Creative use for food waste scraps

How to reduce waste and greenhouse gas emissions has been testing my creativity. What do you do with all those random spare and leftover bits that you normally would throw in the bin?

We use a compost bin, but there are still food waste items to avoid putting in your compost bin, these include: fruit stones, onion skins, citrus peels and eggshells.

Eggshell crush

Let’s start with eggshells, theoretically they can go in your compost, however worms can’t eat them and they take a long time to break down. Often when I empty my composted food scraps, I will find amongst the soil almost fully formed eggshells looking exactly the same as when I threw them in 6 months ago!

The best solution I have come up with, is to put them in a low oven at around 120-150 degrees celsius, for about 10-15 mins. Once they are brittle, pulverise them with a mortar and pestle. While this is a longer process than simply throwing them in a bin, I can recommend the crushing of eggshells with a pestle as very therapeutic!

Afterwards, sprinkle them in your garden where ever you want. This could be in the compost bin, but I also scatter mine around my green leaf vegetables, as I have heard it slows down the snails, slugs and other creatures that like to nibble on leafy greens.

Keep reading for further updates on uses for all those other pesky items, such as citrus peels etc. and as always, would love to hear any new or alternate ideas for using up random food scraps.

Buy nothing – share everything

Another way of reducing your waste is to give away things that you don’t need or don’t use. There are a few ways of doing this.

1. Local Buy Nothing Group
   I am part of a local Facebook Buy Nothing group. This groups has a few rules such as you must live within the suburbs the group encompasses, you are not allowed to offer anything for sale and you shouldn’t be picking up things to in order to sell them but rather be taking them for your personal use. All items listed are free to give away and members may also request an item that they are looking for, or would like to borrow. Read more about this concept.
2. Charity Stores
   We have local charity stores that accept donations at anytime, however don’t drop off your rubbish, or dirty items, these are not appreciated!
3. Bulky Waste
   Some areas have regular Council waste collection days, where larger items such as lounge chairs and furniture will be collected. It is also an opportunity for people to pick up free, unwanted secondhand items. Some areas also have collection points at rubbish tips, where good and reasonable quality secondhand items will be resold.
4. Sell Online
   If you really don’t want to give away your unwanted goods, there are many items that can be sold online. Forums for selling secondhand goods include Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree (Australia). My kids have had amazing success selling second shoes and branded t-shirts that are in good condition.

Let me know what other ideas or experiences you have with sharing, giving away or selling your unwanted items, rather than throwing them in the bin.