Composting mimics nature’s method of decomposition, allowing organic material to break down aerobically. Thus, composting greatly reduces our overall waste being sent to landfills, and also cuts greenhouse gas emissions.

Did you know, that 40% of household waste is organic and could be composted? DYK that, a proper compost including 40-60%, cca 10.000 kinds of micro-organisms? 

Reasons to compost

Let’s see, why is composting important and useful for you! 

1. The more waste we put in our landfills, the more we contribute to the release of greenhouse gasses and pollution that can leak into ecosystems - harming plants and animals. 

2. You can reduce the amount of your own household waste by compositing organic materials, such as kitchen scraps and backyard debris. Thereby you don't have to take out the bin so often, and your trash won't be so stinky.

3. Compost contains essential plant nutrients that can be used as fertilizer and soil amendment for your plants. Plants grown in compost-rich soil tend to be more resilient to diseases, pests, and fungi

4. Adding compost to soil improves its structure and texture, making soil better able to retain water, nutrients, and air – benefiting the entire ecosystem by reducing runoff and erosion.

5. Unfortunately, today’s intensive agricultural methods have resulted in nutrient depletion in soils, which in turn has caused the fruits and veggies they grow in to be significantly less nutritious than a few decades ago. For human health, it means less nutritional value of food, but more unhealthy food to consume. Compost contains important vitamins and minerals that, when returned to the soil, get recycled back into the ecosystem and human body.

6. Compost attracts critters and microorganisms that are good for soil and plants. In order for soil to be healthy, it needs to foster a community of organisms. Compost comes with a myriad of organisms that do just that.

7. The water-retaining capacities of soil increase with the addition of organic matter. By using compost to foster healthy soil, farmers do not have to use as much water and can still have higher yields compared with farming with degraded soil. Composting conserves water as well!

Isn't it beautiful? So many benefits, such as a simple solution for the problems of soil, plants, human health and the planet. 

Let’s see, what you need for a good start.

Composting methods

Composting can be done both indoors and outdoors and can be as complicated or as simple as you would like, but it depends on several factors:

• Where do you live/availability of space?

• How much organic waste do you produce?

• What kind of organic waste do you produce (kitchen and/or yard waste)?

Do you have a backyard space for composting? Backyard compost is a great way to reduce waste. There are two main types of backyard composting: cold (also known as passive composting) and hot (also called active composting). Cold composting breaks down organic matter slowly, but it also takes the least amount of effort and maintenance. Anything organic decomposes eventually; cold composting is just letting Mother Nature do her job with minimal intervention on your part. Cold composting is the best process if you have little organic waste to compost and not much time to tend to the process, and if you are not in a hurry for finished compost. However, depending on what kind of cold method you use, it can take one to two years before you get usable compost.

Hot composting is a faster, but more managed compost process. This method requires attention to keep carbon and nitrogen in the optimum ratio to decompose organic waste. It also requires the right balance of air and water to attract the organisms that thrive in an oxygen-rich environment. Under ideal conditions, you could have the final compost product in four weeks to 12 months. If managed correctly, the high temperature of the pile will destroy most weeds, plant diseases, pesticides, and herbicides, plus any bug larvae or eggs.

Are you living in the city, without your own outdoor space for composting? Don't worry, you still have a lot to choose from!

• You can choose to collect your organic waste in the fridge/freezer until you visit your friends or family in the countryside. Hopefully, you can dispose of your wealthy waste in their backyard compost.

• Visit sharewaste.com and find the nearest compost host in your area!

• Search for the community gardens / organic farms in your city. There must be a compost hive to visit.

• Try vermicomposting at home! That’s right, worms eat my garbage! What’s more, they convert it to black, earthy-smelling, nutrient-rich humus that I use to grow delicious garden vegetables and beautiful houseplants. Operating an indoor worm-powered waste converter is easy, convenient, environmentally sound, and inexpensive. Anyone can do it and it’s fun, too.

• Usually, meat and dairy are not recommended to put in the compost. What to do, if you want to compost them too? Bokashi composting is an anaerobic fermentation process that relies on inoculated bran to ferment kitchen waste, including meat and dairy, into a safe soil builder and nutrient-rich tea for your plants.

Combatting misconceptions about composting

Even though composting has been around for a long time, we’ve still got a long way to go on our quest to make it mainstream. If you’re new to composting, or even considering getting into it, you’ve probably heard some of these assumptions people make about composting. Let’s address some of these stereotypes head-on.

1. It takes too much time and effort

While traditional backyard composting can require a significant amount of time and effort, you can get started by finding compost drop-off locations or participating in a curbside pick-up service. These options don’t require any more effort than separating organic scraps from the rest of your waste stream.

2. It’s stinky

The smell is only around the compost if you do something wrong. Make sure to keep your compost bin clean and fresh all year round.

3. You can only compost fruits and veggies

Besides the peels and party of fruits and veggies, teabags, grounded coffee, your hair, nails, herbivore animals' fur and droppings, cardboard, eggshell, wood ash, leaves, and seeds can be also composted indoors and outdoors as well. In Bokashi compost, you can add meat and dairy too, while in the backyard compost, you can put sawdust, grass clippings, green plant cuttings, old flowers and many weeds as well, even the content of your compost toilette.

4.  You need a big backyard

The space required for composting depends on the type of composting method you’re planning to use. DIY composting can range in size from a plastic storage bin to a large backyard pile.

5.  Compost attracts wildlife & rodents

As stated above, properly managing your compost helps deter wildlife and rodents from visiting. DO NOT ADD meat, bones and cooked meals, or leftovers to your compost, so it will not be interesting for the animals.

Do you still have hesitation and questions? Let's start your composting adventure and share your learnings with others!