In a world where more than 815 million people are undernourished, it’s an awful shame to throw away food…
Especially when, globally, we produce enough food to feed every single soul! This is one of the reasons we’re on a mission to reduce food waste at IQS – we know that global food waste habits are seriously hurting people (not to mention the planet!).
But what do you do when food scraps seriously need to be binned? Well, the next best bet is to compost them – sustainability starts at home, people!
What is composting?
Compost bins allow organic matter (fruits, veg and even hair) to decompose into garden-loving goop. They allow you to dispose of scraps and a whole lot of other items, and in doing so, reduce strain on the environment. The waste sector (AKA landfill) in Oz produces around 15 million tonnes of carbon pollution each year. And this waste just keeps on giving! What’s sent to landfill today will create carbon pollution for decades to come as the material (very slowly) decomposes.
Why should I compost?
Composting is a great way to reduce your environmental footprint! Each tonne (that’s 1000 kgs!) of organic waste that goes to landfill releases methane. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is 26 times more potent than the infamous CO2 we’re so used to hearing about. Composting organic matter doesn’t release methane, which means less greenhouse gases entering our atmosphere! And just in case you’ve been living under a rock for the last decade, we know that ‘greenhouse gases = bad’ because they contribute to global warming – and surely we all know what that entails!
How do they work?
Most composts rely on a combo of air, moisture and microorganisms – and it’s these three elements which provide the conditions necessary for the decomposition of juicy fruit and veggie scraps. This organic matter is then broken down into “humus” (certainly not to be confused with that delicious dip made of blended chickpeas). Humus helps to make soil fertile and rich, which your garden will absolutely love!
Okay, let’s go!
You have two main options when it comes to composting: hot or cold. You can make a “cold compost” in your garden simply by creating a big pile of organic matter (grass clippings, leaves, coffee grounds, egg shells, fruit and veggie scraps) and leaving it to do its thing. Many people keep their pile nicely contained in a big bin, drum or even a compost tumbler, which can be turned easily. Cold composting is a good option for people who don’t want to tend to their compost too often, however, it will take longer to decompose than hot composting. If you don’t have a tumbler, speed up the process by turning the compost over every few days with a shovel or pitchfork.
Hot composting is for the more “green thumbed” among us. It requires knowledge of temperatures, ratios of carbon to nitrogen and layering of different organic materials. So, best to visit your local garden centre to get started! If you can spare the time and energy, hot composting is faster and results in richer “humus”. Here’s a list of things you can confidently compost – you might be surprised!
Have you considered starting your own compost? Please, lettuce know!
0 comments :
Post a Comment