Making environmental change happen

Balham composters

Information

We are a group of dedicated composters looking to spread the ... err, dirt? We are working to encourage people in Balham and Tooting to compost more, more often.

Location: Balham, Tooting, Wandsworth, South London
Members: 34
Latest Activity: Nov 18

Funding required: £500 (50 compost bins)

Hi folks, this is the Balham composters page. We want anyone to be able to join in, so it's "open" to all... hopefully other composters from far-away places like Middle Earth or Lancashire will join in too.

A recent project we ran in Balham, was focused around Halloween: the Pumpkin Project! Please read the discussion below, and leave your thoughts/comments.

A great web resource to help you get started with composting (with explanations, tips etc.) is: www.recyclenow.com/home_composting/

May 4-10 2008 was Compost Awareness Week: The group ran a free trip to the London EcoPark in North London on Friday 9th May (photos are in the box below).

Here are our shared files (If you want access to be able to add documents or images to this box, please let Nick know!):

Other local projects we're linked to:

Transition Town Tooting;

Wandsworth Green Pledge;

Food up Front ;

South London Low Carbon Communities

Let us know your handy tips for composting, and let's discuss how we can spread the good word and get more people involved!

Discussion Forum

Halloween Pumpkin Project 13 Replies

Hi folks... I am hoping to get something set up around Halloween; making people more aware of the opportunities to: a) use their pumpkin contents for something tasty, and b) composting the "shell...

Tagged: project, pumpkin

Started by Nick. Last reply by Nick Oct 15.

From a pile of dirt to a community garden... Help needed!

Hi Balham Composters! TT Wandsworth have been donated a piece of land by Wandsworth Council, to transform into a community garden! Currently a rather stony strip of land, we intend to create a bea...

Started by Emma Jul 10.

Wandsworth Council could do better 13 Replies

I agree composting is a great idea, and particularly interesting and challenging in an urban environment. It seems in order to get started the very first step is to get a compost bin. While brows...

Started by Edles. Last reply by Paul Chesterman Apr 16.

"2009 Compost 1 Reply

Hi folks See attached pics. The first shows the external bin. Note the holes drilled in the sides to admit air which speeds the rotting process. This is also aided by Garotta accellerator. Purists ...

Started by Paul Chesterman. Last reply by Nick Apr 7.

Spare compost bin going 2 Replies

Hello, I have a large 330L compost bin and lid to spare. it looked far too big in our garden plus it'll take years to fill with only two of us! hope someone here can make use of it

Started by roy. Last reply by roy Mar 31.

Composting Buddy Scheme 8 Replies

Hi All, We would like to start a trial scheme for those, like me, wishing to compost their food waste but not actually having anywhere to use the compost. Would anyone be interested in joining a 'b...

Started by Anna Shamoon. Last reply by Nick Mar 2.

FREE Food Waste Training

WHEN & WHERE: Sat 14th March 09, 2.30pm - 5.00pm, Vida Walsh Centre, 2b Saltoun Road, Brixton SW2 1EP (overlooking Windrush Square) WHAT:Info: As part of the national "Love food, Hate waste" c...

Tagged: workshop

Started by Bonnie Mar 1.

Kitchen composting - bokashi vs wormeries 8 Replies

I use 2 bokashi kitchen composters to process food waste that won't go into my garden composter - eg meat, fish, cooked food. I also put fruit peelings in because I can't stand the trillions of fru...

Started by Diane. Last reply by Carey Feb 19.

Top priority actions for waste reduction 1 Reply

In a recent government-sponsored workshop, the top five priority actions for waste reduction on a consumer / householder level were: 1. Use re-use facilities (e.g. for electronic waste, furniture, ...

Tagged: reduction, waste, composting, events

Started by Nick. Last reply by Rose de Falbe Feb 16.

Leaf mould 9 Replies

As I walked along our street today, the last leaves clung to the tress in vain and I asked myself whether this wasn't the right time to be collecting leaves for leaf mould. Not exactly composting b...

Tagged: gardening, compost

Started by Alice. Last reply by Alice Dec. 1, 2008.

Comment Wall

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You need to be a member of Balham composters to add comments!

Comment by Emma on November 18, 2009 at 6:05pm: Transition Town Wandsworth would like to invite you to an open meeting on 23rd November at 7pm, at the Battersea Arts Centre, Lavender Hill.

We'll be discussing...
- Our aspirations for a sustainable Wandsworth
- How we can make it happen?
- Who can do what?

We hope to agree working groups on different topics e.g. Energy, Food Growing and Transport, and taking forward plans for our community garden.

There will be many opportunities for all to get involved in everything, so come along with your ideas and enthusiasm!

More info here: http://www.projectdirt.com/events/transition-town-wandsworth-5

To locate Battersea Arts Centre, click here: http://www.bac.org.uk/your-visit/finding-us/

Look forward to seeing you all!
Love from Transition Town Wandsworth

Comment by Nick on October 1, 2009 at 5:27pm: Seems like subsidised compost bins distributed by Local Authorities (funded by WRAP) has fallen by the wayside sadly ... see Kenn's blog on Project Dirt here for more details. I'd be interested to know if anyone has any more details. Just checked Wandsworth's website, and they're still offering subsidised bins (although the website says they're more expensive than they are!!! - a 220L bin is £13.50 for residents).

Comment by Emma on June 18, 2009 at 1:00pm: Hey Balham Composters!

Just to let you know that Transition Town Wandsworth will be screening the Age of Stupid at the Bedford tonight!
See link for details -
http://www.projectdirt.com/events/age-of-stupid-wandsworth
Would be great to meet some of you there! Emma

Comment by Nick on February 12, 2009 at 10:35am: Anna - there was some discussion about setting up a system of compost buddies last year, for exactly this reason. I wonder if we might now be able to start it up, even on a very small scale, in Balham as a test? Would you be interested in being involved? If so, could you start "Composting buddy scheme" as a Discussion in the section above? We'll then canvas support and build a team!

Comment by Anna Shamoon on February 9, 2009 at 4:00pm: I have an odd problem in that I currently take my food waste to work and deposit it in my offices compost bin because, although I have a small garden, I have no need for compost but I cant bear to just through food waste etc away. As I am at great risk of becoming the 'smelly weido tube girl' with my weekly bags of rotting food I am thinking about getting a composter, but any ideas where i can offload the compost?

Comment by Graham Owen on July 1, 2008 at 3:19pm: I would like to invite someone from the BCs to talk to us in Furzedown about community composting and how to get started. We have a local community network (FCN or Furzedown Community Network) which meets monthly on a Sunday evening in Moyser Rd SW17. We have a website @ furzedown.net.