In a compost pile, only certain types of organic matter are thrown in, not everything that constitutes trash. The two main ingredients in a healthy compost pile are brown matter, like dead leaves, sawdust, newspaper and dry brown plants, and green matter, like vegetable scraps, eggshells, grass clippings and coffee grounds. The faster-decomposing compost piles have a mixture of at least three times as much brown matter as green. Like all life, the tiny recyclers in a compost pile need air and water. A healthy compost heap should be damp all the way through, especially when being started.
Aeration is required, and is easily accomplished by turning the composting mass on a weekly basis.
Now, before you start tossing your orange rinds and tea bags in a corner of your lawn, there are some steps to take. While not necessarily inexpensive, the store-bought bins are at least sleek and aesthetically designed enough to placate the neighbors. They are also better at keeping out pests than open-air models. A simple compost bin can be constructed out of untreated lumber, fine fencing material, bricks or even straw bales, which are an excellent brown material. The key points to a home-built system are adequate ventilation, moisture retention and ease of turning the mixture.