Out of sight, out of mind is an adage that applies to composting. Yet, you really do want your composting system to be accessible for everyone in your household to see and use. To get over the yuck factor, here are a few ideas to make composting pleasing to the eye and nose.
1. Double-duty: Ice buckets make good countertop compost keepers as they are made to hold wet contents and often come with snug-fitting lids. They also look darn elegant. A white porcelain and stainless-steel ice bucket with lid from Trudeau has a 1.5-litre capacity and is available for $39.95 (www.trudeaucorp.com).
2. The dark blue baked-enamel metal ice bucket for $14.95 was found at Zellers and has a handy removable plastic tub liner that makes for easy cleaning. A scoop is included.
3. Back to basics: Zellers carries the Mistral Eco Recycling System, made in Canada using recyclable plastic. The compost can ($11.97) with its swing-top removable lid holds up to 12 litres and will keep a compostable bag securely in place. This unit is a great partner to the smaller Bio-Bin ($6.99) that hooks onto the sink or the side of a drawer to catch veggie peelings.
4. Bottom dollar: Dollar stores are great places to find economical and imaginative compost keepers. For $1 (each), these miniature plastic garbage cans from the Dollar-It store, will be a bright spot on the kitchen counter. You can also consider using a child's bright red sand pail, with yellow sand shovel attached, as a funky compost holder. Compostable bags, now widely available in many sizes at hardware and grocery stores, make composting a breeze and expand the range of containers you can use. Simply fit your selected container with a bag, fill it up and then toss the bag and contents into the composter. Hardly any cleanup needed.
5. Garden delight: Think outside the big black, boxy outdoor composter. This 200-litre composter from Algreen Products looks like an oversized terracotta planter. Made of moulded plastic that will resist cracking, chipping and fading, the unit has a rear door for easy access and features holes for aeration and a locking lid. There's a compost tea-collection reservoir and drain. A compost mixing tool is included. It's available at Home Hardware stores for $129.99.
6. In plain view: Get out from under the kitchen sink with these compost keepers from Norpro (www.norpro.com). Designed to complement any kitchen decor, they hold four litres of kitchen scraps and come with a lid fitted with a charcoal filter that will help reduce odours until you have time to dump the contents in the outdoor composter. The white ceramic version is $49.95, stainless-steel one is $89.95. Package of replacement filters, $8.95. (No photos available)
--Canwest News Service
