Be Environmentally Friendly! Get an Earth Machine!
Written: Dec 12 '02
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Helps promote an environmentally friendly lifestyle, very EASY to use
Cons: Lid collects some water
The Bottom Line: The Earth Machine is an excellent product to use for composting, is made from recycled plastic, and is a great environmental education tool.
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| Javelina's Full Review: Earth Machine Composter |
Being that I went to school for an environmental discipline, I learned a great deal about living an environmentally friendly lifestyle. One of the things that you can partake in to help the planet is to compost.
I attended a whole bunch of environmental conferences, and one of them had a booth set up by the Pennsylvania DEP (Department of Environmental Conservation). I was lucky enough to actually win an Earth Machine, but my assumption is that it was more of a promotional or educational item that was given to those who were interested, since lots of us were sent compost bins.
I got a box in the mail, having no idea what it could be. To my surprise, it was the Earth Machine compost bin, which connects as two halves in the middle.
The Earth Machine
If you aren’t familiar with them, compost bins come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some are open wooden boxes, others are barrels- there are just many different types. You can make your own, or buy one.
The Earth Machine is made out of black plastic. The plastic is recycled, which is wonderful! This recycled compost bin fits nicely into the scheme of taking steps toward a better planet.
The bin is split in the middle horizontally, and the two pieces attach together easily. (Although it did take some nice coordination and help). This is a nice feature to allow for portability, whether it’s shipping or transporting in the car, etc. The container is 80 gallons, so normally this is a very large item. However, once split in half, the top fits into the bottom, so you’ve got a compacted item.
The lid is obviously separate, and twists on to keep secure. The side of the lid shows you how tight or loose to screw the lid so that you can choose the amount of airflow you want.
The bin “attaches” to the ground with some pegs that are threaded. You turn them into the ground through a series of slots at the bottom of the bin. This just kind of keeps the compost bin secured to the ground.
There is also a little “door” on the front of the bin, that slides up and down. It has a hole in the top that coincides with a hole in the compost bin. This means that you can firmly secure the door so that nothing can get in.
Overall, this is a very simple concept, and a simple (yet effective design).
According the their website, this bin comes with a 10-year warranty.
Why Compost?
Composting is an excellent way of returning to the earth. Organic materials break down into soil after biodegrading. Considering how much we take from the earth, this is a wonderful way to return nutrients to the soil, at the same time lessening the amount of waste going into landfills. (Personally, I don’t consider organic materials to be waste).
Compost is perfect for gardens and other places that need rich soils.
Composting
The concept of composting is pretty simple as well. You put items in the compost bin that are natural and degradable, leaving out things like meat, grease, and dairy products.
There are plenty of books and websites out there if you are interested in composting or need to learn some of the “rules and regulations” of composting.
From their website… ”Kitchen organics account for 11.2% of municipal solid waste, according to EPA estimates.”. You won’t believe how much ends up going into the compost bin. In the summer especially, I find myself running outside with watermelon rinds and all kinds of other things. It all adds up, and I think it’s a great educational lesson to see what kinds of things that are considered “trash” are really biodegradable materials that are simply being returned to the earth.
You do have to compost things correctly for better results. The goal is to get some nice, rich soil after a few months. One of the most important things is to keep turning the compost, as it mixes the materials together and optimizes the speed of the biodegrading. Another thing is to water the compost when dry. There are many factors that go into making good dirt!
It is incredibly interesting (at least to me) to see the process of things like food (such as orange peels and bread) change to rich, dark dirt.
Suggestions
Someone passed a good idea on to me before I set up my Earth Machine. I was told that if I were concerned about rodents or other animals trying to get into the compost bin, I should buy a screen to line the bottom of the bin with. I went to a hardware store and got a large piece of screen that had large holes in it- large enough to fit the pegs through (the ones that secure the bin to the ground). This also allows for a nice transfer of water, particles, and other things like worms to pass through the screen, which is very important.
If you don’t have a book or aren’t very familiar with composting, I suggest doing some homework. All it takes is one person to throw in a bunch of sticks, too many grass clippings, or some meat to ruin the compost. Composting is actually quite simple to catch on to, but to get the most efficient breakdown of materials, you want to know how to run your Earth Machine. You also don’t want to end up with smelly compost!
My Earth Machine came with a little book, called Home Composting Made Easy.
See my review at: http://www.epinions.com/content_64708513412
Lastly, there are no tools needed, and nothing to it other than snapping the pieces together (unless you go for the screen/mesh).
Favorite Features
I absolutely love having my own compost bin. It is the most wonderful feeling to be able to do something positive for our planet. My neighborhood isn’t the most environmentally friendly place, and I’m sure our compost bin is a rarity. I would love to see compost bins piling up in backyards across the nation.
The “door” on the front of the bin is a nice feature, allowing easy access to compost. It’s also nice to be given the option to be able to screw it shut. When I first set up the bin, I swear, some animal was able to slide that door open to get at some fruit rinds! I quickly learned my lesson, and put in a simple screw to keep the door firmly shut until later in the season when I would need to gain access to the compost.
This bin is nicely rodent resistant. Living in a very urban neighborhood, we were a little concerned that the Earth Machine would be a major attraction for rodents. But between the screen and the lack of entry points, it was never a problem.
I prefer this type of compost bin over other bins that I have used at different places. I like this better than the open designs because two things: the protection against rodents, and because I don’t have that much compost (so it’s better to have it more compact/contained).
Least Favorite Features
The lid of the bin is shaped so that it is partly indented. This tends to catch water, and I’m not particularly thrilled about this. I don’t want stagnant water splashing on me, and I certainly don’t want any stagnant water available to insects- in particular, mosquitoes. Living on Long Island has meant being very aware of the newer issue of West Nile Virus.
Being plastic, this is a pliable item. At times, it was a little challenging to get all the parts to fit perfectly, but overall it never presented too much of a problem. In fact, the plastic is UV resistant.
Overall Thoughts
I have had an Earth Machine at home for a few years now, and also had one at a state park that I worked at. I think it’s a great way to start out, and makes for an easy composting experience. This was my first bin, and I have really enjoyed composting with it over the years.
I’m pleased to have the Earth Machine in my back yard. It is a simple way of allowing me to contribute to the environment, and even looks kind of stylish!
As I mentioned earlier, I did not pay for this bin, and I also hear that it often comes at a promotional price.
Website
http://www.earthmachine.com
Recommended:
Yes
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