Guides & How-To
Guides & How-To · by EarthCleanse Team · 6 min read
A no-fuss starter guide to turning scraps and tableware into soil.
The basics
Good compost needs a balance of 'greens' (nitrogen: food scraps, coffee), 'browns' (carbon: dry leaves, uncoated paper), plus air and moisture. Turn it occasionally and nature does the rest.
What goes in
Fruit and veg scraps, coffee grounds, eggshells.
Palm-leaf and bagasse products (break into pieces).
Uncoated kraft paper and birchwood (slower).
Dry leaves and uncoated cardboard as 'browns'.
What stays out
Meat, fish, dairy and oily food (in most home systems).
CPLA cutlery and straws — these need commercial composting.
Conventional plastic, PP/PET — recycle these instead.
Anything coated in plastic film.
Speeding it up
Break products into smaller pieces, keep the pile moist but not wet, and turn it weekly. Palm leaf and bagasse disappear fastest; birchwood takes longer. Finished compost feeds your plants or a community garden.
Key takeaways
Balance greens and browns; add air and moisture.
Palm-leaf, bagasse and uncoated kraft go in; CPLA doesn't.
Recycle PP/PET — don't compost them.
Shop the post: Palm-leaf & bagasse products · Uncoated kraft items.
Learn more: See composting timelines on the Sustainability page.
