com.

Click here to send him a question and he'll put in the elbow grease to scrub out the answers!