Composting: Saving the Planet, One Pile at a Time
Each year, hundreds of tons of food land in landfills, releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere as they degrade. These gases pose a severe threat to the health of our environment and have major implications when it comes to global warming. However, through composting, some of these pollutants released from landfills can be reduced.
For some inexplicable reason, fruits and veggies straight from the garden always taste better. Everyone loves an organic, homemade meal of fresh string beans and potatoes topped with minced parsley. Most people have forgotten what a real meal tastes like since most crops today are pumped full of pesticides and other artificial chemicals.
Food waste is an increasingly important issue in today’s world with hundreds of tons of leftover food discarded annually. In fact, 931 tons of food are wasted every year according to the 2021 Food Waste Index Report. Luckily, composting is a great way to reduce that waste. In this article, you will learn about what composting is, how to start composting, and why composting is important.
The Importance of Composting
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Simply put, composting is the process of transforming organic material, such as scraps of vegetables and fruits, into nutrient rich soil that can be used as fertilizer. Composting is an excellent way to cut down on unnecessary food waste by repurposing food scraps. An estimated 25 million tons of food is saved from landfills each year by composting.
Greenhouse Gases
Composting is beneficial to the environment because it reduces the amount of greenhouse gases emitted when trash and food build up and decompose in landfills. Methane and carbon dioxide are among the more common greenhouse gases released by these decomposition reactions. These gases remain in Earth’s atmosphere for long periods of time, trapping the Sun’s heat inside the Earth and contributing to global warming.
According to EcoSafe, methane stays in the atmosphere for approximately 12 years while carbon dioxide stays anywhere from 300–1,000 years. This means carbon dioxide remains in the atmosphere over three times longer than most people live. However, despite methane’s shorter atmospheric lifetime, it traps more UV radiation than carbon dioxide, ultimately having a larger short-term impact on climate change than carbon dioxide.
Through composting and other environmentally friendly practices, we can greatly reduce the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere and begin to make progress on solving climate change.
Eutrophication
Composting not only helps keep our atmosphere clean, but our water as well. Many agricultural fertilizers contain large amounts of phosphorus which can leech into nearby bodies of water and cause eutrophication.
Eutrophication can be defined as excessive nutrient pollution in both freshwater and saltwater which causes rapid algae growth. Algae block sunlight from reaching photosynthetic organisms living beneath the water’s surface. This has the potential to effect entire ecosystems and disrupt the food chain.
Phosphorus concentrations in compost are significantly lower than those in artificial fertilizers which helps prevent eutrophication all while reducing food waste. Additionally, high levels of organic content in compost allow plants to grow and thrive more than they would than if planted in artificial fertilizer.
Components of Compost
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In order to compost, nitrogen and carbon-rich materials must be mixed together. These materials must be kept in areas with high moisture levels at warm temperatures. Your compost must be aerated regularly to accelerate decomposition. This is why most composters feature a manual or even automatic spin system to keep air circulating throughout the soil. Throughout this process, decomposers and other microorganisms in the soil break down organic matter, further exacerbating the process.
Nitrogen-Rich Materials
Nitrogen-rich materials, more commonly known as greens, are generally food scraps that are saved from landfills. While both nitrogen and carbon-rich materials are needed, greens are especially important in making the composting process go smoothly.
Common greens used for composting are coffee grounds, eggshells, and grass clippings. Grapes, apples, bananas, and berries are some of the most common fruits used in compost while the most common vegetables are broccoli, cucumbers, and lettuce.
Carbon-Rich Materials
Carbon-rich materials, also known as browns, should make up the majority of your compost sample. These components are essential in keeping the soil aerated. Common browns used in compost are soil, wood chips, bark, and leaves.
Composting Methods
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There are many methods of composting, some easier and more inexpensive than others. Your individual lifestyle and the amount of time you can put toward your composting efforts will determine which method is best for you to use. While it may take some trial and error to find the composting method that works best for you, keep in mind that even the smallest of efforts are a step in the right direction to helping our environment!
Hot Composting vs Cold Composting
Although hot composting is the most efficient composting method, cold composting is used by many people around the world who live in areas where it isn’t warm enough for hot composting.
During hot composting, microorganisms use oxygen in the atmosphere to break down organic matter into soil that is usable in your garden. This process releases a lot of heat that tends to make the samples warm and accelerate the composting process. One downside to this method is that turning the pile is necessary.
On the other hand, cold composting involves the breaking down of organic matter by anaerobic microorganisms. This process releases almost 20% of the original volume of sample into the atmosphere as gases. Colder temperatures also make the cold composting process slower than hot composting.
Overall, cold composting methods require less maintenance, but progress slower and produce less compost overall. However, cold composting may be the only option available to people living in colder areas of the world.
The Berkley Method
Another method of composting is known as the Berkley Method. Half of the sample is made up of greens and the other half is made up of browns. The pile is turned continuously to keep the sample aerated.
This process is sometimes difficult to perform because the temperature of the sample must be between 130 and 150 degrees Fahrenheit for the first 4 days. Microorganisms will not degrade organic matter efficiently if the sample does not reach this temperature.
Large-Scale Composting
Large-scale composting plants are able to break down larger materials that you can’t compost at home. Some of these materials include yard waste, house plants, and stained take-out containers.
Recap
Each year, hundreds of tons of food land in landfills, releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere as they degrade. These gases pose a severe threat to the health of our environment and have major implications when it comes to global warming. However, through composting, some of these pollutants released from landfills can be reduced. There are a variety of ways to compost, each method unique in its own way. Composting is simple, easy, and can be adapted to anyone’s lifestyle!