Composting 101 Project

This project aims to teach the public proper procedure for composting as well as explain the importance of composting to reduce our waste. Composting can be done at home or can be picked up curb-side by commercial composting operations.

Check out the Composting 101 Video!

We interviewed business owners and compost professionals to create this video in the spring – summer of 2022. 

How to Compost at Home:


Step 1: Purchase a composting bin, dedicate one of your plastic bins at home to composting, or dedicate space to leave your compost. Oxygen has to be able to get in your pile.
Step 2: When choosing a place to put your bin or pile, make sure it’s flat and well-drained.
Step 3: At the bottom of your compost pile, make sure there’s a layer of coarse materials like twigs at the bottom, cover that layer with leaves.
Step 4: Alternate between layers of ‘green’ materials and ‘brown’ materials. Brown materials include dried leaves, dried grass clippings, bark, and sawdust Green materials include vegetables, flowers, eggshells. Don’t compost meat, dairy, pet waste, metals, glass, or any toxic materials.
Step 5: When adding fresh material, be sure to mix it around with the lower layers.
Step 6: The pile should never be too wet or too dry, it should feel like a wrung-out sponge when you touch it. Add water or dry materials to maintain the right moisture.
Step 7: Regularly stir the composting pile, once a week, to eliminate odor and aid the breakdown process.
Step 8: It should take 4 to 6 months for your compost to decompose, once it’s done it’ll smell like ‘Earth’ and be dark and crumbly.