I’ve been thinking about how we can upgrade our compost system at home. We have The Earth Machine now and I don’t think it works well – at all! It takes too long, as in two years too long, to make usable dirt. It is not designed to turn the dirt as needed to make good compost.
I talked to Farmer Megan about it, from our CSA, and she told me to use old wooden pallets to build a compost bin where we have easy access inside it, to turn the soil.
Naturally, I turned to Pinterest to find photos how other people make them. And of course, I found some great looking photos that inspire me to get building. And then some more.
We all know Pinterest is great for craft ideas, cooking and dreamy kitchens we would love to have in our homes. Now it’s my new favorite place to find how-to tutorials!
So in honor of Earth Day, I rounded up a few of my favorite how-to finds on Pinterest for things like making compost bins, rain barrels and home recycling systems. You can find them on my board labeled Earth Day.
Here is a sampling of what you’ll find. With some stories to go along with them.
Painted rain barrels are so fun!
We have a painted barrel (shown in the banner photo above) that we got several years back through a local auction for charity, which was painted by local artists and part of a series that was displayed around our city.
I did a little research online, and painting your own rain barrel looks simple and fun. I pinned this tutorial in my Earth Day board. The above photo is from a rain barrel auction in Chicago, like the one in my town. It was pinned from Apartment. Therapy.
Painting your own would be a nice project to do with the kids – letting them do some of the painting, and stamping their handprints all over it. Plus, rain barels are a great way for kids to play with water in the backyard, water the garden, and make mud pies without forgetting to turn the hose off!
You can either make your own rain barrel, or buy one at local hardware store. Also, check to see if your city has artists doing them for charities. Ours is an annual event, and they are becoming popular across the country. Through the online auction, I payed $60 for mine. Which is about the cost of a plain one at a hardware store. And it was for a good cause, benefitting Ijams Nature Center.
Recycling bins fit for a kitchen!
These rolling food storage bins were found on Marthastewart.com. She has them in her basement, apparently – over at Martha’s Basement. She – and her staff of a zillion helpers – say you can get them at restaurant supply stores and adapt them to hold recycling. I drive by a restaurant supply store in my town often, and have thought several times that I might find something interesting there.
Now I’m going to check it out. Because the trash and recycling bins in my kitchen are always out of hand, overflowing and just plain ugly. Not like Martha’s. Because you know that Martha. Even her basement is fancy.
Sorry. I couldn’t resist the snark. BECAUSE – many moons ago, about three years after I graduated journalism school, I was knocking on doors in NYC looking for magazine jobs. And one of Martha’s snarky receptionists sent me to the mail room with my resume. True story. Honest to God. It happened. I did however get offered a job at a little crafty shelter mag paying me enough money to live quite comfortably… in a dumpster. Maybe. So as the story goes, we never moved to NYC.
BUT, I do like this recycling bin idea. I really do. Thanks Martha.
Composting that really works.
I think this is a great looking and functional compost bin. It’s pinned from the site Instructables. The best part about it is that my kids could easily open and shut the door. Which means they could take over the duties of carrying the out compost from our kitchen. They would really like that. I promise. It’s one of my oldest daughter’s favorite work job at school, when she gets to take the compost to the compost house. Oh the joy of a Montessori school! (They have chickens and keep bees too.)
After all that, if you are still looking for more ideas – check out my Pinterest boards Gardening with Kids and Creative Backyard Fun, for additional ideas on reusing things in fun ways outside.
Have a great Earth Day! Reduce, reuse and recycle. It can be fun. And artsy and educational for the little ones.
