My experiments with composting started in November 2019. Since then, I have been able to prevent over a 100 Kg of waste going into the landfill.
I first thought about composting because I felt the need to reduce the garbage I generate. One of the ways of doing that was to reduce the usage of plastic. I will discuss that in a separate post. In this blog, I want to share what motivated me to compost and what has been my experience so far as a home composter! In living a zero waste life, I found composting the simplest practice to adopt.
One of the doubts I had in initiating the process was why it was required at all when kitchen waste should ideally decompose in garbage landfills. From my reading I have gathered that landfills do not support the process of decomposing as the process of garbage disposal in most places only relies on segregation and dumping. The garbage dump has inadequate access to oxygen for microbes to decompose the kitchen waste. Mixed with plastic waste, the access to necessary air becomes even more difficult. In addition, the microbes that do flourish and help in decomposing the food waste end up releasing methane which in itself adds to the greenhouse effect.*
In simplest words, composting at home is a more efficient way of decomposing food waste. I use a compost bin at home that helps me to decompose kitchen waste. The compost is used in potted plants and I have seen my plants become healthier over a period of time.
Is the process zero effort? No! If anyone tells you otherwise, they are not telling you the full story unless you have a vast open ground at your home. I don’t. I compost in a small corner of my terrace. It doesn’t smell but it does attract some flies if I am not careful. It is sometime eeky. But I am happy to have been able to continue the process and hope to continue for a long long time to come, till it starts appearing zero effort to me!
At the beginning of this post I had shared that I have decomposed over a hundred kilograms of waste at home. This is the effort of one household, one person, in less than one year. We can do much more. Come join me in the movement towards a greener, cleaner world!
*If you know more about what I have shared above, or can correct me on decomposing in landfills, please do write to me to help me spread accurate information