 EnviroCitizen.org thinks that composting is great! It reduces the amount of waste that you put into your local landfill and it's a great way to improve the quality of the soil in your garden. Composting is a simple idea that has been used in nature for billions of years. Basically, anything that is carbon-based ( which is pretty much everything that is alive such as humans, animals, and plants ) will decompose at the end of its life. Some things decompose more quickly than others. In general, most plants decompose relatively quickly. Autumn leaves and the remnants of your garden are good examples of things that decompose quickly. Other things like animal bones decompose much more slowly, although they do ultimately decompose.
Composting is a fun idea to illustrate the circle of life. For example, if you add the remnants of your garden into your compost, it will then enhance the soil so that the plants that you put in your garden next year will thrive even better. Many things can be composted, but there are a few things that can't be thrown in there. Generally, all vegetarian food waste can be put into your compost pile—eggshells, banana peels, bean stalks, etc. Some human-made products can go into the compost pile, too, like certain paper towels ( if they are biodegradable ). However, there are many things that can't go into your compost pile. For example, human feces cannot go into the pile ( this is relevant to those of you with babies wearing certain kinds of diapers, like natural diapers and cloth diapers ). Most man-made items can't go into your compost, including plastics. Meat also can't go into your pile.
Composting is fairly simple. You can either compost in the ground or in a composting bin. Most composting bins can rotate, which quickens the process. Most people who compost keep a small container in their kitchen, like a bowl, which they throw biodegradable food waste in. When the container is full, you simply throw the contents into your compost pile. If you use a rotating compost bin, you rotate it every once in a while. If you compost in the ground, it's a bit more labor intensive as you need to churn the compost by hand ( typically done with a shovel ). Then, after a few months, what used to be a browning banana peel and uneaten leftovers becomes a rich, almost sweet-smelling humus that is packed full of nutrients. You can then incorporate this rich mixture into your soil, which has many benefits. By mixing the two ( your humus and the soil ), you aerate and de-compact your soil, which encourages better root growth and nutrient dispersal. The humus acts as an organic fertilizer so your plants will thrive and have access to plentiful nutrients. Composting is a fairly simple, highly beneficial endeavor. Many composters attest that once you start, it's a lifelong source of enjoyment.
EnviroCitizen.org hopes that this small glimpse into the world of composting was helpful to those of you interested in composting! If you are looking for gardening tools for your new compost-enriched garden, check out EnviroCitizen.org's selection of eco-friendly gardening tools!
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