Imagine that you finished a delicious apple and now it’s time to throw the core to the trash and you think, apples are natural so for sure it will biodegrade alone and it will just decompose in the landfill. But unfortunately it WON’T.
In order for organic waste to decompose, it needs oxygen. Landfills aren’t designed to break down our waste, it will only accumulate making impossible for organic waste to become compost.
What is compost?
Composting is a natural decomposition of turning organic matter (kitchen and garden waste) into valuable and nutrient rich soil with help from water and oxygen. It is a natural way for us to recycle.
For every 100 kg of organic waste introduced in the composter you will get around 30 kilos of soil.
Composting is good for our environment, offering a natural alternative to chemical fertilisers.
About 50% of our trash is organic waste and it goes straight to our city landfill, creating harmful gas called methane. Methane is a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change.
We can compost everywhere, in the garden, balcony and kitchen.
To make the perfect compost we need 4 ingredients
- Air
- Water
- Carbon: paper (not glossy), dry leaves, sawdust, newspaper, dry grass.
- Nitrogen: eggshell, tea, coffee, fruit and vegetable waste, hair.
The perfect balance of these 4 ingredients will create perfect and healthy compost.
How to choose my composter
Before choosing what type of composter will work better for you and your home. You need to consider these factors:
- Where do you live?
- Do you want an aerobic or anaerobic composter?
- Space available at your home
Community Compost
More and more cities are offering organic waste containers. You can search or ask your municipality if they have this service available or if they are planning to start any time soon.
Vermicomposting or Worm Composting
It is a technique that consists in the use of earthworms. Vermicomposting can be carried out in confined spaces, making it ideal for apartments with or without terraces, it can also be placed inside the apartment.
Open Air Composting
If you have a garden in your house or a garden in your building ask your neighbours if they would like to have a composter for all. This is a traditional backyard composter.
Bokashi
This is a different kind or form of composting because it is an anaerobic process (it doesn’t need air) and it’s a process that ferments the organic waste. You will need special material for this kind of composting.
This kind of composting is excellent for small spaces. This method allow us to incorporate dairy and meat products.
