Composting
by Steve Paglieri

Summary - Composting is recycling for yard and kitchen waste. Organic materials such as grass clippings, leaves and vegetable peelings are piled to aerobically decompose, turning into rich, dark humus or finished compost. Humus is crumbly organic matter with an earthy odor. Compost is very beneficial for plants, providing nutrients and helping the soil retain valuable moisture. CSM has a compost pile located between the Russell Hall and Prospector Village. By composting the school's grass and leaves there, the volume of waste sent to the landfill is significantly reduced while creating a useful byproduct.

Material may be added to the compost pile as long as it is mixed in well to aid in the decay process. Suitable materials include fruit and vegetable wastes as well as lawn and garden clippings. Coffee grounds and filters, tea leaves or bags and eggshells are also excellent additions. Meat, dairy products and oils should be avoided since they create odors that attract animals. Sawdust is okay as long as it isn't from chemically treated wood. Pet waste or pernicious weeds must not be used. Feel free to dig down and take the finished compost as an amendment to your houseplants or home garden.

The Details - Since yard waste is the second largest fraction of municipal solid waste (after paper and paper products), composting significantly reduces the volume of space in landfills occupied by these materials. The average American generates 280 lbs. of yard waste per year comprised of 75% grass, 20% leaves and 5% brush. * Other food waste is 7% of the over" waste stream. In 1993, about 20% of all yard waste was composted. Leaving grass clippings on the lawn (grasscycling) and shredding bush trimmings and Christmas trees to use as mulch also reduces the amount of waste generated. Finished compost is an excellent soil conditioner and a necessary part of any home garden.

Composting works by piling organic refuse and maintaining the proper moisture level while allowing air to permeate. Turning the pile weekly reduces odors and incorporates air. A properly maintained heap will yield compost in a few months. The proper ratio of green (wet, high nitrogen) and brown (dry, low nitrogen) materials is required. Green materials are grass clippings and kitchen scraps while browns are twigs and fall leaves for example. About a 50/50 mixture of greens and browns will help to maintain the optimum moisture content, although this will vary depending on the specific materials and weather conditions. The pile should be damp but not soggy or too dry. Occasionally sprinkling with water may be necessary.

Household composting bins are available commercially as well as bins that use redworms to speed up the composting process. The latter is known as vermicomposting. Simply piling the materials in a secluded part of your yard is a fine way to compost. Plans for bins constructed from simple materials like wire or wooden pallets are available on the web. Some good web sites for details on how to make a compost pile, how to operate a worm bin, or how to obtain composting paraphernalia:

http://www.oldgrowth.org/compost/
http://www.web.net/rco/
Or, search for "compost" and "rotweb"

* Source of figures: Recycling Handbook and EPA