Home Composting

Why Compost?

Over 28% of the waste we throw away is food scraps! When this waste goes to the landfill, it begins to break down in the absence of oxygen, creating harmful methane gas (CH4) instead of carbon dioxide (CO2). Methane is a much more powerful greenhouse gas than CO2, which contributes to the climate crisis.

Instead of throwing your scraps to the landfill, you can compost them to:

  • Recycle the food waste into nitrogen-rich garden soil
  • Help your garden retain moisture,
  • Reduce the need for chemical fertilizers,
  • Encourage the production of beneficial bacteria,
  • Reduce methane emissions,
  • & Lower your carbon footprint!

 

composting-101-graphic

 

Download Composting 101 Poster (.PDF)

Composting at Home

Once you’ve purchased your composter, you’re ready to start reducing your carbon footprint! Below we created a guide to help you maintain your compost.

  • Find a sunny, shady spot to place your composter near your home, so you can easily access it during the winter
  • Add brown and green waste to your compost as they are collected. Make sure they are chopped or shredded into smaller pieces, to ensure efficient degradation (see our Composting 101 guide above, for reference)
  • Moisten dry materials when added
  • Using tools such as pitchforks, shovels, and watering-hoses are helpful to maintain regular mixing, turning, and watering for compost upkeep
  • When the material at the bottom of your compost resembles soil, your compost is ready to use in your garden! The composting process can take anywhere from 2 months to a year to be complete.
Click HERE to watch a quick Composting 101 video!

Composting Workshops

EcoSuperior provides public composting workshops! If you are interested, please contact our program coordinator, here, for more details about getting a presentation that is right for you.

 

Looking to Buy a Composter?

EcoSuperior has you covered!

Through a subsidy program provided by the City of Thunder Bay, EcoSuperior is able to offer affordable backyard composters for city residents. Available to city residents only. 

Please note, composters are only available spring to fall and sales are suspended through the winter. 

Purchase one here!

white-on-transparentreenvision_waste_wordmark_1967px

This composting program is funded by the City of Thunder Bay, & delivered by EcoSuperior.