If you want to eat better from the ground up, then you may consider composting your food scraps.
“Compost is basically the decomposition process,” says Quinn Metoyer. “Mother Earth is composting all the time.” He explains that composting is good for the planet and for our bodies’ gut microbiome.
Quinn and his partner, Sol Delgado, run Miami Compost Project, an organization that teaches people about how to grow their own food and waste less. They do this by hosting workshops; helping to build gardens for communities, schools and private homes; and even organizing compost birthday parties.
Quinn’s interest in sustainability started after college, when he spent time in Central America.
When he returned, he began cultivating cannabis for a medical marijuana company.
“I realized that the way they were growing the plant didn’t resonate with me, in terms of the nutrients they were giving the plants and how they treated the plants in general,” Quinn says. He began educating himself about composting, hosting workshops and composting for restaurants and juice bars around Miami. Then in 2020, he started Miami Compost Project.
Quinn encourages everyone to explore composting, whether that means a worm bin or bokashi in your apartment, or a dedicated backyard corner for food scraps. Expect some trial-and-error, but in general, you want a ratio of one part “greens” (food scraps, manure, etc.) to two parts “browns” (grass clippings, cardboard, etc.).
“Ideally, your compost pile should not smell,” he notes.
In a conversation with The Zest Podcast, Quinn explains mistakes beginners make, why composting is good for Florida and what to do if you’re not quite ready to take the leap into at-home composting.
“Maybe you can’t reuse or repurpose your kitchen scraps,” he says, “but if you bring it to a facility, they can.”
Related episodes:
- Florida Fruit & Vegetable Gardening 101
- It’s Always Sunny at St. Petersburg’s Brick Street Farms
- History of Citrus in the Sunshine State
- Hacks to Help You Eat More Veggies
- Mango Mania in Miami
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