2013 Gift Guide: Day Fifteen

Oh Rubbish!

My first attempts at recycling - back in Berkeley in the 70s - were so annoying that it was a relief to move to Los Angeles and give the whole thing up.  We had so many receptacles in the kitchen: brown glass, green glass, clear glass, bi-metals, aluminum, tin- that there was barely room to cook.  But the compost bucket was the worst; a big odiferous mess. 

Looking back, I can’t believe how easy recycling has become. Composting, on the other hand, continues to be problematic for city people. That’s why I was so excited when I found the sleekly designed Urban Composter Bucket. 

You can throw any organic material into this neat little bucket - even leftover meat and fish - and the bucket immediately begins the composting process. Within a matter of days you have a nutrient rich fertilizer.  The company's trick is the composting spray, which uses "effective microbes" to break down food quickly (like the Japanese version, Bokashi, but without the messy granular mixture you use to jumpstart the process.) The tap allows you to drain off your organic fertilizer, dilute, and use it immediately, while the tightly sealed top makes the whole thing virtually odorless. 

Everybody's looking for ways to help save the environment.  This is one small step; at $75 it makes a very practical present.