What happens when an MIT trained engineer comes back after vacation to find he forgot to empty the kitchen compost bin before he left? Aside from cleaning up the mess, getting rid of the flies, and getting rid of the smell, the light bulb clicks on:

“While grudgingly cleaning the kitchen compost bin, [Russ Cohn] noticed it was warm. Microorganisms were hard at work! The composting process had already begun. Just a little more oxygen, some mixing, insulation, and a powerful air filter would accelerate the composting process and eliminate odors. Dozens of prototypes and patents later, the NatureMill home kitchen compost bin was born.”

Composting became mandatory for all residents of San Francisco in 2009. Before that people were using various methods to compost, including backyard compost bins, worm composting, compost tumblers, and just collecting their compost in plastic bags. Thinking “There’s got to be a better way!” while taking inspiration from the aforementioned forgetfulness led to the creation of the Nature Mill kitchen composter. The composter seems like a very convenient and useful idea, especially if its claims of no odor and creating compost every two weeks are accurate. Here’s how it works, as written on the website:

Deposit food waste any time, any day – up to 120 lbs (55kg) per month. For best results, cut items into small pieces. Items remain in the upper chamber under optimal composting conditions: mixing, air flow, heat, and moisture (see diagram). The energy released destroys odors, pathogens, and seed germination. It is later transferred through a trap door to the lower cure tray, where it continues to compost while you add fresh items to the upper chamber.

Costing between $300 – $400, the specifications include the following:

Right now there is no composting collection at my apartment. I currently keep compostable scraps in a bin in the freezer. When full, I take out the bin and dump the scraps in the woods nearby, away from residential areas for as not to bother people should animals find the spread out banana peels and apple cores. I would love put all my organic scraps in a bin in my kitchen and let it compost in a quietly and non-malodorous contraption that would give me fresh compost to use on my potted plants. I’m thinking about investing in one of these devices but need to do a little more research.