Hey there! Have you ever looked at your overflowing garbage can and wondered if there’s a better way to deal with all that waste? Well, there is! It’s called composting, and it’s a fantastic way to help the environment while reducing the amount of trash you throw away.
Composting is like magic for your waste. It’s a process where organic waste, like food scraps and plant materials, breaks down over time and turns into something called “humus.” Humus is a super nutrient-rich soil that can be used as a natural fertilizer for your garden. Not only does composting reduce landfill waste, but it also gives you a great way to help your plants grow!
To start composting, you need three basic ingredients: water, browns, and greens. Let’s break it down:
It’s important to avoid putting meat, dairy, or bread in your compost because they can rot and attract pests. Composting is usually done outdoors, but if you live in an apartment, you can do it indoors with a bit more effort.
To start composting outside, you’ll need a container. You can either build one yourself or buy one from a store. Make sure it’s the right size for your needs and doesn’t have a bottom so it can touch the ground.
Begin by placing a few inches of twigs or straw at the bottom of your container to help air circulate. Then, start adding your waste. The key is to keep a balance of nitrogen (from greens) and carbon (from browns), along with water and air.
Chop up large pieces of waste before adding them to the pile, and avoid highly processed foods as they take longer to break down. Once your compost pile is set up, it’s mostly hands-off. If you add new scraps regularly, bury them in the center to help with aeration. Check the moisture level—if it’s too dry, add some water, and if it’s too wet, cover it to keep the balance right.
After a few months, your compost will be ready to use. You’ll know it’s done when it turns dark brown, smells earthy, and feels warm. This warmth comes from the tiny organisms breaking down the waste. You can then mix this compost into your garden soil to help your plants grow strong and healthy. Just remember, compost is an additive, not a replacement for regular soil.
So, if you’re looking for ways to be more eco-friendly, give composting a try. It’s a simple and rewarding way to make a positive impact on the environment. Happy composting!
Gather materials like a plastic bin or wooden crate and some twigs or straw. Set up your own compost bin at home by layering browns and greens. Observe how the materials change over time and document the process with photos or drawings.
Go on a scavenger hunt in your home or school to find items that can be composted. Make a list of browns and greens you find, and discuss why each item is suitable for composting. Remember to avoid items like meat and dairy!
Organize a relay race where you and your classmates sort different waste items into compostable and non-compostable categories. This activity will help you quickly identify what can go into a compost bin.
Keep a journal to record changes in your compost pile over several weeks. Note the temperature, smell, and appearance of the compost. Reflect on what these changes mean and how they indicate the composting process is progressing.
Create an art project using materials that can be composted. Use leaves, twigs, and other natural items to make a collage or sculpture. Once you’re done, add the materials to your compost bin and watch them transform into humus over time.
This episode of DNews is brought to you by BASF. Does your garbage can runneth over? Consider composting!
Hey everyone, Tara here for DNews. If you find yourself with more garbage than you know what to do with, it might be time to consider composting. I live in San Francisco, which is currently the greenest city in the United States. A while back, the city announced a goal to achieve zero waste by the year 2020. By waste, they’re referring to landfill waste, so composting is crucial here. Every resident gets a free compost bin, but for people outside of San Francisco, it’s not quite as easy. Some cities charge for bins, and others don’t even offer them, which can be frustrating. But that’s okay because it’s super easy to do yourself, and it’s great for the environment.
So, what is compost? In a nutshell, it’s a collection of organic waste—such as food and plants—that decomposes over several months and eventually turns into “humus,” which is an extremely nutrient-rich soil. What’s special about it is that, in addition to eliminating unnecessary landfill waste, the soil it produces can also be used as an organic fertilizer for your home garden.
All composting requires three basic ingredients: water, and an equal amount of browns and greens.
**Browns**: tree matter—dead leaves, branches, twigs, sawdust
**Greens**: typically wet—grass clippings, vegetable waste, fruit scraps, coffee grounds, etc.
You don’t want to put any meat, dairy, or bread items in your compost, as those can rot and attract pests. It’s also recommended to do this outdoors. If you live in an apartment or don’t have a backyard, you can compost indoors, but it requires more maintenance.
For the purposes of this video, I will show you how to do it outside. First things first, select a container for your compost and place it in a grassy, relatively shaded part of your yard. If you’re handy, you can build a container yourself, or you can buy one from any home and garden store—just make sure it’s the right size. You want it to fit everything you have but not be too big, and you want your compost heap to be touching the ground, so make sure whatever container you use doesn’t have a bottom.
Start by laying a few inches of twigs or straw at the bottom to help aerate the pile. Then, you can start adding waste. The biggest rule to remember when composting is to maintain an equal balance of nitrogen, carbon, water, and air. Nitrogen is found in the greens I listed earlier, and carbon is found in the browns. So, equal amounts of green and brown.
Chop up any large chunks of material before adding them in, and avoid highly processed foods, as those take longer to break down. Generally speaking, as long as you maintain that balance of materials, the compost will naturally begin to attract organisms that will break it down.
Once you’ve set everything up and added your waste, it’s pretty hands-off from there. If you’re going to be adding new scraps regularly, I suggest burying them in the center of the pile. This will naturally aerate everything, which is something you want to do every week. If you notice your pile is getting too dry, just water it a bit. If it’s super hot or rainy outside, it might help to cover it with something to maintain the right balance of moisture.
After a few months, your compost should be ready to use. You’ll know when it turns a nice dark brown color, develops an earthy smell, and is warm to the touch, which is a product of the microbes living inside. At this point, you can mix the compost soil into your garden. Just remember this should be used as an additive and not as the sole source of soil in your garden, as that could lead to poor results.
If you know of any other ways to “go green” on a budget, let us know on Twitter at @DNews. Otherwise, happy composting!
Composting – The process of turning organic waste like food scraps and leaves into nutrient-rich soil. – Example sentence: Composting helps reduce waste and creates healthy soil for our garden.
Waste – Materials that are no longer needed and are thrown away. – Example sentence: Recycling and composting are two ways to reduce the amount of waste we produce.
Soil – The top layer of the earth where plants grow, made up of minerals, organic matter, air, and water. – Example sentence: Healthy soil is essential for growing strong and healthy plants.
Plants – Living organisms that use sunlight to make their own food through photosynthesis. – Example sentence: Plants provide us with oxygen and food, making them vital to our environment.
Ingredients – Materials or components used to make something, like compost or a recipe. – Example sentence: The main ingredients for composting are browns, greens, and water.
Browns – Dry, carbon-rich materials like leaves and twigs used in composting. – Example sentence: Adding browns to the compost pile helps balance the moisture and provides structure.
Greens – Wet, nitrogen-rich materials like fruit scraps and grass clippings used in composting. – Example sentence: Greens are important in composting because they help speed up the decomposition process.
Moisture – The presence of water or dampness in the air or soil. – Example sentence: Keeping the right level of moisture in a compost pile is crucial for it to break down properly.
Environment – The natural world around us, including air, water, and land, where living things interact. – Example sentence: Protecting the environment is important for the health of all living creatures.
Fertilizer – A substance added to soil to help plants grow by providing essential nutrients. – Example sentence: Compost can be used as a natural fertilizer to enrich garden soil.
