2010 Update: There has been recent changes in Colorado’s laws regarding rainwater harvesting use. For a Colorado State guide of nearly everything you need to know go here: CSU Guide

One of the main purposes of this website is to give it’s readers creative ideas on how to use their wonderful new compost soil to make beautiful balcony gardens. Create your own soil, create your own vegetables and herbs, create your own water? Utilizing rainwater catching practices is a great way to reuse nature’s water source. To have your own self-sustaining urban garden it would make sense to intelligently utilize this practice, wouldn’t it? Well here in Colorado things seem to get a little tricky. Let’s investigate shall we? From denverwater.org: Colorado’s water situation (in pdf) and Greywater and Rainwater Harvesting

Harvesting rainwater While this issue is very complex, the bottom line is that it is illegal under Colorado water rights. Although no specific statute has yet been written specifically directed at harvesting rainwater, the act of intercepting and diverting the water could be in violation Colorado water rights. As strange as it may seem, if a person were to capture and divert rainwater it could negatively impact the senior rights of another. (more…)

What better day to start a website all about composting and gardening in urban areas than on Earth Day? This site is all about discovering new ways of developing compost and having sustainable and beautiful urban gardens in limited space.

I’m lucky enough to live in Denver, a city making many initiatives to move the public into a more environmentally conscious community. With great groups like Denver Urban Gardens and Denver Recycles moving people onto the right path I feel like I have a great area foundation to kick off Balcony Compost to high levels right off the bat.

The city put together a little Earth Day celebration in Civic Center Park in the middle of the city to promote Earth Day. It’s great to see all the leading organizations of the Denver Green Revolution in one spot! Very inspirational, and I hope anyone reading this was able to due something to learn about or help the earth this Earth Day. I spent most of the time talking to people about composting and brainstorming some fun new ideas. And picking up pamphlets with great factoids like this:

Almost 11 percent of the waste produced by Denver residents is recyclable organic food waste.

Composting is going to make a difference! And this is going to be THE site to go to for people interested in getting started and taking proactive steps to helping the environment while helping themselves to some ridiculously beneficial soil. We here at Balcony Compost love win win situations.