I wanted to share some composting basics with you, in hopes that you will adopt this part of a sustainable lifestyle, if you haven't already.

What is compost?

Compost is decaying organic material that can be used as plant fertilizer. Certain types of compost can be used in different ways. For example, the liquid type of compost I heard about at the Friends of Nature event I attended could be used to remove air impurities if sprayed as an aerosol.

Some environmental benefits of composting include:

- reducing the amount of solid waste you are sending to landfills

- reducing your dependence on chemical fertilizers by using compost to feed your lawn or garden.

How do you create compost?

     There are two broad ways you can create compost you can use open bins or closed containers. Open bins are open-top bins usually constructed with wood or recycled plastic that are put outside. In the city I live, I do not have enough space outside to fit an open bin compost container, so I use upright, airtight closed containers instead.

     To create good compost, you need to provide the right mixture of key ingredients for the microorganisms that help decompose the material. Food for these organisms can be broadly categorized into two groups: "Greens" and "Browns." "Greens" are high in nitrogen and provide the microorganisms with protein. "Browns" are high in carbon and provide the organisms with energy.

Typical green materials include:

- Fresh (green) grass clippings

- Fresh animal manure

- Kitchen scraps (fruit, vegetables, coffee grounds, tea bags without the tags)

- Weeds

- Green leaves

Typical brown materials include:

- Brown, dry leaves

- Dried grass

- Straw

The fruit-peel compost that I learned about in China takes approximately 6 months to mature (if you're interested in learning about this, ask me). Different types of compost take different lengths of time to mature, so if you are serious about composting, its build composting box with at least two chambers. When decomposition begins on a pile of compost, adding more material to the same pile will prolong the decomposition process. If you have a two-chamber compost station, you will be able to start a new batch of compost with the materials in the second chamber.

If you are considering composting at home, I recommend searching up, ?How to Compost,? in your favorite search engine and finding more information on the topic. There are many considerations and interesting tidbits about composting that I cannot cover here. A good starting website is here.

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This article is the first of two articles I?ll be writing on green living! I hope you will consider adding composting to your sustainable lifestyle. If large numbers of you all make commitments to live sustainably, even seemingly small steps like composting can result in dramatic improvements in our environment. 

Stay tuned!