Subscribe to RSS feedHome Composting and Bins
For less than ten minutes a week you can reduce your garbage and create healthy soil for your plants. It's quick, it's easy—it's home composting! Home composting takes little time, space and effort, and it's so rewarding. Give it a try. Your plants (and your pocketbook) will thank you!
Why is Composting Important?
Organic waste material, like yard clippings and food scraps, can be given "new life" through composting. Finished compost is a wonderful soil amendment that improves texture and adds important nutrients to the soil in your garden, creating healthy, thriving plants. From tomatoes to tulips, compost keeps your garden growing strong.
Home composting is also an effective way to reduce waste. Currently, over one-third of the waste generated by central Contra Costa County communities consists of yard and food waste. If residents compost their yard and kitchen waste, we can go a long way toward satisfying California's challenging goal of a 50% total reduction in waste.
We Can Get You Started
Our goal is simple—to promote simple techniques that are easy to perform and effective when used. Our program offers instruction on all aspects of home composting, including:
- Grasscycling
- Mulching
- Worm Box Composting (Vermicompost)
- Bin Composting
FREE Instructional Workshops and Videos
Our "Home Composting for Busy People!" workshops can teach you everything you need to get started. Find a workshop in your area today!
Can’t make a workshop? Request a free video you can watch at home. The package includes a 17 minute video for adults, a short video produced for children, and instruction on grasscycling.
Composting Bins
Smith & Hawken Biostack
The Smith & Hawken Biostack uses a unique stacking design to make effective composting easier than ever. Double-walled construction with air venting insures healthy and sustained composting. Until now, the Biostack was only available from Smith & Hawken for $130.00 or more. Now the Home Composting for Busy People! Program will ship the Biostack to residents in our service area for only-$62.00 (includes UPS shipping charges) plus sales tax.
Some commonly asked questions about the Biostack include:
- Dimensions- 35" tall, 30" wide, and 30" deep
- Capacity - about one cubic yard
- Construction - Heavy duty black, recycled plastic
- Shipping time- 2 to 6 weeks
Bins can only be sold to residents in our service area,
which includes:
-
Danville
-
Lafayette
-
Moraga
-
Orinda
-
Walnut Creek
-
unincorporated Contra Costa County, including Blackhawk, Diablo and Alamo
-
San Ramon
Norseman Earth Machine Bin
The Norseman Earth Machin compost bin is a domed shaped bin, slightly smaller then the Biostack. Because of its smaller size and profile, the Earth Machine is ideal for smaller yards and gardens! The Earth Machine is designed for the "passive style" of composting, meaning you don't have to turn or agitate the bins contents on a regular basis. Over a period of time, usually between 4-10 months, the yard and food waste placed within the Earch Machine will decompose. As material breaks down, it moves to the bottom of the bin. A small door at the base of the Earth Machine allows for the removal of finished compost. The Earth Machine is an ideal compost bin for residents who don't want to do the extra work of turning the compost bins contents every other week, as recommended with the Biostack. The CCCSWA is pleased to offer the Earth Machine compost bin for a discounted price of $39.00 plus sales tax (regular retail price is $70 or more). You can purchase the Norseman Earth Machine bin at the Walnut Creek Recycling Center at 480 Lawrence Way, Walnut Creek, 94596 or call (925) 935-8900. More information below.
Some commonly asked questions about the Earth Machine are:
- Dimensions - 33" tall and 30" in diameter at base
- Capacity - half cubic yard
- Construction - Heavy duty black, recycled plastic
- Shipping time - None - The Earth Machine is available all the time at the Walnut Creek Recycling Center (see below)
Purchase the Earth Machine at the Walnut Creek Recycling Center located at 480 Lawrence Way (Cross Street is Parkside Dr.) in downtown Walnut Creek. The center is open Tuesday through Saturday from 8:30 to 5:00 pm. Cash and Personal Checks only - No Credit Cards Accepted.
NatureMill Indoor Composter
The CCCSWA is now offering its service area residents a 30% OFF online coupon code. This composter is perfect for apartments, condos, or townhomes. If you don't have the time or space for an outdoor system this composter will be perfect for your home. It's 20" high by 20" wide by 12" deep, and produces compost in only two weeks! This composter is for food waste only - no yard waste. To view and purchase please visit www.naturemill.com. For the online coupon code please call (925) 906-1801 x306. Comes in black and silver.
NatureMill was featured in the Wall Street Journal. Click here to read the article.
"Passive" vs "Active" Composting Methods and Composting Bins
Which form of composting and composting bins fits your schedule? "Passive" composting is adding yard waste to your bin or compost pile and doing little or no maintenance. The Earth Machine compost bin is designed to be a "Passive style" bin. Passive composting is very easy to do but will prolong the time to compost, almost a year or longer. "Active" composting is when you actively maintain your system in ways described in Step 3 of our instruction sheet. This means you will "turn" or mix the compost bin contents to add oxygen and moisture. The Biostack is designed to be an "Active style" compost bin. It will usually produce finished compost in six months or less!
Advice & Assistance
Needs more help? Call us at 906-1801 x306 or email your questions to authority@wastediversion.org.