Home Composting : Introduction
Welcome to this week’s Play It Green tip, where we delve into the wonderful world of home composting! By embracing sustainable practices, we can transform our kitchen scraps into nutrient-rich plant food.
Home composting is an excellent way to reduce waste, save money, and improve soil health. This guide will walk you through the benefits of composting, the environmental impact of food waste, and highlight brands that make composting a breeze.
Let’s get our hands dirty and turn waste into something fantastic for our planet!
History of Home Composting: An Age-Old Practice
Composting is not a modern marvel; it dates back thousands of years. Ancient civilisations like the Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians used composting techniques to enrich their soils. The first recorded composting methods appeared in agriculture manuals from Mesopotamia around 2300 BC.
They would layer organic waste with soil to create fertile land. The Chinese have also been composting for over 2,000 years, using night soil and agricultural waste to enhance crop growth. Indigenous people in the Amazon basin created “terra preta” or black soil, a fertile mix of charcoal, bone, and manure, which is still remarkably productive today.
Fast forward to the 20th century, Sir Albert Howard, often called the father of modern composting, brought significant attention to the practice with his 1940 book “An Agricultural Testament.” Howard’s work laid the foundation for contemporary organic farming and composting methods. This age-old practice has evolved into a cornerstone of sustainable living, proving that what’s old can be new—and incredibly beneficial—again.
Next up we take a look at the environmental impact of food waste and give you some compelling reasons for home composting!
Environmental Impact of Food Waste: The Rotten Truth
Did you know that the UK throws away around 9.5 million tonnes of food waste annually? That’s enough to feed 14 million people a year (with the average person eating 675 KG of food per year). That’s a lot of potential compost!
When food waste ends up in landfills, it decomposes anaerobically (without oxygen), producing methane, a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Food waste is responsible for approximately 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, decomposing organic matter in landfills contributes to leachate, a toxic liquid that can contaminate groundwater.
Home composting mitigates these issues by recycling nutrients back into the soil, reducing the need for chemical fertilisers, and lowering our carbon footprint. According to WRAP, if all UK households composted their unavoidable food waste, it could save the equivalent of 2.5 million tonnes of CO2 annually. Additionally, composting can significantly reduce household waste, making it an effective way to shrink our environmental impact.
So, turning your food scraps into compost not only helps your garden but also the planet! Read on to find out what to look for when it comes to home composting!
What to Look for in Composting: Bin There, Done That
Choosing the right composting system can make the difference between a smelly mess and garden gold. First, consider your space. If you have a garden, a traditional compost bin or heap works wonders.
For smaller spaces, try a compost tumbler or an indoor worm bin (vermicomposting). Materials matter too; look for bins made from recycled plastic or sustainably sourced wood. Effective composting needs a good balance of green (nitrogen-rich) and brown (carbon-rich) materials.
Greens include kitchen scraps like fruit and vegetable peelings, coffee grounds, and grass clippings. Browns are items like dried leaves, cardboard, and paper. Avoid adding meat, dairy, and oily foods as they can attract pests and slow down the composting process. Finally, aeration is crucial. Turn your compost regularly to ensure it gets enough oxygen, speeding up decomposition and reducing odours. A well-maintained compost system is your ticket to rich, dark, crumbly compost—nature’s very own fertiliser.
The Royal Horticultural Society recommends a 50:50 mix of green and brown materials to keep your compost healthy. In our next section we bring you three of our favourite home composting brands.
Favourite Brands: Home Composting Champions
Earthy
Our first brand, Earthy makes waste management child’s play! Say goodbye to the hassle of smelly bins and spilled juice on your kitchen floor – with Earthy, dealing with waste becomes as easy as child’s play! Their innovative solutions transform the once-daunting task of handling waste into a smooth and enjoyable experience.
Best of all if you head over to Earthy‘s website and use code PLAYITGREEN15 at checkout you can take advantage of a great 15% discount!
Harrod Horticultural
Our next brand, Harrod Horticultural provides a range of high-quality composting solutions, including compost bins and tumblers. Their products are designed for durability and efficiency, helping you turn kitchen and garden waste into nutrient-rich compost.
Use code JH10 at checkout for 10% off your first order!
Explore their range at Harrod Horticultural.
Garantia UK
Our final brand, Garantia UK offers a variety of eco-friendly composting products, from traditional compost bins to modern composting solutions like wormeries and compost tumblers. Their products are made from recycled materials and are designed to make composting easy and efficient.
At the time of writing, Garantia UK have a summer sale with 15% off everything!
Check out their products at Garantia UK.
Home Composting Wrap Up: Turn Waste into Wonder
Making the switch to home composting is a small change with a big impact. By choosing to compost, you’re not just reducing waste—you’re creating rich, fertile soil that helps plants thrive. Composting is a great way to recycle nutrients back into the earth and reduce your carbon footprint.
Whether you have a sprawling garden or a cosy flat, there’s a composting solution for you. Embrace this sustainable practice and watch your food scraps turn into garden gold. Remember, every banana peel and coffee ground can make a difference. Happy composting!
