Are you looking for an easy way to reduce your waste and make a positive impact on the environment? If so, composting may be the answer! Composting helps decrease our reliance on landfills by turning organic materials such as garden waste and kitchen scraps into nutrient-rich soil that’s great for gardening.
Composting your food scraps and non-recyclable items not only reduces waste but it also helps create nutrient-rich soil for any plants or gardens you might have at home. Plus, the process is easier than you may think!
Setting up a compost bin in your backyard or even indoors can provide numerous benefits - from improving the space's health and environment to producing easily accessible fertilizer for your garden. Keep reading to learn about why having a compost bin could be one of your best environmental decisions yet!
What Is Composting?
Composting is the natural process of recycling organic matter, such as leaves and food scraps, into a valuable fertilizer that can enrich soil and plants. Anything that grows decomposes eventually; composting simply speeds up the process by providing an ideal environment for bacteria, fungi, and other decomposing organisms (such as worms, sowbugs, and nematodes) to do their work.
The resulting decomposed matter, which often ends up looking like fertile garden soil, is called compost. Fondly referred to by farmers as “black gold,” compost is rich in nutrients and can be used for gardening, horticulture, and agriculture.
Types of Home Composting
Composting is not just a way of being kind to the environment; it's an incredible resource! By recycling our food and yard waste, we can create nutrient-rich compost that helps us steadily address climate change while also cultivating healthy soil.
Composting truly puts trash into action — improving our communities through green living and leaving behind a legacy of sustainability for generations yet to come. However, the two types of composting a household can do will depend on the following factors:
- Where are live, and what available space you have
- The amount of organic waste your household produces
- The type of waste your household produces
- The amount of time you are able to spend on composting
Based on your answers to the above questions, you can choose the composting method that fits best with your needs. The two methods to choose from are cold composting and hot composting.
Cold composting is the easiest method for those with little organic waste to work with, limited time to manage the process, and not expecting immediate results. Cold composting is a passive activity that relies on nature to safely break down organic matter, such as leaves, grass clippings, fruits and vegetables scraps, coffee grounds, eggshells and other plant debris.
All of these materials are placed in a large container or bin, layered with brown and green materials for nitrogen balance. The bin should be kept moist but not soggy; an occasional sprinkle of water should do the trick. With minimal effort applied over time (and patience), this method can produce usable compost in one to two years.
The other type of composting is called hot composting. Hot composting is a more efficient and managed way to break down organic matter compared to cold composting. It requires the right balance of carbon and nitrogen materials and adequate air flow, water, and oxygen levels to attract the organisms that aid in the decomposition process.
Under ideal conditions, hot composting can produce finished compost in as little as four weeks, though it may take up 12 months when managed correctly. The high temperature of the pile during this process can also help eliminate weeds, plant diseases, pesticides, herbicides, bug larvae or eggs found in the organic matter. This is why many people prefer hot composting over cold composting—it offers a quicker result while still providing sanitized soil for gardening and farming needs.
What Can You Compost?
Creating your own compost pile is simple, and all you need is organic matter such as leaves, grass clippings, straw, wood chips, vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, tea bags, and eggshells. It’s important not to include animal products like meat or dairy in your compost pile because they can attract animals and insects that carry dangerous pathogens.
These materials may take a longer time to break down and create an unpleasant odor in your heap. Additionally, adding too much nitrogen-rich material such as green grass clippings can lead to the formation of ammonia which slows down the composting process. To avoid this issue entirely, you should mix your carbon-rich items with nitrogen-rich items in equal parts.
What Should You Not Compost?
Of course, there are certain things that you should stay away from composting. Some of these include:
- Dog waste
- Plastic
- Dairy products
- Glossy or colored paper
- Plants with diseases
- Meat or fish
- Bones
Why Compost at Home?
Composting is an incredibly powerful, natural way to help the environment by reducing waste, combating climate change, and improving soil health. It also improves water retention in soils, reduces runoff pollution and erosion, mitigates flooding, and helps create more resilient communities.
In addition to providing crop protection from pests and diseases due to its beneficial microorganisms and nutrient content, it increases nutrient availability for plants while reducing their reliance on synthetic fertilizers.
Composting creates jobs by expanding the green economy while at the same time allowing us to do our part in preserving our planet for future generations.
Join the Tru Earth Movement, Today!
If composting sounds like something you would be interested in, give it a try. And, while you're at it, switch the products in your home to correlate with your zero-waste life. Instead of using single-use plastics, switch to products that have environmentally friendly packaging. Or, ditch dryer sheets and start utilizing reusable wool balls to dry clothes quicker.
By making these small changes, you can be taking steps in the right direction to protect our planet. Join us at Tru Earth to keep making strides in protecting our planet. The amazing impact of our community is a testament to the power of collective action.
Through small changes, our community has reduced the amount of plastic waste in landfills by 8,600,382 laundry jugs and counting! This monumental effort was made possible through shared knowledge and resources for sustainability. Our members are dedicated to informing one another about simple yet significant steps that can be taken to reduce their carbon footprint.
We continue to fight climate change with important initiatives like reducing energy usage or supporting local farmers in organic food production - all with the goal of creating a healthier earth for everyone.
