28 - Friday, March 15, 1991 — North Shore News A BACKYARD composting pilot project that would offer compost bins to tocal residents is being plan- ned by local environmentalists, including members of the Going Green on the North Shore committee. Bert Englemann of North Shore Health (left), Lorenzo Mele of City Farmer and A! Lynch of the North Shore Recycling Program (right) discuss the merits of one of the composters that may be included in the pilot project. * Bookcases “ Buffets * Entertainment Centres * Bedroom Furniture * All types of finishes TM Woodthings 188 Pemberton Ave. North Van. 986-2747 a Total Built-in Vacuum ® Crevicetoolforventsand (g ) Roundal!-purpose other hard-to-reach areas dusting brush Deluxe uphaistery Convenient combination nozzle and brush tug and fioortool ® Super chromed steel wands Handy clip-on tooleaddy @) Vacuum Exhaust Muffier BeamCarpet ©) Stain Remover Plus Power unit (167) with convenient utility outlet Goot-Proof* ducting, guaranteed {or life evenagainst clogs Zinletvatves with attractive faceplates Deluxe hose rack kee hoseneatand accessible og © esiniere _ Powerhead 30' Electric hose INSTALLED (in any home old or new) IF YOUR HOME IS ROUGHED IN onLy $529.00 *629°° HURRY! You'd pay more for many old-fashioned, lug-around vacuums! (Price “say vary at participating retailers.) DOW’T LUG A VACUUM. PLUG iN A BEAM! * EAM NORTH SHORE 734 Marine Dr., N.Van. 984-3555 {across from Pacific Honda 0-39 Package NEWS phote Mike Wakefield Composting kitchen and yard waste dramatically reduces the amount of houschold trash The information abuut com- posting over the next pages is taken from the Greater Vancouver Regional District's Guide to Home Composting, *‘Here’s the Dirt!" WHY COMPOST? Well, com- posting is an easy way to return organic material to the soil. It conditions soil and improves plant growth. Another reason for composting is to reduce the amount of organic material destined for landfill sites. Kitchen and yard wastes com- prise approximately 33 per cent of residential solid waste. If you compost kitchen and yard waste, in addition to recycling newspa- per, bottles and cans, you can cut your waste almost in half. 1f all your neighbors do this too, it will dramatically reduce the amount of household garbage go- ing into our rapidly filling landfill sites. Composting is a natural, biochemical process of decay in which bacteria, fungi, worms and other small organisms in the soil and air break down organic mate- 2 = PETS ya pee NS ret) é ee v3 The organic breakdown of kitchen and yard waste results in a dark, nutrient-rich, earth-smelling soil conditioner known as humus or compost. Nea-fuss compost This compost will be ready in 12 to 18 months. Set a rodent-proof compost bin up in an area where it will be rained on. Add layers of kitchen scraps and yard waste as it is picked up from the yard. In one year to 18 months, the material at the bottom and centre of the pile should be composted. Use the uncomposted material to start a new pile. Some-fuss compost This compost is ready in six months. Collect kitchen scraps and yard waste. Moisten dry materials as they are added to the bin. Chop up large, tough materials using a flat edge spade or yard waste chipper. Cover the pile with black plastic or an old carpet scrap. Ke SAY : : ' a1¢2 PERSIAN & ORIENTAL CARPETS ¥ SAVINGS UP TO 65%-75% & @ BOKHARA e KASHAN # KASHKAI e SARUCK @ TURKMEN e GUM « TABRIZ e NARN @TRAIBEL ORIENTAL RUGS ; OPEN 7 DAYS - 10 A.M. TO 7 P.M. Fi ane No. 7 Rear of Lonsdale 987-3365 —) > H-- -North Vancouver (beside Lonsdale Quay) - = ee axed GrraetetetSsis pee Nt re eet pe tcntensrms liner ae Dig into the pile monthly. If the middle is dry, turn and moisten materials. If the pile is woody and not decomposing, mix in fresh grass clippings or nitrogen fertilizer. in six months, the bottom and centre of the pile should be ready to harvest. Use the uncomposted materials to start a new pile. Redent-proofing Rodent-procfing of compost bins is important — compost piles may provide food and shelter for unwanted rodents. In most cases, rodent-proofing can be easily accomplished by enclosing the composting material in a closed container or wire mesh. Existing home compost bins can be modified by totally enclosing them in wire mesh. Materials Anything growing in your yard is organi, material and potential food for the bacteria, fungi, pro- tozoans, centipedes and worms that work in a compost pile. All organic material is compos- ed of carbon and nitrogen and a balance of the two is needed for more effective composting. An easy way to think of this is two parts green material (nitrogen) to one part brown (carbon), or two part grass clippings to one part fallen leaves. Layering can be useful in arriv- ing at these proportions. Howev- er, a complete mixing of ingre- dients will help speed the compost process. Nitrogen-rich material includes fresh grass clippings, plant trimm- ings, house plants, manure, and kitchen scraps, such as vegetable and fruit peelings, coffee grounds, tea bags and egg shells. Carbon-rich material includes dry leaves, straw and sawdust. For more information about what materials are compostable, see the compost chart on page 30.