The Uncommon Life

Earth Month Giveaway: Compost Crock

April 8, 2011

Composting is a great way to prevent organic waste from ending up in landfills; it also provides a natural alternative to chemical fertilizers for your lawn, garden or houseplants.

Of course, not everyone has the space for a big outdoor compost bin. Fortunately, composting doesn’t always have to start outside.

In honor of Earth Month, we’re giving away Beth Mueller’s Ceramic Countertop Compost Container. These handmade crocks don’t take up too much space, so they’re perfect for apartments, trailer homes and other small living quarters. Once your small container is full, take it to a larger bin in your yard, or community compost center.

Entering to win is easy; just leave a comment sharing your pledge to compost. We’ll choose one winner to receive a “Grow” crock and one to receive a “Simplify” crock.

Already compost? You can:

1.) Pledge to advocate composting to your friends, family and community.
2.) Start a composting program at school or work.
3.) Promise to take home your organic scraps for composting after dining out—don’t forget to bring a reusable container and skip the doggie bag!

Beth’s hand-painted messages remind us make life a little simpler by composting things like apple cores and coffee grounds, which will be used to help our plants grow!

The artist handcrafts her pieces in her Vermont studio. She says the compost crocks were inspired by her love of gardening. Her garden, where she grows brassica, squash, tomatoes, eggplants and peppers, was even featured in her friend Altoon Sultan’s Studio and Garden blog last September.

Beth and her tomatoes in her garden

Beth in her garden.

Even if you don’t have a garden of your own, you can still enjoy the benefits of composting. Donate your compost to a friend or family member, or check out a community garden near you!

So pledge to compost, and remember to tweet @uncommongoods and write on our Facebook wall to triple your chances to win.

Leave a comment with your pledge by Wednesday at 11:59 ET to enter this week’s Earth Month giveaway. Check back soon—all month we’re featuring the work of artists, like Beth, who are going above and beyond to protect the planet, and offering easy tips for you to do the same!

If countertop composting isn’t for you, there are other ways to break down those carrot tops, eggshells and bean stems. Check out our Automatic Composter, Kitchen Composter and Worm Factory.

Can’t wait for the next addition to our Earth Month series? Check our profile of recycled glass artists Vawn and Mike Gray, learn how Cliff Drill makes his Recycled Rubber Flip Flops or read up on how to stay green while rockin’ out with tips from Guitar String Bracelet creator Hannah Garrison.

51 Comments

  • Reply Amy F April 8, 2011 at 3:36 pm

    I pledge to compost!

  • Reply Michelle Wynne April 8, 2011 at 3:36 pm

    I love to compost! I pledge to compost.

  • Reply Nikki Rosewag April 8, 2011 at 3:37 pm

    I already compost… I pledge to encourage people I know to compost, and to bring my compostable leftovers home from restaurants. I also pledge to learn more about vermiculture.

  • Reply Angelina April 8, 2011 at 3:40 pm

    I pledge to compost. We hope to start a pile in the next few weeks!

  • Reply Ann Fudge April 8, 2011 at 3:40 pm

    I pledge to compost and spread the word about the value of composting to save our planet.

  • Reply Jennifer Bumsted April 8, 2011 at 3:45 pm

    I pledge to continue composting and spread the word! 🙂

  • Reply crystal April 8, 2011 at 3:48 pm

    I have this on my list of things to begin this spring. I pledge to compost! I hope to win this to get me started!!

  • Reply Janice Jacoby April 8, 2011 at 3:48 pm

    I already have a garden and compost but this would be so much nicer than the coffee can I currently use.

  • Reply Adrienne Gieszl April 8, 2011 at 3:50 pm

    My 5-year old daughter and I will be starting our vegetable garden soon and will definitely compost!

  • Reply karen April 8, 2011 at 3:54 pm

    I pledge! I need one to go with the outdoor compost bin I just got off craigslist!

  • Reply Cindy Gifford April 8, 2011 at 3:55 pm

    I already compost and plan to continue, it would be great to have a crock as I live in a rural area with no garbage collection and grow only organic.

  • Reply Laura April 8, 2011 at 3:56 pm

    I’m already composting! I pledge to spread the word to others, and to start composting at work… I think I can fit one of those wormy bins under my desk 😉 :p

  • Reply Amanda G April 8, 2011 at 3:59 pm

    I can’t wait to see what my bin created this winter!! I pledge to continue to compost!!

  • Reply Rachel T. April 8, 2011 at 4:01 pm

    I pledge to compost!!!!

  • Reply Valerie April 8, 2011 at 4:01 pm

    Oh, yes, composting is great! I pledge to continue to compost all that I can! Thanks for having the give away!

  • Reply Laura Vetock April 8, 2011 at 4:02 pm

    Been composting for years. Love how it becomes such wonderful soil for our garden.

  • Reply Kathryn Tomasek April 8, 2011 at 4:08 pm

    I’ve been composting since I moved from an apartment to my house in 2002. Will continue and continue and continue….

  • Reply Dawn Margis April 8, 2011 at 4:15 pm

    intend to increase my compost and do a trench compost in the garden for the winter months

  • Reply Jenn Oltrogge April 8, 2011 at 4:19 pm

    I promise to keep composting, and spread the word!

  • Reply Raygen April 8, 2011 at 4:26 pm

    I pledge to continue composting! 🙂

  • Reply Andria L April 8, 2011 at 4:30 pm

    I pledge to compost!

  • Reply CINDY BUTTERWORTH April 8, 2011 at 4:56 pm

    I OLEDGE TO COMPOST!!

  • Reply CINDY BUTTERWORTH April 8, 2011 at 4:57 pm

    IMEAN PLEDGE!!! LOL

  • Reply Jose Cortez April 8, 2011 at 5:09 pm

    I already compost! So I will pledge to advocate composting to family, friends, colleauges and the rest of my community.

  • Reply Rowena Y. April 8, 2011 at 5:37 pm

    I am so happy that I live in a city that has a composting plan in place, so I pledge to advocate composting to family and friends!

  • Reply Kate cassidy April 8, 2011 at 5:41 pm

    I pledge to post!

  • Reply Candra April 8, 2011 at 7:46 pm

    I already compost, and pledge to continue! I am really getting interested in vermiculture, and plan to start later this year, too.

  • Reply Renata P April 8, 2011 at 8:08 pm

    I pledge to try composting again! The raccoons won during my last attempt, 5-0.

  • Reply jennifer politsch April 8, 2011 at 8:25 pm

    I already compost and it be good to have a pretty pot.

  • Reply Alicia April 8, 2011 at 8:33 pm

    I pledge to compost and to teach my young children how it benefits Mother Earth. I have a 6 year old boy and (almost) 3 year old twin girls so we have plenty of scraps for a compost, but no yard. A counter-top one, especially one so beautiful, would be terrific!

  • Reply Jill April 8, 2011 at 10:42 pm

    We compost now so I pledge to continue to compost and to get my friends involved as well!

  • Reply Jane April 8, 2011 at 10:50 pm

    We pledge to continue to compost and to encourage friends to start, I would love the compost crock as it would replace the milk cartons that we currently use!

  • Reply Jane April 8, 2011 at 10:51 pm

    We pledge to continue to compost and will encourage friends to begin composting. We would enjoy using the composting crock to replace the milk cartons that we currently use.

  • Reply Emily D April 8, 2011 at 11:50 pm

    I pledge to continue composting, to start a composting program at work (even if I have to bring it home every week) and to bring tupperware with me when I eat out so that I don’t have to use icky styrofoam for a doggy bag!!!

  • Reply Therese April 9, 2011 at 5:15 am

    I pledge to compost. It would be a lot more fun to have such a pretty container to use for it!

  • Reply Jeanette April 9, 2011 at 8:09 am

    I pledge to compost! I’m moving to a place with a yard next month. I can’t wait to get my hands dirty in an organic garden!

  • Reply Martha April 9, 2011 at 8:31 am

    I will definitely pledge to compost!!!

  • Reply Amy April 9, 2011 at 9:51 am

    I pledge to compost as I plan to start a square-foot garden this year.

  • Reply raygen April 10, 2011 at 10:40 am

    I pledge to advocate composting to others. I am doing a speech on it for a class on Monday!

  • Reply Trin April 11, 2011 at 6:39 pm

    Pledge to continue composting!
    Thanks for the awareness fun!
    Tweeted @AllTheWiser

  • Reply Amy April 12, 2011 at 7:55 am

    I need to start composting! We go threw coffee and bananas in my house and I feel guilty every time I throw them away. And my 3 yr old learned about composting at preschool and as my jr Tree Hugger wants to start as well!!

  • Reply gina April 12, 2011 at 9:05 am

    I want to start composting!

  • Reply Shannon Wood April 13, 2011 at 11:57 pm

    I pledge to compost!!

  • Reply carrie crigier April 14, 2011 at 2:54 pm

    I pledge to Compost. And I am always talking to others to get them involved as well!

  • Reply Mark April 14, 2011 at 3:32 pm

    I literally just started composting by cutting a two-liter soda bottle in half to make a jar. I’d love to have this nicer looking gadget to help with the process. I pledge to continue doing so regardless!

  • Reply 10 Ways to Go Green for Earth Day April 21, 2011 at 3:17 pm

    […] more how those wriggly little guys can help you compost at findworms.com, and check out our countertop composting post for another easy way to break down those orange peels and coffee […]

  • Reply Denise Solsrud April 21, 2011 at 9:34 pm

    my 92 young mother composts all the time. and when she cannot get it into the ground right away,she refrigerates or freezes it till the weather is good enuf for her to go outside. i will follow what my mother does and compost.

  • Reply Rachel Davis May 9, 2011 at 10:21 pm

    I would love to compost. Help me out 🙂

  • Reply Erin Myers May 13, 2011 at 5:40 pm

    I am excited for the beginnings of my first garden and I pledge to compost <3

  • Reply "anonymous" September 19, 2013 at 4:40 am

    “anonymous”

    “[…]v Good quality article. benefit loads for for that!! hr[…]”

  • Reply Leslie, mother/teacher May 16, 2015 at 11:51 am

    I pledge to add this step in composting with hope that the convenience will foster more family contribution…

  • Leave a Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.