I started a compost bin in my apartment and it cut my trash by half

I live in a small place in Austin and thought composting was only for houses. I got a small bin with a charcoal filter for $25 online. After just two weeks, I was only taking out the kitchen trash once instead of twice a week. It's crazy how much food scraps and paper we throw out. The bin doesn't smell at all, which was my big worry. Has anyone else tried a small space setup that worked for them?

4 comments

4 Comments

dakota4151mo ago

What kind of bin did you get? I saw a thing about worm bins for apartments. They're supposed to be super efficient in tight spaces. My building has a shared compost drop now, but I almost tried that first. Your results are making me reconsider setting up my own.

evakelly1mo ago

Worm bins are great if you can handle the bug factor. The charcoal filter bins are a solid no fuss start. My building got a shared drop too, but having your own means you don't have to deal with other people's gross buckets. It's a game changer for small spaces.

jana_jones1mo ago

What's the over-under on me killing a worm bin in a week? I'm impressed by your setup but my track record with plants is already a red flag... maybe I'll stick with the simple charcoal filter kind too.

joel_clark371d ago

Read a thing online where someone said worm bins are basically impossible to mess up unless you drown them or starve them. @jana_jones, the over-under is probably about a week and a half if you overthink it like most new plant owners do. Charcoal filters are a safe bet, that's what I started with and it kept the smell down enough for my tiny kitchen. Worm bins sound cool but the maintenance factor is real, especially if you travel or forget to feed them. Stick with what works for you, the charcoal route is way less stressful and still helps the planet a bit.