So as part of Action At Home I have decided to research into and hopefully spread awareness of some efforts we can all make to reduce our carbon footprints and live a little bit more sustainably.
To ease myself in I’ve picked a topic that I can have fun nerding out on which is simple, interactive and kind of mind-boggling. That subject believe it or not is composting! Yaaay, I hear you scream. A little louder please for the people in the back as we get into the good stuff. In Nepal no food is wasted and every last tit bit (except for the bones) is gifted to the animals. This got me thinking what should be done with our scraps? Composting of course!
What is composting and why is it so darn special?
Composting is the Completion of a life cycle, consider it natures way of recycling.
The natural process is performed when oxygen fueled microbes, fungi, worms (take note of these guys), snails, insects and bacteria breakdown organic matter into nutritious fertiliser, otherwise known as ‘black gold’.
Said black gold can be added to soil types to make them richer and help produce healthier veg and plants. It can be used as Mulch – to discourage weeds and keeps moisture in the soil and Humus – regenerating soil, suppressing plant diseases and pests.
The Environmental Protection Agency states that up to 30% of household waste is food waste, therefore in the most part able to be composted.
By choosing to compost you are directly reducing the production of greenhouse gases! Landfill is broken down anaerobically and as a result produces a vast quantity of methane emissions whereas composting is an aerobic process releasing 0 Methane.
By composting you also reduce the need for artificial/chemical fertilisers. These products have shown to cause harmful effects on both the environment and population contaminating the air and groundwater with nitrates.
So where do you start? You can compost no matter the size of your house or garden. You can buy bins from your local garden store or online. Alternatively there are tonnes of funky DIY options for creating a compost bin. If you are interested in this route pinterest is inundated with constructions made of straw bales, chicken wire, and shock horror...palettes, I quite enjoyed this article .
It can however be as straight forward as this..
Now you have a bin.. Lets get started..
To begin you will need a layer of dirt containing the essential powerhouse, bacteria...and some of this stuff
You got it, if you have leftover wine you can use it to start your composting process. The bacteria in the dirt sometimes need a little push and likes the Vino just as much as we do!
A surprisingly huge amount is the answer. Composting does not stop at grass cuttings, branches, leaves, cardboard and dead flowers (the brown stuff!) .
Roadkill..YOUR own hair, your dog’s fur, toenails (ew, I know, swiftly moving on), masking tape, wine corks, cotton pads, toothpicks, toilet rolls, kitchen towels, napkins, tissues, teabags, latex gloves, balloons, matchsticks, coffee ground and filter paper, egg shells, fruit and veg, cooked rice and pasta, stale bread, shredded newspaper, old herbs and spices, wood ash, beer and would you believe it, out of date and used condoms! Providing they are purely latex and lambskin obviously.
Steer clear of adding pet waste from domestic animals, meat and bone scraps, fats, oils ,grease, cheese, coloured/glossy paper, plastic or metal to your pile. These are a recipe for disaster in one form or another and could stink out your garden, release toxic fumes, and create a home for diseases.
4. Caring for your pile, a bit of TLC.
Once you have established your compost pile there are a few tricks to produce the ultimate final product. These are ..
- Your bin should be kept in a shady place and the soil moist (think rung out sponge) not soaked.
- The compost should be turned maybe once a week to keep it aerated, this accelerates decomposition.
- The top should be covered with tarpaulin or simply the brown stuff ( straw, leaves, dirt ) and make sure the green is not exposed so the bugs stay away!
Follow these steps, wait a few months and ta-da you’ll be blessed with the good stuff and a clearer conscience.
Our compost bin has been having a little bit of a dry spell this year. Lets see how long it takes for the parents to notice this one...
