We see the word everywhere: compostable! We can even compost food at a Mariner’s game, but when you ask most people, no one seems to know, just what is compost?

Composting is nature’s process of recycling organic materials into what we call compost.  Compost is decayed organic material that is used a natural fertilizer.  When people compost, they are basically just accelerating the same process nature uses to decompose their organic waste. By composting your organic waste, you return nutrients back into the soil.

There are three methods that people can use to recycle their organic waste:

Backyard composting: Using a composting bin to collect your organic waste and composting it right in your backyard

Vermicomposting: Using a worm bin and worms to break down your food and yard waste into compost

Curbside Pickup: Place your compostable materials in your gray cart and Waste Management will whisk them away each week to a facility for processing into compost

These are all similar, natural processes but differ a bit in the amount of work and ratio of ingredients needed to compost. Instead of going into the nitty gritty details of method of composting, let’s just talk about the basics of what’s happening when something composts:

First things first, you need INGREDIENTS!

The ingredients you need will differ by method, but the basics are the same. You need brown materials, which are carbon rich, such as dead leaves, branches, or twigs.  You need green materials, which are nitrogen rich, such as grass clippings, vegetable waste, and coffee grounds.  And then you need moisture! If you are composting at home with backyard or vermi-composting, check this webpage for more details on the ratio of ingredients.  For weekly pickup, just stick to the guide to know what to put in your gray compost cart.

Then, Nature kicks in!

Naturally occurring microbes decompose the material, generating heat and breaking down the organic matter.

Next, you need a little movement!

The organic materials need to be moved around so that heat is distributed evenly and microbes are able to decompose all of the materials.

Then, just wait and let nature do its work! Composting is done and ready to use when the pile cools off!

Choose whatever method works best for you, but do your part to reduce waste and compost! Composting is a great way to keep yard and food waste out of the landfill and reuse the nutrients of our organic waste!