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Composting At Home: Tips For Building A Bin In Your Backyard

If you aren't already composting at home, it's time to start.

More than half of the world's food is wasted each year, and most of it ends up in landfills instead of compost piles. However, slowly but surely, this is changing.

According to Statistics Canada, composting rates across the country have been on the rise since 2011, but we still have a long way to go.

If you aren't already composting at home, it's time you start. In the video above by DNews, Tara Long shares tips for starting your own compost bin from scratch.

Many municipalities across Canada support backyard composting and some even provide the bins. But if your area doesn't provide bins, you can easily make your own. Old plastic tote bins can easily be converted into compost bins by cutting out the bottom and placing it in the dirt before filling it with food scraps. You can also make your own bin out of wood or wire, just be careful not to compost any meats or processed foods, because they take longer to breakdown and attract critters.

Composting isn't just for those with big backyards. Many condos and high rises are being built with shoots for organic waste. If yours isn't, you can also consider indoor composting.

An indoor composter can be placed right beneath your sink, in the laundry room or a mud room. Follow these steps from Apartment Therapy to make your own under-the-sink composter. Indoor composting is also referred to as vermicomposting or worm composting, since adding worms to the bin helps to break down the scraps faster.

And food isn't the only thing you can compost either. Check out the slideshow below for more tips on what to put in your compost bin.

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