My neighbor said my compost pile was just making methane and I felt so dumb.

I've had a backyard compost bin for two years, felt pretty good about it. Then my neighbor, who's a soil scientist, came over last weekend. He poked it with a stick and said, 'Kelly, this is way too wet and compacted. You're basically running a mini landfill, making methane instead of good dirt.' He showed me how to turn it properly, add more browns like dried leaves, and keep it aerated. Changed my whole routine. Now I'm worried about how many other people are doing it wrong without knowing. Anyone else get a reality check on their green habits?

2 comments

2 Comments

jana_lewis163d ago

How many of us are accidentally making swamp gas?

ryan_flores3d ago

Okay but calling it a "mini landfill" feels a bit harsh. Methane happens when it's sealed off from air, sure, but a backyard pile isn't the same as a buried landfill. Even a kinda wet pile is still breaking down organic stuff and keeping it out of the trash truck. That's a win. Getting it perfect is great, but doing it okay is still way better than not doing it at all.