4 Reasons why everyone should do home composting | EverEscents

4 Reasons why everyone should do home composting

Did you know every Australian, on average produces about 180kg of food and garden waste a year. This waste is then sent to rot in landfill and it produces 15.3 kg of methane gas. Methane gas is a toxic greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 21 times that of carbon dioxide.

Each year over half of our household garbage is made up of food and garden waste. Approximately 50% of the rubbish Australians put in mixed waste garbage bins could be put to better use by composting it.

Home composting is a great way to do your part in helping the environment. By turning food scraps and organic garden waste into compost you are doing these amazing things….

  1. IMPROVING SOIL QUALITY AND GARDEN VITALITY BY RELEASING RICH NUTRIENTS INTO THE SOIL.

  2. SUPPRESSING PLANT DISEASES AND PESTS, THIS REDUCES OR ELIMINATES THE NEED FOR CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS AND MANURES HELPING YOU SAVE MONEY.

  3. HELPING SOILS RETAIN MOISTURE. BY DOING THIS YOU WILL NOT NEED TO WATER THAT OFTEN AND YOU WILL ALSO BE SAVING WATER.

  4. HELPING ABSORB AND FILTER RUNOFF, PROTECTING STREAMS FROM EROSION AND POLLUTION.

And of course, one of the most important facts by far – you will be doing your part by reducing the amount of organic waste going to landfill therefore preventing greenhouse gas emissions and leachate which can pollute land, groundwater and waterways!

So what can and can’t you add into your compost bin. Here is a list of the do’s and don’ts

What you CAN add in your compost bin:-

  • Vegetable & fruit scraps
  • Vegetable oil
  • Prunings and lawn clippings
  • Tea bags and coffee
  • Vacuum dust
  • Shredded paper & cardboard
  • Used potting mix
  • Eggshells
  • Flowers

What you CAN’T add to your compost bin:-

  • Meat and bones
  • Dairy products
  • Diseased plants
  • Metals
  • Plastic & Glass
  • Animal manures
  • Fat
  • Magazines
  • Large branches
  • Weeds that have seeds or underground stems
  • Sawdust from treated timber
  • Pet droppings
  • Synthetic chemicals

Home composting is a fantastic way to recycle organic waste. If we all did our part in composting then hopefully we can make a better & greener tomorrow.

Check out my next blog on the best options for setting up composting at home.

Until next time,

Nat

Sourced By

 

Scroll to Top