Michelle Balz is a long-time backyard composter with a passion for reducing our impact on the planet and the author of Composting for a New Generation. She spends her days writing laid-back advice for home composters in the Confessions of a Composter blog, teaching classes on backyard composting, and learning everything she can about composting, recycling, reusing, and waste reduction. Since 2002, Michelle has worked as a solid waste (a.k.a. garbage) professional encouraging residents and businesses to reduce their waste and use fewer resources. Michelle has a bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies and a master's degree in Professional Writing, both from the University of Cincinnati. She lives in Cincinnati, Ohio.