Composting

What is Composting?

Composting is nature's process of recycling decomposed organic materials into a rich soil known as compost. Anything that was once living will decompose. Basically, backyard composting is an acceleration of the same process nature uses. By composting your organic waste you are returning nutrients back into the soil in order for the cycle of life to continue. Finished compost looks like soil–dark brown, crumbly, and smells like a forest floor.

 
 

Compost is decomposed matter that is rich in nutrients & acts as fertilizer that can enrich plants and their soil. Composting can be done at a large industrial scale, but you too can compost at home to produce valuable soil fertilizers on your own while also reducing your food waste.

Types of Composting

  • Backyard composting — If you have a yard and a balance of greens (grass clippings, fruit/vegetable scraps, eggshells) and browns (dry leaves, twigs, straw), you have all you need to make compost.

  • Worm composting (vermicomposting) — If you have limited outdoor space or live in an apartment and have an abundance of food scraps, this type of composting is for you.

  • Grasscycling — If you have grass clippings you can even leave them on the lawn to decompose.

Visit NPR Life Kit: “Composting can help fight climate change. Get started in 5 easy steps” for information and resources!

Benefits of Composting

  1. Reduces Waste: food waste makes up 28% of waste & is harmful for the environment and very costly. By composting, you send less food waste to landfills which is better for the environment and saves money. 

  2. Cuts Methane Emissions: when food waste decomposes in a landfill, it creates methane and carbon dioxide as byproducts. So, by reducing the food waste that goes into a landfill, you also will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

  3. Improves Soil Health and Lessens Erosion: compost is a much better fertilizer than synthetic fertilizers, which contains harmful chemicals, as compost has nutrients and elements that increase the soil’s water retention capacity, productivity, and resiliency.

  4. Conserves Water: agriculture takes up 80% of the nation’s water use. Since compost helps soil hold in more water, farmers can use less water tending to their crops.

How to Compost

Decomposing organisms need nitrogen, carbon, air, and water. 

  • Ingredients: 

    • greens for nitrogen (coffee grounds, grass clippings, food scraps)

    • browns for carbon (dead leaves, branches, twigs, and paper) 

    • Ratio = 3 browns : 1 green


  • Method: 

    • layer materials (greens and browns)

    • use small, thin materials, and turn piles regularly (once a week)

    • add water to keep your compost piles just damp or use wet materials

    • keep compost piles very hot

    • put in a dry & shady spot

    • use a 3-5 cubic box/bin (i.e. plastic storage bins or garbage cans) 

Composting Resources