5 ways Composting is good for you

-’Leye Abiola

Ever walked into a neighbor’s yard and wondered what the dark pile of rotten stuff was? Or you’re always in a battle with the kids about whose turn it is to take out the trash? Well, here’s an explanation for the dark pile and how your trash problem can be solved hygienically.

Composting is an organic way of disposing of household waste that involves piling (may sometimes involve burying) the organic matter for a period of time. The waste decomposes after a while and forms a black humus-rich substance called Compost. Here are the top five benefits of composting for you.

Less Garbage

The United States Environmental Protection Agency has stated that food scraps and yard waste make up about 30 percent of our total trash. Apple peels, vegetable stalks, used teabags, envelopes and dead leaves which form this bulk are all ideal items for composting. Consider how much less garbage you would actually end up with if instead of throwing it away, you simply piled them up in the backyard. You also don’t have to empty the trash can when it is half full because of the smells. Composting, especially if combined with recycling leaves you with about four times less garbage.

Healthier environment

Climate change has been a major global challenge with each of us somehow at fault. Composting, however, helps contribute to a healthy environment globally. The rich humus soil you get as the end product of composting is filled with micro organismic activities that release healthy gases into the atmosphere. Most of the food and organic waste we dispose of end up in landfills and dumpsites where they contribute about 15 percent to the release of Methane, a greenhouse gas which is very dangerous to the ozone layer even more than carbon dioxide. Composting reduces the production of this gas and the amount that gets released into the atmosphere.

Tracks eating patterns

Another benefit of composting is that it helps you to take track of your feeding patterns. While composting, you get to see the foods that make up your trash. Careful consideration comes into place as you begin to weigh what you have actually been eating. You can break down what you’ve been feeding on and the nutritional contents in them. This can help you make healthier choices when purchasing food the next time you’re at the grocery store. Furthermore, you can take note of stuff you’ve been tossing into the bin more frequently than the others and decide whether you still fancy it or change it for something better.

Cost Effective

It’s always good to know how every action affects your finances, including how you dispose of your trash. Since composting helps to reduce the amount of garbage you end up with, it also ultimately means that you save more on waste disposal in your home. Less garbage means you have to visit the landfills less frequently than normal. That’s a naira saved on fuel. If you pay for waste disposal, you won’t have to pay as much again. It also means that you have to use fewer plastic bags than usual. Another naira saved! Composting is a cost-effective way of disposing of trash. In fact, it is free! All that is needed is some space near your house and a strong stick to turn the pile every now and then.

The Finished Compost

And now, to the final one mostly known to farmers and gardeners. If you have a little garden or know someone who has one, composting is a sure way to grow your plants healthily and hygienically. A few weeks of turning the pile of waste products gives an end product that is rich in nutrients like carbon and nitrogen which are very beneficial for plant growth. Compost can be used in replace chemical fertilizers to grow your plants naturally. It also adds valuable micro-organisms such as bacteria, protozoa, and fungi to the soil. These organisms help aerate the soil, repel plant diseases and pests and retain moisture for plant use. Little wonder why farmers refer to compost as Black Gold.

Composting has great benefits for the environment, your plants, and your purse. The fact is that it is also very easy to practice composting. Materials suitable for composting include dead leaves, twigs, grass clippings, vegetable waste, fruit scraps, and old newspapers. You don’t need any special training or equipment to begin composting and enjoy these benefits. Why not begin with that batch of trash in your bin right now?