5 Reasons Why You Should Start Composting
Did you know that in 2020/21 Australians generated an estimated 75.8 million tonnes of waste, equivalent to 2.95 tonnes per person. Each year we’re seeing waste increasing, but the proportion of waste we’re recycling isn’t. Large amounts of rubbish are continuing to be sent to landfill, polluting our environment.
Composting is a simple and powerful way to reduce waste and contribute to a more sustainable environment. By turning organic materials into nutrient-rich soil, composting offers numerous benefits to both individuals and the environment. Here are 5 reasons why you should consider composting today.
1. Reduces waste:
One of the primary reasons to start composting is the significant reduction in waste sent to landfills. Organic materials such as food scraps, yard trimmings, and paper products make up a substantial portion of household waste. Instead of letting these materials decompose in landfill, where they generate harmful greenhouse gases, composting allows you to divert them from the waste stream. By composting, you can significantly minimise your ecological footprint and know that your kale stems and carrot peels will turn into something useful, rather than a burden on the planet.
Organic food waste accounts for up to 40% of all household waste going to landfills.
2. Great for the garden:
Compost makes for amazing plants. The reason it’s so good is because it’s one of the main components of healthy soil. For happy plants, the soil must have a good balance of sand, clay, water, air, soil organisms, and organic matter. Compost is pure organic matter, also known as humus. By incorporating compost into your gardening routine, you can foster healthier plants and reduce the need for synthetic fertilisers, ultimately promoting a more sustainable approach to gardening.
Remember – composting is a faster process in the warmer months. Putting the compost bin in a warm position will speed up the process.
3. Saves time and money:
Once you start composting you will realise how much time and money it’s saving you. To start composting the only cost is the small set-up. All you need is vegetable scraps, leftover food, yard waste and paper waste. It’s everything you would normally consider ‘trash’ but will save you the expense and time of buying compost from a gardening store.
4. Reduces the need for chemical fertilisers:
Composting eliminates the need for chemicals, additives, and sulphurs, which can have a detrimental effect on the environment. Excessive use of chemical fertilisers contributes to water pollution, disrupts ecosystems, and degrades soil health in the long term. By composting you can create a natural and sustainable alternative to chemical fertilisers, which leads to a cleaner, healthier environment.
5. Contributes to a circular economy:
Composting is an essential component of the circular economy, where resources are used, recycled, and repurposed in a continuous loop. By composting organic waste, you close the nutrient cycle, ensuring that valuable nutrients return to the soil instead of being wasted. This reduces the need for resource-intensive processes like manufacturing synthetic fertilisers and minimises the environmental impact associated with their production.
Composting is a cycle of life, discarded food waste breaks down into nutrients to feed the soil. The soil then helps veggies grow. You get veggies to eat and create food waste whilst cooking which you compost… and the cycle continues.
Composting offers numerous benefits, from waste reduction and cost savings to promoting a circular economy and living a greener life. By starting a compost today, you can make a positive impact on the environment, contribute to sustainable gardening practices, and inspire others to follow suit. Everyone should consider composting as there are so many benefits to bringing this habit into your daily life.