Highland Park’s Compost for All program begins July 31. Simply place yard waste and food scraps into the new cart with the yellow lid, and put it out on your regular trash pick up day beginning next week. No sticker is required, and the cost is already included in our trash bill. Details are here.

My household has been participating in the compost program for several years, and below are some tips that might make your experience go more smoothly:

• If it grows, it goes: you can compost fruit and vegetable scraps, other plant material, dirty paper towels and paper napkins, egg shells, greasy pizza boxes, meat and fish scraps and bones, coffee grounds and tea leaves, and yard scraps. A list of compostable items is here. 
• Avoid contaminants: No plastic should ever go into the compost cart. If you have messy items, you can use a paper bag or purchase special compostable bags. Plastic utensils, even if labeled as compostable, do not go into the compost cart.
• Countertop containers: Near my kitchen sink, I have a metal container with a lid that snaps closed. When it gets full, I empty it into the compost cart and wash the container in the dishwasher. Any container works — it doesn’t need to say that it is for compost. There are also trash cans with separate attachments for compost, and under cabinet containers.
• Keeping it clean: You may want to place paper towels in the bottom of your compost cart to soak up liquids. Smelly food scraps can be put in a container or paper bag in the freezer, and then moved to your cart closer to the day of your pick up. Hose down your cart as needed. There are also companies that provide trash cart cleaning services.