Why composting doesn’t have to be hard anymore
Americans have never wasted so much food: 400 pounds per household. That’s about 35 percent of the total U.S. food supply ending up in the trash
Michael J. Coren
Washington Post
Feb 21, 2023
Excerpt:
Few know this, but I have 3,000 employees working for me at home. They don’t punch a clock, but they toil day and night. We never speak, but we meet for a few moments every few days. I supply them with as much food as they can eat, and in return, they furnish an endless supply of black gold.
Composting is something most people assume they can’t or won’t do. And I get it. I was once a non-composter too. I’ve heard about the potential problems: The smells, the flies, the rats, it’s a hassle, no space, an unspoken fear of the unknown. I, too, have battled the fruit fly.
But it turns out, these problems are all avoidable. A new crop of ways to compost has emerged over the past few years. American composters are a growing breed. Their numbers have ticked up over the years thanks to more municipal collection programs — mandatory in states like Vermont — as well as growing interest among those aware of the impact, and value, of their kitchen scraps.
It’s also much easier. New technology and services are available to meet that demand, whether you want a sleek appliance or a ready-made worm farm. If you aren’t composting yet, get ready. As the country aims for net-zero emissions, composting may start to become as common as recycling. Plus, you’ll get the best tomatoes of your life.
