By By Colleen Vanderlinden Via Planet Green
The basics of composting are simple. Most people know they can compost fruit and vegetable peels, leaves, and grass clippings. But what about that tea bag you used this morning? Or the fur that collects in the brush when you groom your cat?
The following list is meant to get you thinking about your compost possibilities. Not every item on the list is for everyone, and that’s fine. Imagine how much trash we could prevent from going into the landfills if each of us just decided to compost a few more things. Here are 75 ideas to get you started.
From the Kitchen
1. Coffee grounds and filters
2. Tea bags
3. Used paper napkins
4. Pizza boxes, ripped into smaller pieces
5. Paper bags, either ripped or balled up
6. The crumbs you sweep off of the counters and floors
7. Plain cooked pasta
8. Plain cooked rice
9. Stale bread
10. Paper towel rolls
11. Stale saltine crackers
12. Stale cereal
13. Used paper plates (as long as they don’t have a waxy coating)
14. Cellophane bags (be sure it’s really Cellophane and not just clear plastic—there’s a difference.)
15. Nut shells (except for walnut shells, which can be toxic to plants)
16. Old herbs and spices
17. Stale pretzels
18. Pizza crusts
19. Cereal boxes (tear them into smaller pieces first)
20. Wine corks
21. Moldy cheese
22. Melted ice cream
23. Old jelly, jam, or preserves
24. Stale beer and wine
25. Paper egg cartons
26. Toothpicks
27. Bamboo skewers
28. Paper cupcake or muffin cups
From the Bathroom
29. Used facial tissues
30. Hair from your hairbrush
31. Toilet paper rolls
32. Old loofahs
33. Nail clippings
34. Urine
35. 100% Cotton cotton balls
36. Cotton swabs made from 100% cotton and cardboard (not plastic) sticks
Personal Items
It might be a good idea to bury these items in your pile. Just sayin’.
37. Cardboard tampon applicators
38. Latex condoms
From the Laundry Room
39. Dryer lint
40. Old/stained cotton clothing—rip or cut it into smaller pieces
41. Old wool clothing—rip or cut it into smaller pieces
From the Office
42. Bills and other documents you’ve shredded
43. Envelopes (minus the plastic window)
44. Pencil shavings
45. Sticky notes
46. Business cards (as long as they’re not glossy)
47. Receipts
Around the House
48. Contents of your vacuum cleaner bag or canister
49. Newspapers (shredded or torn into smaller pieces)
50. Subscription cards from magazines
51. Leaves trimmed from houseplants
52. Dead houseplants and their soil
53. Flowers from floral arrangements
54. Natural potpourri
55. Used matches
56. Ashes from the fireplace, barbecue grill, or outdoor fire pit
Party and Holiday Supplies
57. Wrapping paper rolls
58. Paper table cloths
59. Crepe paper streamers
60. Latex balloons
61. Raffia
62. Excelsior
63. Jack o’ Lanterns
64. Those hay bales you used as part of your outdoor fall decor
65. Natural holiday wreaths
66. Your Christmas tree. Chop it up with some pruners first (or use a wood chipper, if you have one…)
67. Evergreen garlands
Pet-Related
68. Fur from the dog or cat brush
69. Droppings and bedding from your rabbit/gerbil/hamsters, etc.
70. Newspaper/droppings from the bottom of the bird cage
71. Feathers
72. Alfalfa hay or pellets (usually fed to rabbits)
73. Rawhide dog chews
74. Fish food
75. Dry dog or cat food
I know that the longer I’ve had a compost pile, the more likely I’ve been to take a second look at something I was preparing to throw in the trash. “Hmm. Can I compost this?” is a frequent question in my house. And, as you can see, it’s surprising how often you can answer “Yes!”
Image Source: Yahoo Green
If putting non-veg foodstuff like dogfood, pizza etc on a compost heap make sure it is totally sealed to avoid attracting rodents (rats etc).
That’s a great list. There are so many things that I hadnt even thought of.
Have you heard of these plastic bottles made from corn plastic? I wonder if they could be added to the compost pile too as apparently they decompose in about 6 months. I know there is controversy about plastic bottles in general but thats not the issue here. I’m just saying fo those who still choose to use them maybe they could be composted?
I do not agree with some of these. I share produce from my garden, and personally, I would NOT want to eat from someone elses garden who was disposing of their used condoms, tampon applicators and urine in it. The nail clippings and hair do not bother me so much. Other than that, there is some good info here- stuff I never thought about.
I’ve also composted old feather and down pillows and old cotton or wool blankets.
You can also compost pencils after you cut off the erasers. Done it. As for urine, it is the poor man’s fertilizer. I wrote an article about it on my site. I would rather use it around a tree since they love urine.
I am a little leary of using what is in my vacuum or dryer. Dust from your house could contain flame retardants, pesticides that you tracked in, and other toxic chemicals. I am not sure how that breaks down in a composter. See the EWG’s article about dust bunnies. If anyone knows, I would love to know since I keep eying my lint for the composter.
As for corn plastic, you have to break it up in small pieces for it to decompose. Same goes for paper and cardboard.
Anything dairy or meat can attract rodents. If I do but dairy in in, it isn’t very much. I have put sour milk in my compost.
I feel the same way as the author of the article. Before I pitch, I look if I can compost it or reuse.
Great article!