Composting Machines - An Overview

Composting is the process of breaking down biodegradable material in to carbon dioxide, water, and biomass. Composting requires the proper environment, temperature, and microorganisms to break down the organic matter. Since much of the green house gases harming the environment come from landfills in the form of methane, home composting machines are an alternative to throwing kitchen scraps and yard clippings into landfills. Not only is this a way of decreasing pollution but composting machines leave homeowners with a ready supply of nutrient rich material to add to gardens and flower beds.

A variety of home composting machines are available. Everything from backyard bins to odor-free indoor automatic varieties are available for those who want to compost with as little effort as possible. The Earth Machine is an example of a bin for the yard. Large enough to accommodate outdoor waste of leaves, branches, and grass clippings along with vegetable scraps from the kitchen., this bin keeps away pests and makes composting odor free eliminating two problems of open compost piles in the yard. This type of composting machine is practical for the homeowner with a smaller yard or multiple family housing units can share several of these units which are inexpensive to purchase.

For those who want the convenience of a unit in the kitchen, Nature Mill makes a series of composting machines that are at home in the kitchen. These machines have an electrically powered motor to mix and aerate the vegetable and meat materials left over from cooking. Besides the convenience of location, this machine produces a finished product in about two weeks. Once the material has reached its final stage, it drops down into the bottom most bin to be removed. New material maybe constantly added from the top. These in home units run three to four hundred dollars and require a small amount of electricity for their operation.

Environmental benefits of composting are many. Material otherwise destined for the landfill is cycled back into the environment in a way that reduces greenhouse gases. If entire communities would participate, large sums of money could be saved on waste management. For each individual household, composting provides a ready source of nutrient rich material to add to gardens and flower beds, saving on fertilizer while producing healthier plants.