Try Composting!

Wednesday, 04 November 2009

Ever thought about starting up your own composting bin? The composting process turns organic material such as leaves, grass clippings and kitchen scraps into a nutrient rich soil product. The Port has had a composting program in place for over a year, and is currently preventing about 300 pounds of our food waste from entering the landfill every month! Composting has several benefits for both the homeowner and the environment:

• It reduces waste from your kitchen and/or yard.
• It benefits your yard by improving soil health without the use of chemical fertilizers (which can enter the storm drain system if not used properly).
• It conserves water by helping the soil hold more moisture, which reduces the need for frequent irrigation.
• It saves money by reducing the need to purchase chemical fertilizers and soil amendments.

Composting is easy and inexpensive, and you can even forego the cost of buying a compost bin by building your own! Check out the Solana Center for Environmental Innovation, a local non-profit organization that provides education and resources about composting. Their Guide to Backyard Composting provides a great introduction to how composting works and explains how you can easily get your own project started at home.