What is Composting, and How Does it Affect Me and the Environment?

Hello everyone and welcome to my strange corner of the internet. I hope you've found yourself here willingly, and if not, too bad. You're stuck here with me now. Just kidding. But seriously, thanks for being here. I am Inspiring Green, and I'm here to teach you about composting today. Sit back, relax, and read a little. Your presence is appreciated.

Composting. What is it? Composting is a remarkable process all about breaking down organic matter and turning it into soil. It is used to enrich other soil or dirt and is made up of organic matter and food waste. You have items known as "greens," and a second component known as "browns." Browns are carbon-dense items such as dried grass and woodchips. "Greens" are things like weeds that you pulled or your food waste. A fantastic resource I have found in regards to composting is YouTube, specifically Homesteading Family on YouTube. Here is a link to a full playlist of videos explaining composting as well as some problem solving: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-Q53k5K1cN67ZMmhPyLqSofhaElt6g1z.

Homesteading Family has several other awesome videos and, if you are into that sort of thing, I recommend subscribing or at least checking out a few of their other videos.

Can I throw all of my food waste in there? No. Things like meat cannot go into your compost and must be thrown out. Composting meat is not impossible, however, and the playlist I linked above will explain how they compost their meat. However, meat should not be thrown into your everyday compost. You can, however, rinse out your used eggshells and put your eggshells into your compost.

How exactly does it work? When you grow foods - let's say tomatoes to make this more simple - those tomatoes take nutrients from the soil and put it into the plant and tomato. Then, those nutrients are ingested by you, or a stubborn pest that also likes tomatoes. However, there isn't typically a way to put the nutrients back into the soil with conventional gardening. Hence why fertilizers were introduced. But by composting the foods you don't eat, as well as the leftover tomato plant - once you've picked all your tomatoes - you can return those nutrients to the soil. That process is important in the survival of your plants as well as the thriving of your future plants. If you starve the ground of the nutrients tomatoes need, they simply won't grow anymore. That's part of the issue with conventional agriculture - nutrients aren't put back into the soil in an organic way and are instead overfertilized and wind up in our water sources via runoff. However, that is a different conversation. Back to composting at home. Returning the nutrients to the soil benefits future tomato generations. IF you didn't have the nutrients you needed to survive, you would die. It's the same thing with your food. Again, a great resource is the YouTube link above.

Okay, so composting is important. I don't know where to start. That's okay! I didn't know anything about composting either, for a long time. Sometimes I still get a little confused and have to look up some stuff. Costco previously sold a compost bin that some of my family members utilize. Costco doesn't have it anymore from what I have seen, but they do have the following: https://www.costco.com/aerobin-composter.product.11532729.html. The one that my family has is essentially an elevated barrel that you fill with your browns and your greens, and let it do its magic! You can also simply build a compost "bin." For example, you can build three squares of equal size. Leave the bottom open and on the dirt, and you can leave the top open or you can add a lid. For box one, you'll put in your fresh compost - your food scraps, your greens, and browns - for the first stage. Eventually, you'll need to flip your compost pile. Flip them into box 2, and then start filling box one again. Once box two is ready to flip. you'll put it into box three, and when box three is complete, you'll have fresh soil - compost! Sprinkle this in your garden or your potted plants, and your plants will get all of those lovely nutrients.

I like the idea of composting, but I simply don't have the space. What can I do? There's a solution for that! You can try counter composting. It's essentially the same process, but significantly smaller. There is a product, Lomi, that is a countertop composter for your food scraps. This will run you about 500 dollars, which is pricy. Here is a link to their website if you are interested: https://pela.earth/lomi?gclid=Cj0KCQjw5ZSWBhCVARIsALERCvzX-VkLMUMU-Gm4qOXBxgb50P4ICQL9E8HBrH8DqyoIyAAu7JwKISsaAhLLEALw_wcB. However, you don't have to buy an outdoor composter or build one, and it takes up a lot less space. There are other options as well. Another option is attainable using some plastic boxes. You can easily DIY this if you have access to a drill. Here is a link that explains the whole process! https://www.greenspherelawn.com/landscaping-tips/diy-composting-how-to-make-a-plastic-compost-bin-for-less-than-20/

To quote Green Sphere Lawn, you'll need: two large plastic storage containers, with tight-fitting lids (both the same size), a drill and a⅛-inch size bit, dry decomposable materials, like leaves, thin twigs, etc., wet decomposable materials, like food scraps, and a container of earthworms."

I don't like the idea of composting, but I hate having food waste. Understandable. Composting can be tedious, and sometimes you are simply too busy or not all that interested in it. Everyone is different, and that's okay. Some cities have started collecting compost. For example, my city has an option where a truck comes and picks up your compost once a week for $15 a month. Then, they sell that compost to citizens who in turn use it in their gardens. However, you could also ask your, neighbors, if they compost, and if they would like you to collect and give them your food scraps. Take out the middle man. You should simply be able to search for a composting service by typing your city name plus the word composting company, and hopefully, your city has a composting service! There are so many different ways to compost that it can be achievable for most people. Not everyone has to compost. Neither do a few people have to compost EVERYTHING. Everything in life is about balance, and that includes composting. If a lot of people compost a little, then a lot of food waste stays out of landfills, and those nutrients go back to our gardens and then back to us. Thanks again for joining me here. I am so so grateful to you for being here. I hope you gained a bit of knowledge here today, and I hope you can apply it to your life. Remember: Knowledge belongs to all. Thanks again. I'll see you soon, friends. - Inspiring Green

Works Cited:

“Aerobin Composter | Costco.” Costco, https://www.costco.com/aerobin-composter.product.11532729.html.

Family, Homesteading. “Composting 101.” YouTube, YouTube, 13 Oct. 2021, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-Q53k5K1cN67ZMmhPyLqSofhaElt6g1z.

“Lomi: Kitchen Composter.” Pela Earth, https://pela.earth/lomi?gclid=Cj0KCQjw5ZSWBhCVARIsALERCvzX-VkLMUMU-Gm4qOXBxgb50P4ICQL9E8HBrH8DqyoIyAAu7JwKISsaAhLLEALw_wcB.