Greene Acres runs a composting system, turning kitchen scraps into rich organic soil.

Members can bring their own food scraps to be processed, but we ask that you chop your own food scraps in the bins provided and add them to the compost bin where it says Add Here. Composters meet on Sundays to turn the bins in the back and sift finished compost which we use to fertilize plots and common areas. If you want compost to take home, you should become an active member of the composting team. Please clean up after yourself, and don't leave scraps anywhere outside the bins or the gate.

Please read the sign on the gate if you aren't sure what to compost.

The smaller you chop your scraps, the better. Compost requires an even mix of greens and browns. Brown matter like straw, old leaves and sawdust is rich in carbon, while green matter like leaves and food scraps contributes nitrogen. Add browns from the barrel sparingly to the bin with your food scraps.

Compost is key to waste reduction: 30% of New York City residential garbage is suitable for composting. People worry about saving scraps because they stink, but in fact, anaerobic (without oxygen) breakdown causes the stench. If you don't seal your compost in an airtight container, it won't stink when you open it. Get a bucket that is easy to carry when it is full, something with a lid too loose for stench but too tight for rodents. If you keep scraps in your kitchen, you may choose, like many members, to store your scraps in the freezer.

The Sanitation Department offers more information on NYC Organics Programs.