Do you have some kitchen scraps? Try bokashi composting!

Composting is a nature way to biodegrade organic matters, such as kitchen scraps, leaves, paper, wood, and so on. Some people say “Composting is hard, dirty and inconvenient”? No , it’s just your wrong imagination! Composting can be inexpensive, practical, easy and FUN! Nowadays, there are many types of composting and you can choose whichever fits your lifestyle and needs. I believe that “what comes from earth needs to go back to earth”, NOT LANDFILL. This year, I restarted making home-scale composting for my kitchen scraps again!

What is bokashi composting?

Bokashi composting is an anaerobic process that relies on inoculated bran to ferment kitchen waste to a nutritious soil. Bokashi is the Japanese term of “fermented organic matter”. The main reason I choose Bokashi compost is because of this anaerobic process, meaning that they don’t emit any smells and require very low maintenance. It fits me best!

What can you put there?
All organic matters! Bones (not a big one) and dairy products (never put in mine, tho)!


How to get started?

Prepare your bin and starter mix, THAT’S ALL! You can make your own starter too by mixing rice bran and EM microorganisms! (See more detail here). You can DIY your own drainage bin too if you have time. I bought mine in Amazon both bin and starter mix (10 Kg), it costs me about $45. For long run, I do not think it is that expensive. So, why not ;)

As bokashi composting requires anaerobic process, so you need to keep it free from oxygen as much as possible. I usually collect my food scrap in freezer (to prevent decaying process), put all in my bin once a week or two weeks, give a good pressure to eliminate air, give enough layer of bokashi mixing, then I put a sheet of cotton fabric on top. Occasionally, I open my bin to eliminate air produced from fermenting process. See? How simple is that!

From left to right: (1) put your food scraps; (2) give good layer of bokashi mixing; (3) put cotton cloth

Having white mold forming is a GOOD sign. It’s fermenting your food scraps!

What benefits compost could give?

1. Reduce your carbon footprint
2. No more foul smells in your room
3. No need to throw your burnable trash twice a week
4. You’re converting food scraps into treasure!
5. Nutritious for your garden!

One of main reasons I started composting is because “we are responsible for all the trash we make”. Organic and inorganic matters are NOT meant to be together. If you put them together, they can’t be processed any further (organic waste is to be composted, inorganic waste is to be recycled). They also release toxic chemical (i.e. methane gas, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, so on) and pollute our soil and air. By simply composting your kitchen scraps, you can prevent that from getting worse!

So, would you still let your organic waste go in vain? In landfill and release greenhouse gases? Hurting earth and polluting our soil and air? It is certainly a NO for me. Choose compost that fits your lifestyle and needs, so all of your waste doesn’t have to go to landfill! Give a try to stop them at your home! :)