Aeri the aerobic bacterium is looking forward to the treats you bring to his compost bin when you clean up from your Easter feast with friends and family. Aerobic bacteria will digest food scraps (including ham bones and egg shells) and compostable paper plates and cups, making rich soil for local farms. Unlike landfills, industrial compost services like CompostNow! (which picks up compost at CUCC) keep greenhouse gases like methane out of the atmosphere.
Here is a list of what is compostable.
How can you tell if paper plates, cups, and disposable utensils are compostable?
Look for the word “compostable” stamped on the item or on the packaging. “Recyclable” or “made with recycled content” or “biodegradable” cannot be composted. To be “compostable” = the item must say “compostable.”
How to keep your compostables from getting stinky
Until the next time you go to CUCC, put your compostable items in a plastic container in your refrigerator or freezer. Remember – no plastic bags go in the compost bin.
Where is CUCC’s compost bin?
The rolling bin is outside and can be accessed at any hour. It is in a nook off the courtyard outside the kitchen windows. The compost is picked up every Wednesday, so the bin tends to have the most space later in the week and on the weekend.
If you have questions about CUCC’s compost program, contact Gary Smith at smithgk@mindspring.com.