Choosing composting is a great way to be gentle to the environment and your pocketbook. Here are 7 benefits to composting and a few more tips on how to get started creating your own composting pile.
Composting Benefit #1: Probably the most obvious benefit of composting is how effectively it improves the quality of the soil that you use it on. By adding nutrients to the soil, you can create a more healthy environment for plant growth and gardening.
Composting Benefit #2: Another composting benefit is the reduction in air pollution that occurs when you choose to compost your organic scraps. The air quality is greatly improved by composting as well because the production of methane and leachate formation in the landfills is limited because there is less in the landfill thanks to your compost heap.
Composting Benefit #3: Composting also benefits the earth by actually helping to reverse some of the effects of contamination in soil. The compost absorbs odors and treats semivolatile and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) existing in the soil to which it is added. It also binds heavy metals and keeps it from seeping into groundwater and being absorbed by plants. In some instances, it even degrades and/ or eliminates chemicals and pesticides in the soil.
Composting Benefit #4: When you add your compost to the soil, you greatly benefit the plants that you will plant there. The nutrients in the soil feed the plants and, in some cases, you may be able to grow plants that otherwise would have failed without composting.
Composting Benefit #5: Though compost is not a fertilizer, per se, it can makes existing fertilizers more effective by combining with the ingredients and making them more potent. This stretches your dollar and helps you grow healthier plants.
Composting Benefit #6: A major benefit to composting, especially in highly trafficked areas, is its ability reduce erosion along roads and waterways. Depending upon local pollution and roadways, composting can even mitigate the effects of oil run-off and keep the waterways cleaner.
Composting Benefit #7: Just the fact that you are keeping your organic or naturally occurring materials out of the landfill is a huge benefit of composting. The less we put in the landfill and the more we invest back into the earth to make it stronger and healthier, the longer our earth will be able to support us.
To get started on your own composting pile, simply start saving your organic and naturally occurring food scraps: banana peels, coffee grounds, egg shells, et cetera. Avoid including dairy and meat products. Mix it up whenever you add new stuff. When it is dark and crumbly with no odor, your compost is ready to add to your garden or lawn.
Sources
United States EPA: Composting Information
Benefits of Using Composting
What are the Benefits of Composting?
