Compost Pet Poo for Organic Fertilizer

When life gives you dog poo, make organic fertilizer. At least that’s what NatureMill would have us do. And why not? Unlike traditional backyard composting, NatureMill’s composter (made from recycled and recyclable materials) is pet-poo-friendly because it heats 140 degrees, making it safe to compost the tradionally uncompostable (meat, fish, and, yes, dog poo). And it requires next to no effort. Essentially, all you have to do is drop in the poo, along with any other organic materials, such as kitchen scraps like coffee grounds, dairy, veggie peelings, fish or meat. The computerized composter takes care of the rest for you through a quiet, odour-free process of mixing, moisturizing, and heating. Approximately two weeks later, 70 percent of the initial waste has disappeared into thin air while the remaining 30 percent has gone from greasy bacon to flower food. Hurrah! It’s equipped to handle up to 120 pounds of waste per month so if you have a Great Dane (with great big, er, deposits), it’s no worries! The composter fits easily under your kitchen sink (though if you’ll be composting dog waste in addition to kitchen scraps, placement in your patio is recommended because of the poo factor) and requires only a standard electrical outlet, making the NatureMill decidedly non-lifestyle-cramping. Plus, NatureMill uses only 5kwh of energy per month—less than a garbage truck would burn in fuel to haul the same waste. All in all, for $235, the whiz kids behind this San Francisco-born invention have given us a great alternative to contributing to the landfill. Both your conscience and the environment will cheer. naturemill.com