But what else?

For me, the main thing is composting has encourage me to eat better . . . . more fruits and veggies.

now my next level is to start asking the restaurants I frequent and the Farm Stand to save me their organics.

How does it effect you?

I live in a small town and am a writer for a newspaper. I'm thinking about submitting an article on composting for both my town newsletter and the newspaper I work for. I, too, am realizing what I eat, and just how much uncompostable garbage I am making. I want other people to realize that too.

And if nothing else, I have a fascination with it. I like to see the transformation that takes place, my own little way of improving the world around me. I've never been outside during the winter this much. And I'm learning to respect nature. It's a lot more complex than I had once thought.

What started out as a pallet bin and gathering a few OPBLs has blossomed into a 400 metric tonne yard trimmings diversion program. Composting and building equipment for composting provides hours of exercise and entertainment. Searching the internet for other methods, techniques and equipment provides more hours of entertainment in the winter months.

The improvement to my land is just now being realized with increased yields in the wheat and straw. Using some of my compost for charities and other organizations helps them to raise funds for their causes and increases public awareness of composting in general. I am finding more and more people are stopping by to chat about compost, soil and gardening.

It's been a wild ride and I suspect it will get even better once I retire! :-)

Lloyd

len

Negative - Due to the manual labor involved for maintaining my 6 pallet bins, I now have severe back spasms that are quite crippling at times. However, that will be improved when my vertical compost turning system is completed.

Positive - the benefits for my garden are tremendous, and I really enjoy managing the piles of ingredients to be turned into black gold. It's quite easy, and gives me a reason to be outside during the winter months.

EG

Mentally it has been great too. Nothing like looking at a garden and feeling personally satisfied that what is there is - at least in part - your making. :O)

I started out to make free dirt. My wife thinks I have a green thumb. Now with no time to garden, I just digest all that I can.

to sense
..

*"I have a fascination with it. I like to see the transformation that takes place, my own little way of improving the world around me.*" OH YES!

*"composting brought me back to the basics of a healthy lifestyle."* TRUE !

*"I now do all those things that embarrassed me when my mother did them & that I *swore* I'd *never* do!"* IT WAS MY DAD WHO EMBARRASSED ME ... NOW I EMBARRASS MY KIDS ...[SMILE]

*"It makes me aware when I prepare any meals just how much I used to throw away"* KITCHEN 'FAILURES' ARE NO LONGER A BIG DEAL .... JUST MORE GOODIES FOR THE COMPOST PILE.

*"I started out to make free dirt"* AND I HAVE!

YEAH COMPOSTING! I could get mushy about the peace of mind found in being in sync with the natural plan [creator], but enough said.

Composting has not changed my life as it was a usual part of it, but this forum has changed my perspective and the way I compost.

Well, this is where that luxuriant back hair can come in handy. Do a 'comb over' up the neck and over the 'follicularly challenged' spots.

They'll never know.

Composting is great for all the reasons listed by the posters above. However, for me, it really does begin to border on obsessive behavior.

"Devoted compostier seeks fellow rotting organic fanatic for LTR. If your idea of fun is to spend the day collecting putricibles, a bag of leaves sends shivers up your spine, and you long for candle-lit romantic evenings around a steaming compost heap, phone 123 456 7890 and let me turn your pile. "

There IS such a thing as making too much compost!

I feel like everything should be biodegradable, in one time span or another, and when stuff persists I now think twice about why that is, for better or worse. What is quality, what is trash? If something is going to exist for a long, long time, it better be something worthwhile.

And then there's just the plastic/styrofoam grossness. I think my first lesson with this was from shredding paper and composting it and having hundreds of little pieces of plastic envelope windows remain in what is otherwise gorgeous black soil. It just really made me realize what biodegradable means, and why plastic can be such an environmental pest.

Long story short, because of composting, I am a great deal more conscious about our household waste stream--recycling is second-most-fun after composting--and I have made a concerted effort to change my purchasing habits. I'd rather spend a lot of money once and purchase a high quality, long-lasting, sustainably produced whatever than to continue buying easily breakable disposable junk and eventually replacing it with more of the same. ("buy cheap, buy twice")

Thank you compost!

My family thinks I've gone crazy, collecting coffee grounds, peelings and all. I really want to compost professional results, but read you have to turn your pile everyday. I'm looking to build a nice one with side walls to keep the varmits out before I trash the yard and feed roaches instead of the ground.

The family is already worrying about that one! No varmits or bugs, so far so good.