Jeff Severin stirs up his backyard composting bin after dumping in some kitchen scraps at his house in west Lawrence. Lawrence residents can buy the bins from the city for 0 and turn kitchen waste into rich compost.

It was an easy decision.

Jeff and Loretta Severin knew they wanted to compost.

They say they generate little trash other than the fruit and vegetable peels left over from meals made in their Lawrence kitchen.

“I come from a long line of composters. My grandparents had large gardens and maintained huge composting bins. I have vivid memories of the compost smell,” Loretta said. “We had discussed composting before but weren’t quite sure how to get started — what kind of structure would we need to build, where would we put it, etc.”

That’s when the couple found the city of Lawrence program allowing residents to buy an Earth Machine Backyard Composter for $30. Throw in the kitchen scrap pail the city also sells for $10 and the Severins were able to get their start for less than a summer’s worth of some store-bought fertilizers.

Now they take turns putting kitchen scraps on their mound of nutrient-rich compost, which they plan to use on their vegetable garden and flower beds.

“We keep a small compost pail under the kitchen sink and put all our fruit and vegetable scraps, eggshells and other food waste in it throughout the week,” Jeff Severin said. “I think having the compost bin makes me think more about what could be composted instead of thrown away, so we have probably composted more than I originally thought we would — bread, paper towels, dog fur, pretty much anything other than meat and fats.”

Kathy Richardson, Lawrence waste reduction and recycling operations supervisor, said that the brands of compost bins the city has sold over the past eight years have changed, but the goal has been the same: to help residents cut back on waste.

“It’s an easy way to divert things like your food scraps and your grass and leaves from going to the landfill,” Richardson said. “On Monday for pickup it’s just the grass, leaves and woody debris, and so the food scraps are something that people can compost at home so that way it’s not going to the landfill. And of course it makes great nutrients for your garden.”

Richardson stressed that only Lawrence residents are eligible for the program and that the city does have limited numbers, so it’s wise to call ahead, 832-3030, to reserve one. Cash and checks made out to the City of Lawrence are accepted as payment. She said that non-Lawrence residents can find bins at lawn and garden centers and even build their own compost bin with help from the K-State Research and Extension — Douglas County office.

For residents unsure what to do once they’ve got a bin in hand, Richardson said the city has fliers at the pickup site as well as information on its Web site, lawrencerecycles.org.

“There really isn’t any wrong way to compost,” Loretta Severin said. “The bin from the city provided a great impetus for us and made it very easy. Even if you don’t garden, I’m sure folks could find a friend or neighbor who would be happy to use their compost. It’s amazing to see just how much can be composted, and it’s very satisfying to reduce our waste production.”