Composting 101
Lakewood resident Lauren Clarke is on a mission to reduce food waste. Her education as a Dallas County master gardener and a stint in culinary school at El Centro College led her to launch Turn Compost, a service that collects residential food scraps for compost. “It was a culmination of personal interest and also my passion for food and gardening,” she says. Here’s how it works: For a monthly fee of $35, Clarke and her team deliver a 5-gallon bucket with an industrial lid that seals. Fill it up with “allowed” foods, and her team will pick it up once a week and leave a clean bucket in its place. Turn delivers the scraps to local farms and community gardens, which use it to make compost. Subscribers get a treat from an area farm once a month, such as non-GMO feeds, local honey, or worm castings for the garden. Or they can opt to send the monthly gifts to a community or school garden. “I know how important it is to invest back in the area,” she says. “That’s how I built the service.”
Compost these:
- Veggie scraps
- Grains
- Egg shells
- Coffee grounds
- Beans, nuts, seeds
Don’t compost these:
- Glass, metal, plastic
- Dairy
- Fats and Oil
- Bones and Meats
- Pet Waste
- Liquids
Au Naturel
Natural organic gardening expert Howard Garrett recommends his special eponymous formula, Garrett Juice, as a fertilizer. The recipe is simple. Mix the following in a gallon of water: 1 c compost tea, 1 oz molasses, 1 oz apple cider vinegar, and 1 oz liquid seaweed. For more fertilizer value, add 1-2 oz of liquid fish per gallon of spray.

The Last Straw
The Goop pop-up in Highland Park Village made it easy to switch out plastic straws for a more earth-friendly version. Your most beautiful bet is a set of brass sippers in a walnut holder from LA furniture designer Chris Earl.
Hazard Warnings
Before you trash it, think twice.

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