Cut Organic Waste From Life by Composting
Be sensible and minimize waste production
Composting is recycling organic waste, or simply it’s a process of giving back to earth. It is an excellent way of enriching the soil with essential nutrients cheaply and easily.
Composting can reduce half of your daily waste disposal and lessen the burden on landfills. It is to mention that organic-waste undergoes anaerobic decomposition(due to lack of oxygen) and produces methane, a greenhouse gas 25 times potent than carbon dioxide.
Why composting?
It is an integral step towards zero waste living as you are reducing your carbon footprints by reducing your waste generation. Compost is a crucial soil amendment because it improves soil structure and moisture content.
It also adds essential bacteria and fungus that provide easy access to nutrients to plants reducing the need for chemical fertilizers.
Things to keep in mind while composting
➰ Balance of green and brown waste. Green waste(fruit scraps, vegetable peels, coffee grounds, tea bags, plant trimmings) is nitrogen-rich, and it provides the desired wetness to the pile and balance. Mix it with the dry carbon-rich brown waste(papers, hays, straws, sawdust, dry leaves).
➰ Particle size should be moderate. Neither too large to slow down decomposition nor too small that restricts airflow.
➰ Microbes are our main actors in decomposition, and they require humus (wetness) to survive. So maintaining a proper moisture content is crucial.
➰ Aeration of the pile is important for oxygen flow to accelerate decomposition. Turning the pile now and then will help but be careful not to do too much aeration as it causes dryness.
Choosing composting area
If you have enough space in your backyard or garden, you may keep the compost bins there. In case of limited space, like if you live in an apartment, you can opt for one of the following apartment-friendly solutions.
Worm bins
You can use a bin for worms. They are nature’s digester that can break down the waste. These bins must have sidewall holes so the worms can breathe.
Bokashi bins
Keep a small size bin under the sink. After tossing waste into these bins, shut them properly.
Electric compost bins
They can convert food waste into compost overnight. These bins are more like garbage cans in size, and you can place them anywhere.
Dos and don’ts of composting
➰ What to add
- Food scraps (peelings of fruits and vegetables)
- Paper towels and kitchen rolls
- Leaves, straws, hay, dead plants and flowers, clippings of grass
- Newspapers, junk mails, paper napkins, paper towel all shredded
- Pieces of clothes made up of pure wool, silk, cotton if they are never bleached or treated with other kinds of chemicals
- Pet feathers and furs, droppings from caged birds
- Used facial tissues, hair and nail clippings
- Used matches, wood ships (once which are not painted or polished), wood ashes from fireplace, dust, and dirt after cleaning house
➰ What not to add
- Never add coal ashes. It may contain some trace elements like arsenic, cadmium, and aluminum that can enter into the plants you are growing.
- Shiny laminated papers like magazines, business cards, gift wrap coated with synthetic material, and wax.
- Feces of pets or human waste as there are chances it may contain parasites
- Dairy products, meat, oil, and fats can attract pests and rodents. But as they are organic you can drop off these in a local recycling/composting facility they are happy to accept.
- Trimmings of plants and clippings of grass that are treated with chemical fertilizer.
Adjusting some problems
Smelly/stinky
It means there is little aeration or high moisture content. For that, turn the compost pile and mix brown waste to balance the moisture content.
Maggots or flies
The rule is never to expose the kitchen waste on top. Flies are attracted to green waste. So, always add a layer of brown waste on top.
Attracting pests such as rodents
Use tumbler compost bins and avoid adding smelling food like cheese and dairy products.
Temperature is low
It means nitrogen is deficient. To overcome it you may add more green waste.
To conclude
It’s never too late to start something new. You can play your part in minimizing waste production by changing the way you live and give something back to mother nature.
Thank you for reading.
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