Composting Options

More and more people are trying to find ways to reduce their household waste. We all want to leave a smaller carbon footprint, and one of the easiest things we can do is compost.

The most common method is to have a compost bin outside your home or apartment building. If you are lucky enough to have the space for one, it can also be the simplest way of turning your orange peels and egg shells into soil. The downside to this method is that in an urban setting, it may attract unwanted rodents and takes up valuable space.

There are other options and they vary from “icky” to philanthropic. Worms are not generally something people like to have in their apartment, but it’s the new craze... For a fairly small cost, everyone can have “designer worms” under their sink or in a utility closet. The worms eat the waste and produce rich soil that can be used in any type of garden.

If the idea of worms in your building doesn’t work for you, there are other options. Several private companies in large areas provide composting services. You just fill up the bin, and they take it away! The cost over time definitely adds up, but you could save that money in reduced garbage fees. A way to simplify this is to find out if your municipality has a program, as they don’t always advertise this. If not, try to get on some type of composting program by writing a letter to a private company, the person in your municipality or regional district who deals with waste management, or a sympathetic elected official.

The most cost effective solution is donation. Within most communities (especially larger ones) there are people who call themselves “urban gardeners.” These guerrilla green thumbs are always looking for cheap ways to obtain good soil. Placing an ad on Craigslist or in your local newspaper for free compost might be your way of ridding yourself of those unwanted apple cores and coffee grounds.

Generally you would have to deliver the compost directly to the garden, but a small amount of travelling could bear the fruits of sustainable urban living.

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Hunter Boucher

10 Tips: How to keep their attention on the phone

With the market at one of its softest points at recent history, it's important to continue to screen tenants before allowing them to move in, while at the same time making sure you don't let any of the good ones go. (Thank you to Rent&Retain for these great tips!)

1. Learn to say "goodbye" before you say "hello;" meaning eliminate all distractions and focus on the task at hand.

2. Make sure get your caller's name, but don't overuse it.

3. Ask them how many different ways they heard about your vacancy. (Often, there's a combination of advertising sources that prompted them to contact you.)

4. If you're comfortable with the caller, ask: "When would you plan on moving into our community?" It's a great pre-qualifying question that starts the assumptive close.

5. Find out if they have any special needs that your community has to offer, such as walk-in closets or a full sized washer and dryer.

6. Always ask for an appointment.

7. Repeat back to them what they told you was important. It shows you paid attention during the call.

8. Offer to text Mapquest directions to your property to their cellphone.

9. Offer to set up a reminder call or email about their appointment.

10. Thank them for calling and tell them you're looking forward to helping them find their new home.

-- Carly Ludwar