Composting is officially cool. We checked. Plus, it’s the fastest and simplest way that we can have the biggest impact on climate change, food waste and creating healthy, living soil. (healthy soil = healthy food – check out our blog here.)
But we also know that life gets in the way and that it can feel a little ‘hard basket’ to know where to begin.
Fear not, we’ve broken it down for you below:
1) What is compost and why is it so important?
Compost gives important nutrients back to the soil using organic materials. This would naturally happen in forests with leaves from trees dropping to the ground, and over time decomposing back into the soil. Composting recreates that process in our back gardens using food scraps and garden waste.
It’s important because soil is a living thing and like all living things it needs the right food to survive and thrive. Putting the correct nutrients back in to the soil means that the soil stays healthy, and as we’ve spoken about, healthy soil = healthy food.
2) Food that sits in landfill = more greenhouse gases
When we throw food into the general waste rubbish bin it gets taken to landfill. When food sits in landfill, oxygen can’t get in and so the decomposing food releases methane into the atmosphere. Methane is more potent than carbon dioxide and plays havoc with the atmosphere. By composting our food scraps we’re removing that contribution to greenhouse gases and repurposing it into vital nutrients for the soil.
3) The compost recipe. Green + Brown + 02 + H20 = Compost gold
Green materials are most things that are literally green. Think grass clippings, leaves, fruit and veg scraps, coffee grounds, tea bags etc. Brown materials are dry or ‘dead’ materials such as dried leaves and grass, straw, shredded paper, wood chips or twigs. You can redirect paper or cardboard you throw in your recycling by chopping it up and mixing it in as a brown ingredient.
Oxygen ensures that the organisms that are turning the scraps into compost can survive and keep your compost smell free. A little moisture means that the organisms can move around and digest all the material you’ve ‘fed’ into your compost.
Make sure you’re adding equal green to brown and letting plenty of air get to it.
4) What if I don’t have a garden but still want to compost?
The team at Share Waste offer a great resource where you can find people who compost close to you that you can drop your scraps and food waste off to. Our top tip is to keep your compost in the freezer until you’re ready to drop them off to stop them getting smelly.
5) I’m ready to start composting, where do I begin?
Read our blog on DIY composting and decide which style of composting suits your and your living arrangement best. From the Bokashi system, to a DIY bin, or a ready-made one from Bunnings, make sure you know how much space and time you have to dedicating to composting. Your local council will have lots of information on what is available in your area to help you get started too.
Here’s to doing our bit one banana skin at a time…Pass the marigolds!
Resources:
https://www.1millionwomen.com.au/blog/infographic-food-waste-facts-make-you-think-twice/
