Composting is more than a sixth grade science project; it’s one of the most valuable ways that the Everyperson can help the Earth.
Look, we don’t know much about you. But we do know one thing: You’re an Everyperson, and that means you should compost.
... Is that offensive?
Okay, let’s try again. Um, if you have a pulse and four square feet of space anywhere in your house or yard, you should compost. You don’t even have to do the composting yourself. We will offer alternative solutions in a later post, and will briefly cover them here, so don’t worry about that yet.
Instead, today, let’s focus on why it matters in the first place, and how composting can help you make the world a healthier place.
What Are the Biggest Benefits of Composting?
You probably already know that composting is an amazing way to turn potential trash into gardening gold. Its benefits don’t stop there, however. This “black gold” has the power to reverse climate change, reduce toxic chemicals, feed the hungry and more.
The natural, regenerative and environmental power of compost is nearly limitless, truly. Not only is compost a natural process that existing long before we humans did, it is a human practice from time out of mind – and there’s a reason for that.
Composting Keeps Food Waste Out of Soil
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “Food scraps and yard waste together currently make up about 30 percent of what we throw away. Making compost keeps these materials out of landfills where they take up space and release methane, a potent greenhouse gas.”
If you add in yard debris and paper, that number is closer to 50 percent.
In the right environment, combined with a healthy ratio of brown matter (sticks, branches, dead leaves) to green (grass clippings, veggie waste, coffee grounds), food scraps become some of the richest soil on Earth in a matter of months.
Reducing Food Waste Reduces Emissions
In addition to keeping methane and other greenhouse gases – produced when food scraps rot in landfill rather than decomposing naturally – composting also reduces the need for trucks to haul waste to landfill.
Considering how waste is, and how much of it we produce, this can result in enormous savings.
With our cities facing increasing harms from greenhouse- and emissions-related causes such as the urban heat island effect, it has never been more important to wrestle emissions under control.
Compost Is Great for the Garden
When it comes to nurturing your plants, few additions to your yard (arguably none) surpass the value of compost. In addition to this above benefits of composting, it:
- Feeds plants without having to resort to chemical fertilizers
- Suppresses plant diseases and weeds
- Nourishes beneficial bacteria and fungi that help plants thrive
- Regulates soil temperatures, making your plants less susceptible to weather changes
Even if you don’t have a garden to nurture, you should still take the benefits of composting seriously.
Composting Is Easier Than You Think ... Even WITHOUT Curbside Pickup
Although many people think otherwise, municipal curbside compost and yard debris programs aren’t the only option when it comes to composting. Your city probably has a composting option if you know where to look. Some of the most popular solutions currently include:
- Compost drop-off locations around the city
- Scheduled curbside pickups with third-party companies
- Small, simple at-home solutions
Truly, it’s not as hard as we think. What we have here is not an opportunity to compost but rather a responsibility, so it’s time to choose your solution and get started today.
Want to learn more about creating healthy urban spaces, with or without a compost bin on site? We’d love to tell you about it, so get in touch with us today!
