Can You Compost In An Apartment?

In a country like the United States, where a household can create over 650 pounds of organic trash a year, according to Going Zero Waste, a compost pile might not be a bad idea. But, for those of us without the spacious luxury of a backyard, composting has never been as easy of a task as recycling bottles and cans. For those with a strong sense of green living who don't mind creepy-crawlies, there's a simple solution. Worms.

With growing concerns about climate change and the amount of methane produced from our waste, there's a simple hack, that as gross as it may sound, could contribute to reducing the amount of garbage we dump in landfills. And that's right, it's a worm bin. What is a worm bin, one might ask, but the answer is so simple and effective that anyone with access to a container and a handful of worms could do their part in saving the world.

According to the folks at Mother Jones, worm bins can be just about any kind of container, perforated with little holes at the top, and filled with dirt, organic waste, and you got it, worms. While some people might have reservations when it comes to keeping what is essentially a trash can with worms in their apartment, it's very unlikely that these tiny, extremely slow creatures will escape. Especially when they're spending their days noshing out on your household's leftovers.

Though a worm bin is perfect for getting rid of almost any type of organic waste, there are a couple of catches. One extremely important thing to remember is that you should never pop your old meat or dairy into it. While you, generally, might have fears about the smell of keeping compost in your home, the vast majority of organic trash won't give off any odors. However, your unconsumed meats and dairies have a tendency to foul up the air before our worm pals can take care of it. That being said, grains, fruits, coffee grounds and tea, veggies will all make perfect world-saving snacks for our little environment preserving friends. And if you're grossed out by worms in your house, just think of all the fishermen that keep them in their refrigerators.