#Compost Bin Update - SunChips, You Let Me Down!
Sunday, March 06, 2011 Posted by BusyWorkingMama
So, I officially started composting back in April of 2010 when my husband
Prior to that, I had been saving random scraps in my kitchen compost pail and emptying it down into the woods in my backyard as an attempt to annoy my husband enough to get my bin.
Well, it worked. He bought me a big old tumbler which is currently so heavy I cannot turn it by myself without pulling a muscle (and I work out!). Here is a picture of the current contents. Stinky. Lily runs for cover when I open it up.
However, now that I HAVE compost I am left wondering...when do I empty it? And most importantly, where? Yesterday I decided the bin was too full and rolled up my sleeves to shovel some out into random flower beds. In the midst of my scooping, I came across...the blue bits of the STILL-decomposing SunChips bag!! I had to pick them out with my bare hands. Ugh. SunChips, you did us wrong. It's been months and months! Good thing I only tried to put one bag in there. You can see the bright blue bits in the picture below.
March 06, 2011
I mean...it comes apart. Which is probably more than most chip bags would do. But it does claim to actually biodegrade, doesn't it? I would write to them linking this post and see what they say. Maybe they'll give you free sun chips haha!
March 06, 2011
I had no idea how these things actually work. This is so cool to see. Are you going to put the bag bits back in for the next round?
March 06, 2011
You should DEFINITELY contact Sunchips and let them know that you attempted to compost. I bet you're not the only one with this issue, and if they receive enough complaints they may actually do something.
March 06, 2011
I thought I read that the compost bin - not supposed to stink.
Have you add dry dead leaves & "worms"? or just putting scrape in?
March 06, 2011
That stinks (apparently literally) about the Sun Chips. I totally love your compost bin and have been begging my husband for one. Where did your husband get it?
March 07, 2011
Compost is so stinky! Ugh! We do it too though. I love your little bucket though for the counter. I need one of those. Hope you had a great weekend. I need to get working on a Mothers Day button for us...I saw two blogging friends are advertising theirs today. :)
March 07, 2011
I guess I don't get it about the Sunchips bag. It must say right on it that it is biodegradable? Or was it an accident that it got put in there? I don't know much about composting, but I thought it was for food items only?
March 07, 2011
oh no! what a mess. the bags are loud and leave compost blue. sad day
Katherine
March 07, 2011
I believe the fine print read "* Degradation may take longer if not done directly inside active volcano"
-DH
March 07, 2011
I agree - send a note to Sunchips. They would do anything to avoid negative publicity.
Do not agree on anything less than 100 boxes. AFter all, you could give those away to homeless if you are not a fan yourself.
March 07, 2011
Kudos to you for composting! I always felt the same way at the end, though--what to do with it? It's not like I have a farm or a huge garden. Maybe others will leave some suggestions here:)
March 08, 2011
That's funny about the Sun Chips bag. I was curious. I just bought myself a bin like this at Costco. It's too cold and windy now but soon I will be having my husband put it together.
March 08, 2011
Do you keep yours by the house? I am wondering where I should put it. Since it's closed, we probably don't have to worry about animals.
March 11, 2011
Wow, pretty alarming. I know they claimed it would be biodegradable, but were there ay warnings on the bag that it may not compost entirely? I'm curious what Sun Chips has to say to this. The proof is in the pictures.
March 13, 2011
Kuddos! I want a composter. We're seriously trying to go green here at our house. For years we've dumped all old food and stuff in are garden and tilled it each year. Now we have a bit too much wild food growing here and there.
Did you email Sun Chips? I haven't tried composting anything that wasn't food related.
March 30, 2011
I love your bin! I have an old rubbermaid tote. it works, but I'd like something better.
April 14, 2011
I love composting and have been at it awile. I am thinking the reason your sunchip bag did compost is that your balance is off. You need to add things such as hay and lawn clippings the bigger the variety of items the better the composting time. Fun tho isn't it?