Over the past year, I’ve challenged myself to reduce our level of waste. As a result, I’ve searched high and low for solutions to the modern problem and can honestly say, nothing works quite like this simple technique.

We consume a lot of fresh produce. So much so, we were disposing of vegetable scraps regularly. As part of my mission to reduce waste (and coincidently the use of plastic garbage bags). I decided it was time to start composting.

How we got started

We picked up a compost bin from Bunnings and set it up down the back. We started adding our vegetable scraps daily and before to long, we noticed our trips to the garbage bins became few and far between.

What happened next?

• We realised we no longer needed plastic garbage bags as all of our “icky” waste was being put in the compost bin. We stopped buying bin bags and haven’t looked back in over 8mths.
• We now grind eggshells in the Thermomix and put them on the garden beds, adding calcium to the soil.
• What finally ended up in the garbage was the bare minimum. As a result, we only take our SULO bins to the kerb once every 3 weeks and in no way are they full at this time.
• I started to tell friends and family about it. Many started doing the same and they too started to see a dramatic reduction in their waste disposal. However, some friends said they didn’t have the space for a compost bin. A little stumped myself, I went looking for an alternative.

Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce you to the… Urban Composter.

 What does it do?

• Enables you to dispose of all your waste in your kitchen, no trip to the compost heap.
• There is an airtight lid and no smell
• All types of food scraps can be added including greens, meat, fish, citrus, dairy, coffee grounds, wilted flowers, eggshells and more.
• Turns organic scraps and leftovers (including meat) into nutrient-rich fertilizer
• Can sit on your bench top or under the counter.
• It enables you to give back to the soil, using organic matter. This makes for a great fertilizer that you can even use to boost your planter boxes.

 How does it work?

Every time you add waste to your compost bucket, you spray a small amount of compost accelerator onto the waste before pushing the waste down. Once the container is filled (about 4 weeks), you add it into your garden, planter or outdoor compost.

You can also drain off a liquid as you go, adding it to the garden or down the sink to help keep drains clean.

 The Cons

You have to buy re-fills compost accelerator for the life of the product. A refill bottle is $8.95. You only use 5 sprays each time, so it lasts awhile.

The Price

It’s $77 to get you a 16L bin + starter kit, plus delivery. Whilst the product is made in China, it’s a small Australia family that owns the business.

Have I tried it?

No. I’m all about transparency on the blog and as a result, have to tell you that I haven’t tried the Urban Composter. Why? Fortunately we have the luxury of space in our backyard and our cheapie from Bunnings does the trick however, I have two friends that have. They’re both very happy with the product and both mentioned the cons I have above (can you tell who my sources were? ;))

Regardless of whether or not you opt for the Urban Composter, composting your vegetable scraps is a simple and effective way to reduce your waste.