In summary, composting is a financially responsible, environmentally friendly choice. Imagine a future where we mimic the natural upcycling process by composting our waste instead of tossing it aside: our food would go from farm to table, table to compost, and compost to farm. Humans are the only living creatures on the planet that do not live zero-waste lifestyles.
So how can you start composting at home? But composting can be as simple as tossing your food scraps into a separate bin and having it collected each week.
Otherwise, a friend, neighbor, or relative might be able to use it. Ask around to see if anyone you know could use your compost and compostable materials. Additionally, many cities are implementing curbside compost collection programs. If your city does not provide you with a green composting bin automatically, request one! If your city cannot provide you a green bin, there are many private compost collection services that can collect your compostables instead. If the city provides you with a green bin, use it.
Otherwise, you can easily build a container, order one online, or purchase one from a hardware or garden supply store. You can store your bin wherever makes the most sense for your home. Many people place theirs under the sink, in a cabinet or closet, or out in the garage.
Alternately, you can keep a compost pile in an outdoor space. In addition to oxygen, compost needs plenty of moisture to break down effectively, so choose a shady area if possible to prevent sunlight from drying it out. If you do pick a sunny spot, just be sure to water your compost pile enough to keep it moist. If necessary, surround the pile with fencing to protect it from wildlife and pests.
Once your bin or pile is set up, start feeding it with your food scraps and other compostable materials. Green waste consists of materials that are rich in nitrogens and proteins, and includes items like fruits, vegetables, and yard trimmings. Brown waste consists of carbon-rich materials like wood shavings, dry leaves, and newspapers.
In tandem, they support the microorganisms responsible for healthy decomposition. There are some items that should not be composted, including dairy and animal products, pet waste, and fats and oils, since they will take longer to break down and attract pests with their smell.
Overseeing the composting process at home is relatively simple. Over several weeks, your scraps will turn into healthy soil. If the mixture is smelly and wet, add more brown waste items and mix it up more frequently. How can you tell when your compost is ready for use? Once it looks and smells like soil, it can safely be incorporated into your home or community garden!
Check with your city or private service to see if this is an option. A1 Organics is a Colorado-based organic recycling company that diverts over , tons of organic waste from landfills each year. We work with organizations including Denver Public Works , Denver Parks and Recreation , and the Colorado Department of Transportation to supply organic compost and landscaping materials for applications in construction, gardening, and agriculture.
By composting you complete the cycle by returning what you grow back to the soil to help you grow! Now that you know all the great reasons for composting, why not learn just how easy it is to do. With the help of a couple of young filmmakers and some funding from Assiniboine Credit Union, we were able to produce this fun video on the basics of composting.
Why should I compost? Save Money! No need to buy chemical fertilizers. Compost is free! Compost helps to retain soil moisture so you water less. The nutrients from compost are not washed away by rainfall. No waste! Save Resources! It also includes traces of other essential elements like calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc. Instead of relying on synthetic fertilizers that contain harmful chemicals , composting offers an organic alternative.
Irrigation systems are effective but are expensive and time-consuming for farmers to manage. Additionally, water is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain across the country. How can compost help? Research has shown the water-retaining capacities of soil increase with the addition of organic matter. In fact, each 1 percent increase in soil organic matter helps soil hold 20, gallons more water per acre. By using compost to foster healthy soil, farmers do not have to use as much water and can still have higher yields compared with farming with degraded soil.
Consumers are responsible for a staggering amount of wasted food. NRDC research in three U. According to a report in The Guardian , U. The best way to reduce impacts from food waste is to prevent waste from occurring in the first place, so NRDC works through its Save the Food campaign and other tools to educate consumers on how to shop for, prepare, and store food to minimize waste. However, even if we do everything possible to decrease food waste, there will still be food scraps that cannot be consumed e.
Composting is a great way to recycle those discards instead of tossing them in the trash. Composting can be done both indoors and outdoors and can be as complicated or as simple as you would like. The best way for you to compost at home depends on several factors:. There are two main types of backyard composting: cold also known as passive composting and hot also called active composting. Cold composting breaks down organic matter slowly, but it also takes the least amount of effort and maintenance.
Anything organic decomposes eventually; cold composting is just letting Mother Nature do her job with minimal intervention on your part.
You do not need to worry about the ratio of compost ingredients, aerate regularly, or monitor moisture levels. Cold composting is the best process if you have little organic waste to compost and not much time to tend to the process, and if you are not in a hurry for finished compost. However, depending on what kind of cold method you use, it can take one to two years before you get usable compost. A cold composting process is primarily anaerobic, meaning that your discards are broken down by microorganisms that thrive in an oxygen-deprived environment.
In addition to being slower to break down, cold piles may be smellier or wetter than hot piles. Hot composting is a faster, but more managed, compost process. This method requires attention to keep carbon and nitrogen in the optimum ratio to decompose organic waste. It also requires the right balance of air and water to attract the organisms that thrive in an oxygen-rich environment.
Under ideal conditions, you could have the final compost product in four weeks to 12 months. If managed correctly, the high temperature of the pile will destroy most weeds, plant diseases, pesticides, and herbicides, plus any bug larvae or eggs.
Organisms that decompose organic waste need four key elements to thrive: nitrogen, carbon, air, and water. Since all compostable materials contain carbon, with varying amounts of nitrogen, composting successfully is just a matter of using the right combination of materials to achieve the best ratio of carbon to nitrogen and maintaining the right amounts of air and water to yield the best results.
The ideal carbon-to-nitrogen ratio for a compost pile is 25 to 30 parts carbon for every 1 part nitrogen. If your pile has too much carbon-rich material, it will be drier and take longer to break down. Too much nitrogen-rich material can end up creating a slimy, wet, and smelly compost pile. Fortunately, these problems are easily remedied by adding carbon-rich or nitrogen-rich material as needed.
A higher nitrogen-to-carbon ratio is most commonly found in fresh organic material often referred to as greens. Having plenty of greens in your compost pile makes sure the decomposers can grow and reproduce quickly. Some household greens you can add to your home compost pile are fresh grass clippings, food scraps, and coffee grounds.
Carbon acts as a food source for decomposers , helping to keep them alive while they break down waste. Typical browns you can add to a compost pile include dead leaves, branches, twigs, and paper. To achieve the best carbon-to-nitrogen ratio in your home compost, a rule of thumb is to put in two to four parts brown materials for every one part green materials. Oxygen and Water Finally, like any other living organism, decomposers need oxygen and water to survive.
To ensure a faster home composting process, you will need to make sure your compost system has the right amount of air and water. As mentioned above, if you are not in a rush for finished compost, you do not have to maintain your waste; the decomposition will still take place, just at a much slower pace.
Optimal air flow can be achieved by layering materials, making sure your materials are in small pieces ideally no thicker than a finger , and turning piles regularly or adding another type of aeration system. As for water, the ideally moist household compost pile will be about as wet as a wrung-out sponge. Hot composting is achieved when the balance of greens, browns, air, and water creates ideal conditions for aerobic organisms to thrive. The optimal peak temperature for aerobic composting is to degrees Fahrenheit , which occurs when aerobic macro- and microorganisms are breaking down waste and reproducing at a fast rate.
This high temperature also kills any lingering bacteria or weed seeds. Aeration encourages an aerobic environment, which helps to speed up the composting process and reduce odors.
It is recommended you turn your pile or rotate your tumbler around once a week during summer and at minimum once every three to fou r weeks during winter. You can also add piping or large sticks to help increase natural airflow. Moisture is essential for composting —your pile should always feel like a wrung-out sponge. Too dry a pile may cause the composting process to slow down.
Too wet a pile may create an anaerobic environment, which can cause bad odors and also slow down decomposition. Water your pile or add more wet materials if it becomes too dry, and add carbon-heavy browns if it becomes too wet. A 3-foot cube is the ideal size for a compost bin or pile.
You need a large volume of waste to be able to produce a high enough temperature for aerobic organisms to thrive. However, piles larger than 5 cubic feet are not likely to allow enough air to reach the decomposers at the center; they may also be harder to turn. Chop up larger pieces of food or yard scraps before adding to your bin or pile.
The smaller the pieces, the quicker the decomposition process will be. A good rule is not to include anything thicker than a finger. The ideal compost location is a dry and shady spot. If you live in a rainy climate, avoid placing your pile or bin under eaves or places with poor drainage, or else the compost may get too soggy. To start your pile, add alternating thin layers of greens and browns, ending with a layer of browns.
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