| ‘Why compost? What are the benefits?’ Good questions. In simple terms, the first question I answer is because I enjoy it; I find it therapeutic for my mental well-being. But of course, they are not asking that; they want to know WHY I bother tossing waste products around, what the result is, and what it is suitable for. Okay. In layperson terms. Composting is one of the most natural ways to recycle organic waste. For example, gardeners, homeowners and composters can turn kitchen food scraps, garden green waste, paper, cardboard, and coffee grounds into a fabulous earthen material called compost. That material can be added to the grounds where you grow vegetables, flowers, herbs, and shrubs and act as fertiliser, soil amendment, or mulch. If you care for the environment or grow food for the table or flowers for beauty, why would you not want to do as much as possible to make things easier for the planet and yourself? What are the benefits of composting? Through composting, you are reducing the need for organic waste products to be deposited into landfill sites or incinerators, which encourages harmful greenhouse gases, like methane emissions and stack gas emissions, acidic gases, and carbon monoxide to be released into the atmosphere. This happens because landfill wastes decompose through an anaerobic method [without oxygen]. Greenhouse gases are responsible for climate change. Incineration creates hazardous air pollution. The benefit is obvious: it helps reduce waste. Composting also helps in the battle against climate change, aiding our ecosystems and making them more resilient to rising temperatures. Compost improves soil quality, structure, aeration, water retention, and health by enriching microbial biodiversity and decreasing plant diseases. This further encourages and supports healthy plant life and growth and reduces mortality rates. When used as a mulch, compost helps conserve and retain water, aiding the environment through water flow control and management, preventing soil erosion, and increasing filtration. Using home-spun compost in your garden not only saves you money but also gives you a sense of accomplishment. You’ve eliminated the reliance upon shop-bought fertilisers or chemical codes and created earthen materials to use on your soils, a perfect recycling system. Mitigating your organic waste and disposing of it away from landfill sites reduces your carbon footprint, making you a part of the solution. Disposing of household garbage and other green waste is expensive for the authorities, and those expenses are transferred to the households. If more households introduced composting methods, many landfill sites could be reduced, and waste management costs would dramatically drop. By composting, you’re not just helping the environment, you’re also saving money. Food waste is one of the heaviest forms of waste to be disposed of, and composting can significantly reduce this cost. Compost supports and increases biodiversity in the soil and encourages healthier eco-soil systems. It allows microorganisms and earthworms to perform their roles more thoroughly, which, in turn, aids in improving the nutrient levels of our soil. The natural recycling of soils again promotes healthier plant growth. There are many other benefits. The five above are significant reasons by themselves. I always suggest to those who ask me WHY, with, well, why not? Why not give it a go yourself? There are many ways to compost, including different styles and alternative strategies. There is an ideal composting method for everyone interested in starting. Not all composting systems are made equal, BUT more importantly, there will always be the right system for you, your requirements and your needs; you need to research what is available. Aside from the environmental benefits, we can also return to the mindfulness aspect because composting is fun, fascinating, and educational. Try it; you might love it, too. But there are many alternative composting systems available to both novices and veterans alike. From eco-converters, pallets, modular boxes, compost converters, hot composters, two-in-one composting units, leaf mulchers tumblers, lacewings, thermos, digesters, Bokashi units, wormeries – vermicomposting, piles or heaps covered with tarps, burying or trenching methods or even Hügelkultur or mounding methods. There is a system for literally everyone interested in composting, catering to your unique needs and preferences. |
Composting Benefits: Why and How to Make a Positive Impact
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