So You Want to Start Composting at Home?
An Ultimate Guide for Newbies
You probably have heard by now that food waste is a big problem. In the US alone, Americans waste an average of 40% of all their food. Not only is food waste ethically wrong in a world where so many are starving, but it’s also a major environmental concern. Rotting food waste emits methane, a potent greenhouse gas that is bad for us, and the planet. This is a multi-faceted issue in the food system, but we do play a part. One individual solution that is easy to implement is an at-home compost bin. While not the sexiest sounding eco-solution, composting is a simple way to ensure your food waste isn’t contributing to climate change.
What is composting?
Composting is the breakdown of organic materials like food scraps, leaves, and even cardboard. This breakdown transforms food back into a soil-like substance. It happens in nature, for example when fallen leaves break down, creating nutrient-rich soil in which other plants thrive. Unfortunately, because of human intervention, natural composting isn’t happening when we throw out our food and household scraps. Instead, they get piled into plastic bags and thrown into a landfill which causes them to anaerobically decompose, or rot, releasing methane into the atmosphere. This is responsible for 6% of all greenhouse gas emissions.
