Why You Should Compost

Did you know anyone can compost food waste – it’s true! Even in an apartment building or in a condo, where there’s a will there’s a way.

Traditional composting, you may think, is essentially a bin of rotting, Earth-looking, smelly food garbage. The look and smell evidently come from the organic deconstruction the food waste’s undergoing. That said, composting doesn’t have to be like that.

Composting already happens in every Canadian home. It’s actually happening in your wet garbage right now. That’s obviously not the most efficient way to do composting but it is happening in there.

If you really want to compost, you can look at a few different ways. There are compost bins for example that can be used for vermicomposting which is when worms are used to break down organic matter. Get your compost bin, fill it with soil and red wiggler worms, and put organic matter in. Processes like these can be done in any apartment or condo as well. Once the worms have completed their part of the deal, you’re left with nutrient-rich ‘castings’ which can then be transferred into potted plants or be used to garden with.

If you’re lucky enough to have a backyard, that’s even better. For backyard composting, you can do the ‘cold method’. This takes an enclosed space where you dump leaves, grass, and organic waste into, slowly decomposing it over the course of six months to a year. There’s also a ‘hot method’ where you use a balance of carbon-rich and nitrogen-rich materials to naturally decompose organic materials, taking a few months to do so and while emitting a gentle heat. Afterwards, you have nutrient-rich soil that can once again be applied in a garden.

If you don’t have the space for a compost bin, you can use a compost bag. There are also an increasing amount of organic waste processing facilities and composting areas in cities across Canada wherein you can bring compostable waste to. There are often local farms and farm-based marketplaces that will accept compost as well. Needless to say, there are many opportunities to compost.

Do you know how much waste you can save composting per year? A recent study suggests as much as 277 pounds of waste per individual is saved with a household composts. This saves garbage treatment facilities, landfills, and trucks so much effort and money. If we were to all suddenly start to compost our organic waste, it could reduce overall household waste by 80 percent.

Composting is fun, addictive, and eco-friendly. If you want to know how to start composting at home, visit Living.ca today and pick up the supplies you need to begin on your very first composting bin.