Composting 101 | HTH 016

How to Home Podcast

This week, Aaron and Tracy chat with Tess and Baba of Epic Renewal. We cover composting basics and touch on some common misconceptions people have about the process.

LET’S CHAT!

You can always call and leave your questions and comments on our voicemail!

978-709-1040

Composting Facts from Tess and Baba:

- The benefits of composting:1. Reducing the gas used by trucks on the road.2. Creates self reliance and jobs.3. Composting creates soil health- it acts as a booster shot to the soil.4. By changing habits in our kitchen and our home we can make a big difference.

- You don’t want to compost things that contain pathogens (like meat). There are a ton of resources online for what you can compost and we’ve included them below.

- How do you find the right composting method for you? Take into consideration: your space, the speed you want the process to be & the money you’re willing to spend. There are home tumbling composters that take about 2 months, or you can just make a pile outside and eventually it will turn into finished compost.

- You can avoid the pests by using closed containers or working to balance your piles right.

- Industrial composting can break down pathogens (meat, eggs etc), but home composting can’t.

- In a healthy teaspoon of soil there are more microorganisms than there are people on earth, and that works in tandem with our plants to make our earth better.

About Epic Renewal:

- They are a curbside composting company in Los Angeles.

- Inspired by not being able to compost in their LA neighborhood.

- You can do this type of composting (Bokashi) in any size home.

- Epic Renewal provides you with a clean container, you fill it with organic waste and they pick it up and compost it.

- Containers are airtight and don’t produce a smell (unless you open them).

Changes You Can Make To Create A More Sustainable Lifestyle:

- When you’re cooking start scraping scraps into a bowl on the counter to create that habit. Once you’ve created the habit you can start moving scraps to a bin.

- Bring to-go coffee containers and straws with you.

- Cook at home more, eat out less.

- Carpool and/or optimize routes.

- Swap out staples with reusable items.

- Meal plan.

- Think about the meat and produce you buy.

- Be patient with yourself. Building habits takes time.

- Source from local farmers markets.

- Tracy suggests reusing items as art supplies for kids.

Resources:

The How & Tips to Get Started

- US EPA

- NRDC

- Find composting options near you:

1. An overview of all options in your area (Covers US States): https://www.litterless.com/wheretocompost

2. Find Compost Pick-Up Services Like Epic Renewal: https://compostnow.org/compost-services/

Soil Health // The Why // Digging In Deeper:

- The Compost Story /

- The Soil StoryKiss the Ground - Josh Tickell

- Cows Save the Planet - Judith Schwarz

- Institute for Local Self Reliance - A great resource for building a community-scale compost solution!

- Waste Free Kitchen Handbook - Dana Gunders

- Going Zero Waste's 31 Day Challenge - This is an awesome way to take a small step towards reducing your waste. Even if you pick just one, you're making a difference!

PHONE CALLS/SOCIAL:

Q: What was the turning point in your life that motivated you to start this business?

A: Not having access to composting in LA (as renters).

Q: What’s the most exciting development in sustainability you’ve seen recently?

A: Package free restaurants. They have containers you return. A lot more companies are also leaning towards more options that don’t require plastic packaging (refill stations etc).

Q: What are tips I can apply to my life to become more sustainable TODAY?

A: Reusable containers and wasting less food!

Epic Renewal INFO

Website | https://epicrenewal.org

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/epic_renewal

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