Here’s a surprising fact: Nearly one-third of your household trash doesn’t belong in a landfill—it belongs in your garden! Food scraps and yard waste make up a significant amount of what we throw away, which means composting could lessen our daily waste and save us money.
Why compost?
Composting is nature’s way of recycling. It is one of the most significant ways we can reduce our trash. When organic waste sits in landfills, it releases methane—a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. But in your compost pile or bin, those scraps transform into “black gold” that can supercharge your garden, save money on fertilizer, reduce trash bags, and cut down on trips to the recycling center.
What is composting?
Composting is the managed aerobic and biological decomposition of organic materials by microorganisms. These microorganisms feed on the materials added to the compost pile during the process. They use carbon and nitrogen to grow and reproduce, water to digest materials, and oxygen to breathe.
What do I need to begin composting?
Ingredients for composting include a proper balance of the following:
- Carbon-rich materials (browns) including leaves, sticks, yard and tree trimmings, paper, shredded paper bags, and cardboard.
- Nitrogen-rich materials (greens), including grass clippings, fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds and paper filters, paper tea bags, bread, pasta, and crushed eggshells.
What should I avoid?
Do not put the following into your compost pile: meat, fish, bones, cheese and dairy products, fats, oils, grease, compostable bags and food service ware, pet waste, and cat litter. Also avoid aggressive weeds, weed seeds, and anything better suited for industrial composting.
What are the environmental benefits?
By composting at home you help reduce your carbon footprint and divert waste from waste management systems. You also create a soil amendment that enriches soil with nutrients, improves soil structure and drainage, helps retain moisture, and supports plant health. Plants grown in compost-rich soil tend to be more resistant to diseases and pests.
Cost savings
You’ll save money by creating your own free fertilizer, while reducing the number of trash bags you use and lowering waste disposal costs.
Educational value
Composting requires minimal effort, equipment, and expense, and it can be fun for the whole family. It’s a great way to learn about natural cycles and helps children better understand where their food comes from—and where it goes. The process connects you more deeply to the natural world and gives you a tangible way to practice sustainability in your daily life.
This is the first in a two-part series on backyard and in-home composting, intended to educate the public on waste reduction, sponsored by the Peterborough Recycling Center Advisory Committee. Next week, we will continue with how and where to build your home compost pile.