My wife gave me a composting bin for my birthday last week. It’s pretty basic, but it will be a better solution than what I had been doing.

The most basic way to compost, and the one I had been using, is to make a pile on the ground (preferably with worms in it) and cover that with a tarp to keep it warm. There were a few problems we faced with that method. First, we were beginning to have rats, but only after doing this for about year; I guess they would have found it eventually. Second, when I anticipated rain, I had to go out and uncover the pile to keep it moist, and that was cumbersome to do. Also, if it rained and I had the tarp over the pile, little puddles collected, and bugs were laying eggs in those puddles.

This composting bin should or will solve those problems. It is an upright bin with a lid and four doors at ground level. I do still have to turn it over myself, but I don’t mind doing that.

What disappoints me is how expensive composting bins (and rain barrels) are, sometimes up to $400 or $500. Maybe it’s the fad/popularity of it that is jacking the price up. I don’t know, but it bothers me that composting in a safe and clean way can be cost prohibitive for many people. If most people would compost, they would have not only reduced trash loads but also clean fertilizer, which can both diminish strain on landfills and chemical fertilizers. For instance, It has always bothered me to see people put grass clippings and raked-up leaves in big plastic bags . . . it makes no sense to put something biodegradable inside something that isn’t.