What is compost?

Compost is organic material recycled from natural materials such as leaves and vegetables. Compost ise can be added to the soil to help plants grow as it is rich in nutrients. necessary for its growth. Waste from Food and yard waste make up 30% of the waste that is thrown away and can be eliminated from landfills if composted. 

Importance of compost

Keeps vegetative material out of landfills where they take up space and release methane, a potent greenhouse gas. It avoids the need to add artificial fertilizers to crops, and because they are rich in nutrients, they absorb more of the greenhouse gas methane.s water which avoids having to use so much water to maintain crops..

Basic materials to create a compost:

• Greens: grass clippings, vegetable waste, fruit waste and coffee grounds.
• Brown: leaves, branches and dead vegetative material.
  
• Water: to moisten the material and aid in the decomposition of organic matter.

The compost should have an equal amount of greens and browns. Layers of organic material of different sizes should be alternated. The browns provide carbon for the compost, the greens provide nitrogen and the water provides moisture to help break down the organic matter.

What can be composted?

• Fruits and Vegetables
• Eggshells
• Eraser and coffee filters
• Tea bags
• Nut shells
• Newspaper in strips
• Cardboard
• Paper
• Lawn mowing waste
• House plants
• Hay and straw
• Sheets
• Sawdust
• Pieces of wood
• Wool and cotton rags
• Human and animal hair

What not to compost and why?

• Coal and coal ash – May contain substances harmful to plants
• Plants with insects or diseases – Diseases and insects can survive and be transferred to other plants.
• Pet waste (e.g., dog and cat feces, used cat litter) – They may contain parasites, bacteria, germs, pathogens and viruses harmful to humans.
• Lawn mowing treated with chemical pesticides – They can kill organisms beneficial to compost.
• Fats, oils, dairy products (e.g., butter, milk, yogurt) – They create an odor problem and attract pests such as rodents and flies.

Benefits of composting

• It enriches the soil, helping to retain moisture and suppresses plant diseases and pests.
• Reduces the need for chemical fertilizers.
• It promotes the production of beneficial bacteria and fungi that break down organic material to form humus, a nutrient-rich material.
• Reduces methane emissions from landfills and reduces carbon footprint.
  • •  

References: 

"Composting At Home." EPAEnvironmental Protection Agency, accessed 17 Nov. 2021, https://www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home.

July 20, 2020 S. H. (2021, November 30). Composting 101. NRDC. Retrieved December 8, 2021, from https://www.nrdc.org/stories/composting-101.

The composting process. Composting in the Home Garden - Common Questions (n.d.). Retrieved December 8, 2021, from https://web.extension.illinois.edu/compost/process.cfm.

Author: Francheska Ruiz Canino
Bachelor's Degree in Biology with a concentration in Wildlife from the University of Puerto Rico - Humacao
Master's Degree in Biology from the University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras