Forgive me, please, if it seems quirky to suggest that bright, merry, and yummy seasonal items are candidates for the compost bin, pile, bag, or tumbler.
Here's a list of 20 compost-ready items that range from the familiar to the surprising. Also, for even more information, please see Zip06/TheDay.
20 Compost-Ready Items
1. Veggie scraps, uncooked or cooked, are great compost as long as they are without oil or salt. Moldy or freezer-burned veggies are okay, too.
2. Fruit scraps and rinds, uncooked or cooked, are fine even if they have some sugar, honey, or molasses on them. Moldy or freezer-burned fruits are okay, too.
3. Coffee grounds and filters, and loose tea are good additions. Many tea bags are made with plastics, making some unsuitable to the compost pile.
4. Olive and avocado pits, and other large seeds
5. Expired herbs, spices, tea bags, and tea leaves
6. Eggshells, preferably crushed
7. Shells of nuts and peanuts, salt-free
8. Dry popcorn, such as decorative popcorn chains or unpopped popcorn at the bottom of the popcorn maker. (If the popcorn is strung on cotton or burlap twine, it, too, is compost-worthy.)
9. Leftover gelatin dishes, or gelatin packets past expiration (sugar is not a problem).
10. Used potpourri and mulling spices
11. Paper napkins and paper towels are compostable if free of glossy paper, or residue of dairy, meat, poultry, or fish. Traces of oil or liquids are okay. Color is okay.
12. Plain brown gift boxes and plain newsprint compost well, especially torn or shredded.
13. Plain gift tissue, without plastic or metallic sparkles. (Colors are okay.)
14. Plain paper gift wrap or ribbon, without glossy, waxy, plastic, or metallic surfaces.
15. Plain egg cartons (no glossy paper or plastics)
16. Cardboard rolls inside paper towels and gift wrap. (Toilet paper rolls, too.)
17. Plain envelopes from holiday cards (not metallic or coated).
18. Leaves and needles from Christmas trees and wreaths, dead poinsettias and bouquets
19. Fireplace ashes and matches
20. Cotton “snow” decorations without plastics or metallic sparkles. (All-wool and all-cotton items are compostable, too.)