The Key to a Healthy Planet
What do we get out of composting?
Composting leads to healthy soil with lots of nutrients. This helps plants of all kinds grow to be strong and healthy. Composting also helps lower the waste in landfills.
What to put in compost
- Egg shells and eggs
- Dairy products
What NOT to put in compost
- Meat and bones
- Anything non edible is not good for your compost
Browns and Greens
Your browns in compost are going to include dry objects such as fallen leaves, dry old stems, sawdust, dead grass, and pine needles. Browns in a compost bin are going to be high in carbon.
Your greens in a compost bin are going to include ingredients that are wet such as grass clippings, kitchen scraps, garden debris, weeds, and any freshly picked plants. Greens in a compost bin are very high in nitrogen.
Temperature changes in compost
After a while the compost mix will start to heat up, until the inside reaches about 140 degrees Fahrenheit. You know your compost has fully mixed when the compost turns back to it's regular temperature.
Why is water necessary?
Water is beneficial to compost because it moisturizes it, therefore speeding up the process. If you leave it dry it will take a long time to complete the process.
The decomposer's job is to break down the remains of the compost. They also keep unneeded waste in landfills from piling up and polluting the Earth.
Benefits of composting
Composting is extremely healthy for the environment, and also is very beneficial for plants of all kind. If you use compost to grow vegetables in your garden, the plants will turn out nice and healthy, which in return makes you healthy if you consume them.
Three Fun Facts
- If you spin compost in a composting bin, it speeds up the process. This is because all of the microorganisms that are breaking down the compost need air too, and when you give them air, they can work faster and harder.
- Landfills release harmful gases that trap the sun's energy, as a result heating up the Earth's core temperature. This is called Global Warming.
- The main decomposers for any compost includes worms, fungi, and bacteria.