Learnings from a Master Composter Course

These observations were originally shared by Kaitlin Mitchell of Rutabega Education and have been edited for cohesiveness. Solana Center’s Master Composter courses are a unique opportunity to gain a more in-depth understanding of the art and science of the composting process and empower participants to share this knowledge and passion with others. One participant in…

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What is an Aerated Static Pile (ASP)?

Have you seen us mention ASP compost before and wondering what it means? ASP stands for aerated static pile which is a powerful system that uses large pipes to circulate air from fans through the pile, eliminating the need to physically aerate the composting organic material. This system can manage large quantities of waste and makes it particularly suitable…

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5 Ways to Heat Up Your Compost Pile

Want to get finished compost faster? You may want to try increasing the internal temperature of your backyard bin! Contrary to popular belief, compost piles do not heat up or drop in temperature due to atmospheric conditions (i.e. sun exposure, warm weather or cold weather) but rather, as a result of heat generation by specialized…

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Construya Su Propio Contenedor de Lombrices

Crees que no tienes espacio para hacer una composta — jardín chico, apartamento o habitante de condo? ¿Qué te parece un contenedor de lombrices? ¡Vamos, no hagas esa cara! Es fácil hacer un contenedor de lombrices. No huelen mal, son una buena forma de reciclar comida y es muy divertido (a los niños les encantan).…

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From the Rotline: What are the white things in my worm bin?

Rotline Question:  What are the white things in my worm bin? Answer: Spot something unfamiliar in your worm bin? Don’t fret, you are likely to find many organisms other than worms in your worm bin! Like backyard composting, you will see a diverse, interdependent community of large and small organisms. They serve as food for each other,…

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Secondhand compost bins take recycling to the next level

At Solana Center, we live the values of reduce, reuse, and recycle in all forms. This spurred the idea to offer our pre-loved bins to the community at reduced prices at our store. This is a solution to both provide residents with an opportunity to give their compost bins another life if they aren’t being…

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Tales of a Beginning Composter

By Master Composter Graduate, Wendy Ullrich It’s fair to say that until recently I knew nothing about composting.  In fact, what little I knew, was all wrong. If someone even mentioned composting, my nose would wrinkle and I would imagine all sorts of slimy and disgusting things that you might find clogged in a drain. YUCK!…

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From the Rotline: Are all Biodegradable Plastics Compostable?

Rotline Question: What is the difference between biodegradable plastics and compostable plastics? Answer: Plastic that is compostable is biodegradable, but not every plastic that is biodegradable is compostable. Biodegradable plastic may be engineered to biodegrade in soil or water, whereas compostable plastic refers to biodegradation into soil conditioning material (i.e., compost) under a certain set…

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5 Creative Ways to Source Materials for your Compost Pile

Sometimes when we want to build a compost pile, we either have a disproportionate amount of greens or browns or, don’t have enough material. What to do? Here are a few ideas to help augment your composting materials: Waste diversion is more fun with friends! Post on a community bulletin board such as Nextdoor or a community…

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