Composting Made Easy - Central Coast News KION/KCBA

Marina, CALIF., - Perhaps the globe outside the Monterey waste management district says it best. It's a small planet, recycle. The bumper sticker on several cars in the parking lot may even out do that, compost. Something most of us know a little about, but it can save you money and more importantly protect our blue planet.

Wearing her "compost" labeled gloves, with a shovel in one hand and bucket of food and yard waste in another, Public education coordinator Kimberle Herring is as passionate about our planet as she is in composting.

"Composting is very straight forward, its a little bit of art and a little bit of science. Its basically a three step process, the first one is gathering your material. Items that are rich in carbon and nitrogen. Carbon being dry materials like shredded newspaper and leaves from your yard,  Nitrogen being like your food waste from your kitchen." Add the ingredients with a little bit of water and create a bit of motion to mix in oxygen, and your job is just about done. Let it sit for a few weeks, and you have officially composted.

Herring says this is the most cost affective method and instead throwing away your food or yard waste in the trash ( where 75% of the materials end up) you can compost them in your backyard, and let's not forget...save some money in the process.

"You can reduce potentially your disposal cost by reducing what you are throwing away. By using the finished product in your garden and your plants, you don't need to buy the fertilizer.