We all want to make a difference, but taking care of our amazing planet can feel like a big, scary and daunting task at times. Luckily, there really are lots of little things that you and I can do to contribute. Composting is one of them. The great thing is you can compost from the comfort of your own home, and the whole family can get involved. Oh, and it’s a great excuse to get down and dirty with the soil, if that’s how you roll!
What is composting
Without getting too science-y, composting is the process of breaking down organic waste so it can be used to enrich soils with the nutrients needed to grow more food. Composting with your kitchen food scraps is a beautifully circular dance that starts with the food we eat, putting vital goodness back into the ground to…. create more healthy food to eat… and so the dance continues.
Why compost?
Composting your food scraps at home is jam-packed with benefits, including;
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Better health
No doubt you've heard the expression ‘ýou are what you eat’. Let’s take that one step further to consider you are what you eat eats. To a massive extent, foods are only as nutritious as the ground they were grown in. Returning compost to the ground helps to ensure healthy soil, and in turn, a healthy you.
Oh, and as a finite resource, we only get one soil - it’s essential that we look after it! (You may like to learn more by reading about regenerative farming here.)
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Reducing Emissions
The stats are scary. About half of what the average Australian household throws into the bin is food scraps and organic materials. Once in landfill, these release methane, a harmful greenhouse gas. With emissions from landfill making up about 5% of Australia’s total greenhouse gases, getting on board with home composting is a no-brainer way to do good.
Garden Love
Once it’s broken down, placing compost back into your home garden helps improve the structure, fertility and health of the soil. This usually means you’ll need to water less, plus better soil and plant health reduces reliance on chemical pest control and fertilizers. That’s good for the environment andyour wallet.
What to compost
If it grows, in it goes! Fruit and vegetable scraps, egg shells, tea, coffee grounds etc are a good place to start.
How to get started
Getting started with composting will depend on how you want to do it, and the space and resources you have available. A few options include:
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Bokashi bucket - these are compact, airtight containers that apply a special Bokashi micro-organism from a spray bottle to break your scraps down. A liquid forms after 6-8 weeks that you can dilute and pop your plants.
You can dig any remaining scraps into your garden. Many councils offer discounts on purchasing the bokashi system - see if you qualify here.
- A under-sink kitchen container and garden compost bin - collect your kitchen scraps in a lidded container, and when full, add to your larger outdoor compost bin. The outdoor bins are good for garden clippings too. After a good few weeks, everything mixes up (with regular turning or prodding from you) to create lovely dirty matter that your garden loves.
Compost community
If you don’t have your own garden or outdoor compost bin, don’t despair - your scraps can still do good! Seek out your local community garden - they will be happy to turn your food waste into soil gold.
Thank you
However deep you dive into composting, thank you! It’s a wonderful way to divert organic material from landfill while feeling good about making an impact.
Are you a home composter? Got any tips or tricks to share? Hit us up at hello@yourfoodcollective.com or tag @yourfoodcollective on socials. We'd love to see how you do it.
