Start Composting at Home With This 4.7-Star-Rated Bin for $30

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Vremi/Amazon / Vremi/Amazon
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For anyone who lives in a smaller space or apartment, composting may feel like one of those things only people with large yards or ranches can do. After all, sharing an enclosed space with rotting food scraps doesn't sound like the ideal way to enjoy life. But small-scale, indoor composting is definitely possible, and you won't even have to fill your home with any unpleasant odors to get it done.

If you're just looking to dip your toe in the water and do your part to cut down on food waste around the country, this 4.7-star-rated Vremi Agent of Change Kitchen Compost Bin can help you get started. This $30 bin is attractive enough to keep out on your countertop, but it's also small enough to fit under a sink to hide away. Made of durable, rust-resistant stainless steel, the bin is about 11 inches tall, 6.5 inches wide, and can be filled with about 1.2 gallons of liquid, making it large enough to fit about a week's worth of compostable kitchen waste.

Two key issues most people have with composting—odor and potentially attracting bugs and insects—are combated via the activated charcoal filter, which fits on the bin's vented lid. The filter traps odors and can be hand-washed and reused for up to six months. Customers praised the bin's ability to keep odors out, with one saying, "[the] lid forms a tight seal and has several layers of filters to stop the odors from escaping." The bucket and lid are also safe to use in a dishwasher.

According to the EPA, composting at home requires three basic ingredients: “browns,” “greens,” and water. Browns are dry carbon-rich materials like dead leaves, branches, twigs, egg cartons, and paper that's generally unprocessed. Greens are generally wet, nitrogen-rich materials like food scraps, flowers, grass clippings, coffee grounds, and eggshells. A compost pile should have an equal amount of browns and greens, with enough water to provide moisture to break down organic matter. After two to five weeks, your compost should be ready for use in your garden or indoor plant soil. And if you don't have plants in the home, you can always donate your compost to a local community garden or have it picked up by your municipality.

Get the Vremi Agent of Change Kitchen Compost Bin on Amazon now.

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