Compost also increases soil stability, improves drainage and helps retain moisture. By composting you complete the cycle by returning what you grow back to the soil to help you grow! Now that you know all the great reasons for composting, why not learn just how easy it is to do.
With the help of a couple of young filmmakers and some funding from Assiniboine Credit Union, we were able to produce this fun video on the basics of composting. Why should I compost?
Save Money! No need to buy chemical fertilizers. Compost is free! Compost also contains a greater variety of nutrients than fertilizers, because it is made with so many different types of materials. Because compost both adds nutrients to soil and alters soil structure so that it retains nutrients more effectively, compost reduces the need for fertilizers.
Food scraps are a valuable resource! Just like the parts that you eat, the parts of food you toss contain important vitamins and minerals that, when returned to soil, get recycled back into the ecosystem and taken up by the next round of crops grown on the land. An important way to combat this is to promote healthy soil — which can be done by composting.
Compost attracts critters and microorganisms that are good for soil and plants. Think of compost like probiotics for the human body — good bacteria are needed to fight off diseases and keep us alive and functioning.
Similarly, in order for soil to be healthy, it needs to foster a community of organisms that break down matter, improve soil structure, and create a fertile environment for plants. Compost comes with a myriad of organisms that do just that. Read more about the benefits and uses of compost. We could save a ton of space and time by composting our organic waste, instead of sending it to the landfills.
Due to erosion and the widespread use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, soil across the country has lost much of its nutrient content. If the soil lacks essential nutrients, so does the food that grows there. Depleted soils have led to less nutrient-dense foods. Compost makes nutrient-rich soil and the microbes in compost make those nutrients more bioavailable for plants roots to absorb, eventually sending all those good vibes into our hungry bellies.
Most municipal and private companies sell their compost locally, and locally-produced compost is usually of superior quality compared to national brands. Community composting is the largest movement in the composting world. In this movement, compost is returned to the people who generated it and to their local farms and urban gardens. The use of local compost ensures that the food grown there is healthier and more efficiently grown. As compost protects against so many of the threats agriculture faces, it ensures a more resilient food system in the short term as well as far into the future.
Composting is part of a whole regenerative system of thought that changes how we interact with our world and how we solve the problems in front of us. Nothing is wasted in nature—everything returns back into the soil to nurture new life. We should listen well to Mufasa and respect and support this circle of life, knowing the importance of our role in it. Composting mimics nature and closes the loop, and is an active step in ushering in a regenerative way of living.
There are many compost receptacles that make it easier than ever to compost right at home! Try Bokashi composting or other indoor composting methods. Whichever method you choose, having a healthy compost is really about maintaining the right environment for the beneficial microbes to thrive.
The good news is that composting is an art as well as a science, and any compost pile can be recovered, so treat it like a fun experiment. The composting experiment is even better when the kids are involved! Kids love getting their hands dirty! Composting can be a great lesson in economics, biology, geology, and agriculture.
You can calculate your household food waste and the financial costs of it, or learn about soil science and the intricate ecosystems that exist there. Composting is a great way to explore so many subjects, while engaging your kids outside!
Many cities are starting their own composting services and a lot of private companies are filling in the gaps. Do the research to see who is composting in your community and how you can get signed up. Still no luck? Find a local farm or community garden and donate your collected compostable materials there. If you do not have space for an outdoor compost pile, you can compost materials indoors using a special type of bin, which you can buy at a local hardware store, gardening supplies store, or make yourself.
Remember to tend your pile and keep track of what you throw in. A properly managed compost bin will not attract pests or rodents and will not smell bad. Your compost should be ready in two to five weeks. Skip to main content. Related Topics: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
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