Transcript Composting

Composting
What is composting?
Why should you compost?
How do you compost?
Encouraging change at home.
Senior Center Presentation
High School Staff Presentation
Junior High Staff Presentation
What is composting?
Composting is reusing organic waste, like
leaves, grass clippings, food, and animal waste.
Why should you compost?
Do you ever feel guilty about throwing away
food? Compost instead! It's simple, and simply
green. Composting positively impacts homes and
the community because it is great for the
environment and human health.
Why should you compost?
Why should you compost?
Why should you compost?
Need more incentive to get your hands dirty?
Think about all the biodegradable waste slowly
breaking down in nasty plastic bags at the
landfill. You could be returning these nutrients
back to the earth and reducing your carbon
emissions.
Why should you compost?
Using compost helps to re-balance the acidalkaline soil quality known as Ph. When the Ph
is in balance, the plants are better able to absorb
nutrients improving plant life and crop
production. Composting also helps improve the
structure, density, and texture of soil which
improves nutrient retention and helps prevent
erosion.
Why should you compost?
Composting creates a food source for a select
group of lifeforms that keeps your soil healthy.
This allows worms and tiny microorganisms to
feed on the biodegradable matter and produce
soil-enriching waste. The all natural quality of
compost means there is often no need for
pesticides and fertilizers, which often contain
nasty chemicals that may inhibit plant growth and
be expensive.
Why should you compost?
Ultimately the chemicals you put on your
vegetable garden end up in your body. Think
about how great you'll feel when you know you're
doing your part to improve the environment.
How do you compost?
Select a spot for your compost that is convenient
to reach with plenty of room to work around. You
can purchase a bin for around $500.00 which
looks better and smells less than a pile. You will
have to purchase bacteria chemicals to assist
decomposition, but they are inexpensive.
How do you compost?
If you are going to do a compost pile it should be
3 feet by 3 feet wide by 3 to 5 feet tall. Start with
a 3 foot layer of left over food products, dry
leaves, grass clippings, and/or straw.
Cover the pile with 1 ½ feet of fresh animal
waste like chicken or cow manure, which you
can buy in bags.
How do you compost?
Repeat layering until your pile is at least 3 feet
tall. If the surface of the pile gets dry, water it to
keep it damp. Turn the pile every few days to
keep oxygen mixed in. This will keep the pile
“cooking”.
How do we compost?
We ordered a bin and assembled it. We started
with leaves, saw dust, and chemical bacteria.
We added kitchen waste like egg shells, coffee
grounds, vegetables, rice, and everything else
that was left over. The only items that can't go
into the bin are: meat, bones, dairy products,
fats, or oils, or animal waste.
How do we compost?
We add more stuff as we have it. We turn the
bin several times each week. Once a month we
add more bacteria chemical. If it gets dry we will
add water. We hope the community will also use
our compost bin. It is located on the patio
outside the FACS room.
Encouraging change at home.
In addition to composting, you can reduce your
carbon footprint on this world by taking the
“Energy Star Pledge”. To take the energy star
pledge, you have to go to energystar.gov and
sign up. The website will inform you on energy
saving products.
Encouraging change at home.
You can also take the “fix a leak pledge” by
signing up on the sheet going around and
following the instructions on the handout. We
hope you will make changes at home to do your
part in protecting the environment.
Are there any questions?
Thank you for attending our presentation.
Works Cited
“Compost.” wikipedia.org. 24 Nov. 2009
“Fix a Leak Week.” epa.gov./watersense. 11 Jan. 2010.
“Grow Better Veggies.” loveapplefarm.typepad.com. 6
Nov. 2009.
“How to Compost.” composting101.com. 13 Nov. 2009
“Take the Pledge.” energystar.gov. 11 Jan. 2010
“Why Composting is Good For Your Garden and
Environment.” doityourself.com. 20 Nov. 2009