Simply said, composting is the natural process of decomposing organic matter (food waste) in the presence of air, water, and microscopic organisms. Compost, the final product, is rich in nutrients for plants that can be used right away and is a crucial component of healthy soil.
To produce compost, composting organisms need the following 4 factors:
1. Carbon derived from brown organic matter, such as paper, sawdust, and dried leaves
2. Nitrogen derived from coffee grounds, fruit and vegetable waste, and other sources
3. Oxygen obtained from air
4. The right amount of water
Since the plastic and metal garbage in landfills makes food waste poisonous, they are not the best place to make compost. Every day, additional trash is accumulated like a mountain, and the layers below are depleted of oxygen.
Simple methods for composting kitchen waste
1. Sort your edible kitchen waste into separate containers (vegetable peels, fruit peels, and small amounts of leftover cooked food).
2. Gather sawdust and other dry organic material in a small container.
3. To allow air inside, drill 4 to 5 holes at various levels all the way around a sizable earthen pot or bucket.
4. Add a layer of soil to the bottom.
5. Now, begin layering in food waste, alternating between wet waste (food scraps, vegetable and fruit peels), and dry waste (straw, sawdust, dried leaves).
6. To help retain heat and moisture, cover this container with a sheet of plastic or a piece of wood.
Read Also : Types of Solid Waste and Sources of Solid Waste
Use a rake to quickly turn the pile to create aeration once every few days. The pile should be moist if you believe it to be too dry.
Your pile should start producing compost in two to three months that is crumbly, dry, dark brown, and has an earthy scent. For those who need help getting past their early reservations about starting to compost, there are now pre-made composting kits available.
Composting will become second nature to you over time and with a little patience.
A family of four can reduce their annual trash production from 1000 kilograms to less than 100 kg by segregating, recycling, and composting. You can begin your composting adventure by imagining Chennai having 90% of its rubbish vanish overnight and becoming a clean, green city.
We produce a significant amount of organic waste each day, adding a significant amount of rubbish to our landfills. Unfortunately, this not only adds to the rising problem of global trash, but when our old apple cores and banana peels decompose in landfills, they release greenhouse gases like methane that contribute to climate change.
Composting organic waste and converting it into nutrient-rich soil for our plants and landscaping is a much better use for such garbage than simply dumping it away. Simply put, this is doing what nature already does, which is to recycle nutrients to replenish the soil and encourage the growth of fruitful plants.
Composting itself doesn’t require any special abilities because organic materials will naturally decompose over time through ecological processes without any effort on your behalf. Really, all you need is a location (like a compost container or a pile) and enough time for your organic waste to decompose.
Your primary resource for efficient composting is how to start a kitchen compost. Which are as listed and discussed below
1. Acquiring the right balance of browns and greens
The ratio of 30 “brown” elements to 1 “green” material makes up the optimal compost pile.
Materials that are “brown” or carbon-rich include straw, woodchips, dried leaves, and newspaper.
“Green” materials, which are nitrogen-rich, include fruit and vegetable leftovers as well as grass clippings that haven’t been treated with chemicals. The quicker the components in your compost pile decompose into compost, the smaller they need to be.
While this ratio need not be exactly right for items to decompose, coming close to it will greatly speed up the composting process. The conclusion is that you should add many more brown components than green ones.
However, if you have too much brown material, your compost pile will take a very long time to decompose, and if you have too much green material, your pile will smell bad and not “heat up” enough (the microorganisms and other critters that break down the organic matter won’t be active enough even to create a hot environment where ideal decomposition takes place).
When you want to add brown materials to your compost pile, saving your autumnal leaves or your newspaper subscription will be a good supply of brown materials.
2. Water is added to the mixture
Regularly add water to your compost pile. Just enough water, like a wrung-out sponge, is required to keep things moist. The breakdown process will continue to progress as a result.
3. Adding air to your compost heap
To aerate your compost pile, turn and mix it every week or so. A blender or spinner compost bin makes this procedure simple to complete, and a pitchfork works well for this.
4. Preventing parasites and pathogens
Don’t put meat, oils, or fats in your compost! You don’t want to draw vermin and other animals to your compost pile, which these things will accomplish.
Keep pet waste out of your compost pile. This will propagate infections that you don’t want in your garden as well as produce an unpleasant stench.
5. Increasing composting efficiency
While they are not required, adding a compost starter or some garden soil helps speed up the composting process.
6. Making compost at home
You can usually receive compost within a few months to a year, depending on how active your compost pile is, how often it is rotated, and the moisture level.
I’m done now! No biology degree is necessary for you to produce rich compost for your garden or landscaping. It’s simple, and kids can participate, giving them a deeper appreciation of how nature functions in their own backyards.
Read Also : Concept / Definition of Solid Wastes
Composting also helps us to reduce trash and our environmental impact. Composting organic waste as more people do can truly have a big positive impact.
How can a compost bin be made and used at home
Composting may be done in piles with ease, but many people like to put their compost in a compost bin to keep everything much more organized and nice, which may be a problem for many houses and towns.
Although there are many various types and sizes of compost bins on the market, buying one is not necessary in order to compost your trash at home. If you’re resourceful and possibly a bit artistic, you might create a compost container from supplies you already have at home or simply obtain them for little to no money from websites like Craigslist or FreeCycle.
The following are a few of the most simple compost bins you can create at home:
▪ Compost bin with wire mesh
Simply shape some wire mesh into a cylinder, insert some support stakes made of wood, and secure everything with string or wire.
▪ Composter made of plastic milk crates
Use plastic milk or bread crates from the grocery store as compost bins because they have excellent airflow.
By joining many boxes together and attaching them with materials like wire or rope, you can create a larger container construction. To assist keep the compost inside the bin, you can cover it with cloth, mesh, or landscape fabric.