How to Compost
”Composting replicates nature’s way of breaking down vegetation using worms, good bacteria, and other organisms.”
You know recycling is a good thing; maybe you even take care to crush each and every soda can before dropping it off at a recycling center in your community. But what are you supposed to do with your leaves, banana peels, and that wilting floral arrangement your mom got you for your birthday? They certainly don’t fit under the aluminum, paper or plastic categories.
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that yard trimmings and food residuals together constitute 23 percent of the U.S. waste stream. That’s a lot of organic material going to waste! If you’re looking to green your lifestyle, one of the best things you can do is limit the amount of organic waste your put in trash by composting.
What is Composting?
Basically, composting is nature’s own recycling process. Anytime a plant dies, its remains are attacked by microorganisms and insects in the natural environment. When the plant has fully decomposed, valuable nutrients are recycled into the newly produced humus, or compost.
The composting process can either be ‘hot’ or ‘cold’ depending on how much how much attention it is given. A ‘hot’ compost, or active compost, requires more maintenance than a ‘cold,’ more passive compost.
‘Hot’ Composting:
‘Hot’ composting is an active composting process that can be completed in as little as two weeks. By maintaining a proper balance of required elements, the ‘hot’ composting process is the most efficient use of organic waste. Three key activities necessary to keep your compost active are:
- 1. Aeration: By turning, or aerating, the compost pile on a regular basis, you introduce oxygen into the decomposition process. The more oxygen available, the faster organic waste can decompose.
- 2. Moisture: While too much water will hinder your compost, a damp pile will not fall dormant like a dry pile would. A ‘hot’ compost pile should be kept moist, but not overly wet.
- 3. Carbon and Nitrogen Balance: An active compost pile shouldn’t have too much carbon or nitrogen. A proper balance of yard trimmings and organic waste will help maintain this balance and allow your compost to thrive.
‘Cold’ Composting:
‘Cold’ composting, also known as passive composting, will eventually produce the same product as ‘hot’ composting; it will just take a little longer. By not giving your compost any extra attention, aside from adding yard and kitchen waste, you’ll probably have useful humus in a few months instead of a few weeks.
‘Cold’ composting still keeps organic waste from taking up space in landfills, but since it’s such a slow process, you’ll be limited in how much kitchen waste you can recycle. That is, unless you don’t mind your compost eventually taking over your back yard!
Why Composting is Important
There are actually a few different reasons composting is good, and it’s good for just about everyone. Adults feel good because they are limiting their daily impact on the environment, children can learn about nature’s processes and develop a respect for the planet, and the whole world will be living better with less waste added to landfills each day.
By the Numbers:
You can rest assured that the planet will slowly become a better place to live as individuals begin and continue to recycle their food and yard waste. If you want proof, the numbers don’t lie. Just consider some of the statistics the EPA has released concerning home composting:
- In 2006, US residents, businesses, and institutions produced more than 251 million tons of public solid waste, which is approximately 4.6 pounds of waste per person per day.
- Before recycling, yard trimmings and food scraps totaled 25%, or 63.5 million tons, of the United States’ yearly waste in 2006.
- In 2006, 32.5% of yard and food waste was recovered for recycling or composting, while 12.5% was burned at combustion facilities, and 55% ended up in landfills.
- In 2006, the national recycling rate of 32.5 percent (or 82 million tons) of organic waste prevented the release of approximately 49.7 million metric tons of carbon into the air-about the same amount emitted annually by 39 million cars!
Who would have thought uneaten food scraps could have such a negative impact! Even if you don’t have your own garden in your back yard, you’ll be a great contributor to the planet’s health by keeping your organic waste out of the trash.