Series: Jugaad Composting

Part 3: Composting in the U.S. — From Skepticism to Side Hustle

Editor’s note: Jugaad is a Hindi word often used to describe clever, resourceful, and low-cost problem-solving - usually with whatever materials are available. This series, written by Sangeetha, captures her no-fuss, no-frills journey into home composting - one jugaad at a time. In Part 1 and Part 2 of Jugaad Composting, Sangeetha told us how a WhatsApp status changed things for her, and got her experimenting in a 750 sq feet apartment in Mumbai.

Now, in Part 3, we pick up where she left off.

I had to put my Bombay dreams of selling manure to Amazon to rest, as I took a trip across the globe to set up my base in the U.S.

New country, new challenges. Also, new composting challenges.

Here, in the U.S., I found a skeptical but a supportive partner for my composting journey.

Also, my life partner - my husband.

Discussions with him made me realize that many well-educated folks assume that “organic matter will decompose anywhere.”

Let me debunk that myth for you. NO! That’s not how it works.

Decomposition only happens in the right conditions—free from contamination, with enough oxygen and balance. We need to stop assuming that nature will take care of itself like it used to.

With our greed, growth, and sheer population numbers, nature’s trying hard to keep up. While we enjoy this growth, why can’t we do our bit too!

Sorry, back to my story.

So, we started composting as soon as we moved to Los Angeles. We lived in a LA apartment with a small balcony (yay, bigger than a window grill). I bought four $1 bins from the dollar store, drilled holes, added lids, and started again.

Some learnings from composting in LA since we started in October:

• Composting slows down in winter (microbes = lazy when cold)

• Wet compost stinks - so take extra care in winter

• If the compost still gets soggy, don’t fret - drain the excess water, spread it out to dry on a big garbage bag or your balcony floor (if you have one), and toss and turn it regularly - it should be ready to be back into the compost container in a few days or a couple of weeks

• Bigger bins = better airflow and space

So, that was that. But then when we moved into our own little townhome with a very small front yard, it seemed ridiculous to haul our compost to the new house.

Who would carry waste while making new beginnings? Right?

But, here’s the catch.

All that waste wasn’t waste now.

Was it?

Why, it was manure! Very fertile manure

So we did carry it after all :)

Coming up next:

Next up, we go big - I’ll share how I graduated from plastic tubs to a raised bed composting system, plus all the tricks I learned about managing volume, moisture, and mystery sprouts! Read more here.

Written by Sangeetha for I Will Circle Back.
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