The Exploratorium in San Francisco, California, has an O2Compost Micro-Bin System on display for school kids and their families to see and experience composting first hand. On the front left side of the bin, there is an eliminated tube that people can reach into to feel the heat generated by the composting process.

The Exploratorium's staff is composting a mixture of old compost (40%), sawdust and wood shavings (30%), and coffee grounds (30%), plus a small amount of biologic compost starter. The temperature of the pile reaches 140 degrees F for well over two weeks with each batch, and the odor that emanates from the mix has a mild, organic quality that tells the visitors, "I'm Alive".

The staff had previously experimented with non-aerated static pile composting but looked for an alterative that would save time and effort in maintaining the display. They were hesitant to try aerated composting at first, but they quickly discovered that timer-based aeration reduced their labor by about 90%. To learn more, we invite you to watch this video and visit their website: www.exploratorium.edu.