In America, we waste roughly 40% of our food per year. The bulk of this waste occurs at the consumer level, where only 5% of that food is composted. Composting can seem daunting under the best of circumstances (i.e. in a sprawling country home with ample outdoor space for piles of food waste), but we’ve found some authors for whom even urban composting is not challenging at all. They speak knowledgeably and eloquently to the ease and practicality of indoor, urban composting and provide practical information about how to compost in a way that’s simple, clean, and small-space approved.
One of the beauties of indoor composting, these authors attest, is that you don’t actually need a great expanse of land outdoors. Any container with a lid can be used as a compost bin: wood bins, plastic boxes, metal buckets, an old cool whip container. So long as your bin has a lid and you are able to create some air holes in it, you’re good to go. If you have the space, a compost tumbler that allows for easy pile turning is an especially convenient option, it seems. Once more, a compost bin can be stored anywhere, but warm, shadowed environments such as under the sink or in a cabinet work seem to work best.
Whatever the method or place of composting you choose, our book pics are perfect for city dwellers interested in keeping their waste out of landfills through urban composting. Check out those listed below to find out how urban composting might best work for you.
Books to Help You Start Composting in Your City Home
Compost City: Practical Composting Know-How for Small-Space Living by Rebecca Louie
The wealth of information packed into Louie’s humorous, well-researched, and expert-approved book is a fantastic resource for any city dweller wary of composting in smaller spaces or unsure of just how to do it. Louie’s expertise shines through every page of this entertaining and inspiring guide, completely stripping away doubts and dismantling excuses.
Composting for a New Generation: Latest Techniques for the Bin and Beyond by Michelle Balz and Anna Stockton
Balz explains the nuanced science behind composting in an elegant, easily digestible manner while providing old and new tips, tricks, and instructions on different composting methods. In addition to thorough composting explanations, Balz really hits home the benefits of using compost to bring your home garden to the next level.
Compost Everything: The Good Guide to Extreme Composting by David the Good
This is an intensely fun and energetic collection of “extreme composting methods” from an author who lives and breathes gardening. Forget classic “do not compost” lists; this book teaches compost enthusiasts how to compost (almost) anything.
The Urban Homestead (Expanded & Revised Edition): Your Guide to Self-Sufficient Living in the Heart of the City by Kelly Coyne and Eric Knutzen
This is the ultimate guide for anyone looking to live a sustainable, country-style life in the city. On top of creative suggestions about patio and balcony gardening, keeping city chickens, and fermenting food, to name a few, The Urban Homestead includes a helpful section on worm composting, another great composting option for city folk.
What’s Sprouting in My Trash?: A Book about Composting by Esther Porter
It’s never too early to start teaching children how to live sustainably, and Ester Porter’s charming children’s book does just that. This composting picture book is both fun and educational in a way that is sure to get kids excited about making their own compost.
Apartment Gardening: Plants, Projects, and Recipes for Growing Food in Your Urban Home by Amy Pennington
The sheer amount of clever ideas that Pennington fits into this book makes it as genuinely useful as it is enjoyable. Apartment Gardening tackles balcony worm composting, patio beekeeping, home pickling, DIY beauty products, and many, many more topics that will leave any reader inspired to take on countless growing projects.
*This post contains affiliate links
