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Cata ogue
I remember at my old job there was a composting bucket. We were told that all our food waste, tomato scraps, old lettuce heads and onion bits would go in there. Yet not every shift would take care of it, meaning it would often be left for days.
If it was taken out, it was put into a trash can specifically for composting, but after that I knew nothing of its journey or if it actually ended up helping anything. Part of me hoped I was making a smidge of difference, that I was helping my environment.
That is until the program was dismantled, my hopes squashed, and I never saw that composting bin again. I wonder if the city had more education surrounding it, would the program have been successful? How much of an impact did the program really make in those few short months?
I might never know, but what I can do is see the benefits of composting myself. Before deconstructing that down, let's analyze the word. Compost is the breakdown of any ‘living’ material, often used to help soil increase its nutrients.
Most think it's just for gardening or farmers but composting actually does more than most think. There is the obvious - waste management. It helps “reduce[s] landfill waste. If you throw trash into the landfill each week, you can reduce the garbage you throw away in one year by composting” (Ortiz, Housegrail).
Another benefit is energy, and how composting can “compensate for an average household’s electricity use every year. It is one way that homeowners can be more energy efficient”(WCEE). It's fascinating how such a small action can create a domino effect; not only with the previously mentioned, but also with jobs. “These composting programs save the city money and help businesses cut down on waste removal services, water, and utility bills” (BIOCYCLE). Like an avalanche, the effects are growing into something bigger, such as managing greenhouse gasses.
Composting also “is a great way to reduce the amount of ‘greenhouse gases’ released into the environment. Emissions from decomposing organic waste are a cause of global warming. But, if you compost, you help prevent this from happening” (Composting Council).
With all of this in mind, there is a strong reason to compost yet it is nothing without the community and people behind it. That is why educational talks and programs are vital in the climate change movement. Or, like at my old job, the compost bin will sit there, forgotten and all rotten.
Sources:
https://composting.io/qa/how-can-you-encourage-composting-within-your-community/
https://greencoast.org/composting-pros-and-cons/
https://www.compostconnect.org/what-is-composting/
https://housegrail.com/composting-statistics/#Benefits_of_Composting