outside our drinks

make a natural composter

Here’s a fun, easy activity that’ll help you turn a few bits you might throw in the bin into compost. That’ll also mean you can keep waste out of landfill (and there’s nothing rubbish about that).

you’ll need:

an empty two-litre bottle

a drawing pin

a handful of dirt

some shredded newspaper

a few leaves you found on the ground

food scraps

Step 1

Cut the top off the bottle so you've got enough space to add stuff in. Then use the drawing pin to pierce a few small holes on the bottom and along the sides of the bottle.

Step 2

Place the dirt, shredded newspaper and leaves into the bottle then sprinkle a little water over them.

Step 3

Add your food scraps (avoid dairy and meat) to the bottle, then place it in the sunlight and cover the top with a cloth. It’s probably best to put it outside, and with a tray underneath the bottle.

Step 4

Give the contents a stir every couple of days. Add a bit more water when you’re done.

Watch the food scraps break down over time and turn into compost.

Step 5

Use the compost to grow your very own plant. Pop it in a pot, add some seeds and water it daily. You could even use it to plant some fruit or veg seeds to grow your own food.