{"id":87,"date":"2011-09-10T14:06:07","date_gmt":"2011-09-10T14:06:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sfswma.org\/?page_id=87"},"modified":"2025-10-17T11:16:36","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T17:16:36","slug":"green-waste-recycling","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sfswma.org\/?page_id=87","title":{"rendered":"Composting"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><span style=\"color: #993300;\">If you generate a lot of yard and food waste, consider composting! Composting is simply mixed organic matter (food waste and green waste) left to decompose, with a little elbow grease. The end product is a natural fertilizer and soil amendment for you to use in your own garden or share with your neighbors!<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Composting not only prevents biodegradable waste from going to the landfill, but it also reduces the amount of synthetic fertilizers and water needed when used as a soil amendment. Whether you choose to make a pile or an aerobic bin, composting is easy and fun to watch Mother Nature take her course.<\/p>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: disc;\">\n<li>Visit <a title=\"Composting Instructions\" href=\"http:\/\/www.compostinstructions.com\/in-a-hurry-heres-the-ultimate-one-page-guide-to-composting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Composting Instructions<\/a> for easy information on how to compost in your backyard.<\/li>\n<li>Use the New Mexico Environment Department \u2013 Backyard Composting Made Easy Brochure in <a title=\"Composting Brochure\" href=\"http:\/\/sfswma.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/NMED_Backyard-Composting-Brochure.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">English<\/a> \/ <a title=\"Composting Brochure\" href=\"http:\/\/sfswma.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/NMED_Backyard-Composting-Brochure_Spanish.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Spanish<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/sfswma.org\/wp-content\/themes\/cajadelrio\/images\/elements\/template\/rule_525.jpg\" alt=\"rule\" width=\"525\" height=\"4\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Just finished giving your landscape a makeover?\u00a0 Consider recycling yard trimmings\/brush (green waste) rather than tossing it in your trash.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>What\u00a0Does\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">NOT<\/span> make good Mulch?<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: disc;\">\n<li>\u00a0Agave<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Cacti<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Pallets<em> &#8211; Pallets usually have nails and are treated, which is not desired for landscape applications.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Palm fronds<em> &#8211; The fibers in a palm frond are too difficult to mulch or compost.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Soil &#8211; R<em>egardless of clean or contaminated<\/em><\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Lumber &#8211; <em>This includes plywood, sheet rock, and chipboard<\/em><\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Tree Trunks &amp; Stumps<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Where can I take brush and yard trimmings?<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong><a title=\"Buckman Recycling Center\" href=\"http:\/\/sfswma.org\/about-us\/burrt\/\">BuRRT<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><a title=\"Transfer Stations\" href=\"https:\/\/www.santafecountynm.gov\/public-works\/trash-and-recycling\/centerinfo\">County Transfer Stations<\/a><\/strong>:\u00a0 El Dorado, Jacona, Stanley<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/sfswma.org\/wp-content\/themes\/cajadelrio\/images\/elements\/template\/rule_525.jpg\" alt=\"rule\" width=\"525\" height=\"4\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Composting Basics<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>All composting requires three basic ingredients:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Browns<\/span> &#8211; This includes materials such as dead leaves, branches, and twigs.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/recycle\/reducing-wasted-food-home\">Reducing Wasted Food Basics<\/a><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #339966;\">Greens<\/span> &#8211; This includes materials such as grass clippings, vegetable waste, fruit scraps, and coffee grounds.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Water<\/span> &#8211; Having the right amount of water, greens, and browns is important for compost development.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Your compost pile should have an equal amount of <span style=\"color: #993300;\">browns<\/span> to <span style=\"color: #008000;\">greens<\/span>. You should also alternate layers of organic materials of different-sized particles. The brown materials provide carbon for your compost, the green materials provide nitrogen, and the water provides moisture to help break down the organic matter. (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/recycle\/composting-home\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/sfswma.org\/wp-content\/themes\/cajadelrio\/images\/elements\/template\/rule_525.jpg\" alt=\"rule\" width=\"525\" height=\"4\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Greens for Your Compost Bin<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>&#8220;<span style=\"color: #008000;\">Greens<\/span>&#8221; are the nitrogen-rich additions to your compost pile. These tend to have lots of moisture, break down quickly, and provide a quick burst of heat to your pile. While we call them &#8220;<span style=\"color: #008000;\">greens<\/span>,&#8221; technically any plant matter will work here: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thespruce.com\/using-coffee-grounds-in-your-garden-2539864\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"5\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-component=\"link\">coffee grounds<\/a>, for example, are brown in color, but they&#8217;re rich in nitrogen, hence, they&#8217;re a &#8220;<span style=\"color: #008000;\">green<\/span>.&#8221; Here are some ideas of <span style=\"color: #008000;\">greens<\/span> for your pile:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Fruit and vegetable peels<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Citrus rinds<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Melon rinds<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Coffee grounds<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Tea leaves\/tea bags<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Old vegetables from the crisper<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Houseplant trimmings<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Weeds that haven&#8217;t gone to seed<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Grass clippings<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Fresh leaves<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Deadheads from flowers<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Dead plants (as long as they aren&#8217;t diseased)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Seaweed<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Cooked plain rice<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Cooked plain pasta<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Stale bread<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Corn husks<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Corn cobs<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Broccoli stalks<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Sod that you&#8217;ve removed to make new garden beds<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Thinnings from the vegetable garden<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Spent bulbs that you used for forcing indoors<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Holiday greenery (from wreaths and swags, for example) &#8212; just be sure to cut the stems off of the wreath form or wires first)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Old, less flavorful packaged herbs and spices<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Egg shells\u200b<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Browns for Your Compost Bin<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>&#8220;<span style=\"color: #993300;\">Browns<\/span>&#8221; are the carbon-rich materials in your compost that add aeration to the pile and structure to your compost.<\/p>\n<p class=\"html-slice\">They break down more slowly, so it&#8217;s a good idea to chop them up fairly small if you&#8217;re able to. Here are some <span style=\"color: #993300;\">browns<\/span> to put in your compost pile:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Shredded newspaper<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Shredded office paper\/school papers<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Shredded, non-glossy junk mail<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Torn up plain corrugated cardboard boxes (not with glossy coatings)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Straw<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Bedding from hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Fall leaves<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Chopped up twigs and small branches<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Pine cones<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Nut shells (avoid walnut shells as they can inhibit plant growth)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Excelsior<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Raffia<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Used napkins<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Toilet paper, paper towel, or wrapping paper tubes (cardboard&gt;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Fallen bird&#8217;s nests<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Pine needles\/pine straw<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Paper coffee filters (used)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Pressed paper egg cartons, torn into small pieces<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Sawdust (only from untreated wood)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Brown paper shopping bags, shredded\/torn<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Brown paper lunch bags, shredded\/torn<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Leftover peat or coir from seed starting<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/sfswma.org\/sustainable-compostable-packaging-use-at-sf-farmers-market\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-7539 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/sfswma.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Sustainable-Compostable-Packaging-Use-at-SF-Farmers-Market-e1526877692868-576x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"250\" height=\"375\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>This list is a good starting point for safe, common things you can compost. As you can see, there are many common household items we can compost rather than throw into the trash. (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thespruce.com\/things-you-can-compost-2539612\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/sfswma.org\/wp-content\/themes\/cajadelrio\/images\/elements\/template\/rule_525.jpg\" alt=\"rule\" width=\"525\" height=\"4\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you generate a lot of yard and food waste, consider composting! Composting is simply mixed organic matter (food waste and green waste) left to decompose, with a little elbow &hellip;<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/sfswma.org\/?page_id=87\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":85,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-87","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sfswma.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/87","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sfswma.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sfswma.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sfswma.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sfswma.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=87"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/sfswma.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/87\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10233,"href":"https:\/\/sfswma.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/87\/revisions\/10233"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sfswma.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/85"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sfswma.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=87"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}