While it’s important to understand what the companies you engage with are doing when it comes to sustainability, they’re not the only ones who can make an impact. Being passionate about doing good for the environment can start at home.
It’s also all about the approach you take to your own life and daily activities that plays a part in the world around you. Consider energy-saving appliances and light bulbs, properly insulate windows and doors, recycle. You can even make your waste work for you by composting.
Composting by the numbers
In 2018, 42.6 million tons of material were composted. This includes the composting of food (2.6 million tons) and yard trimmings, and other general food waste management. This means, while you’re composting your food and lawn clippings at home, large efforts are in place to manage food waste through animal feed, anaerobic digestion, biochemical processing, and more.
If you have the right materials and proper knowledge, there’s so much waste that can go into the compost bin. According to CompostNow, 60 percent of our waste is compostable, and deciding to compost can save 35 percent of the usable land currently taken up by landfills.
The data is there, so why not give composting a try?
How composting works
Composting is actually a natural process that recycles organic matter. It moves faster than the typical time it takes for certain materials to decompose on their own. You create the ideal environment for composting to occur, transforming your waste into a nutrient-rich fertilizer that can organically enrich your grass, plants, and soil.
What you need to get started
There are three basic ingredients to composting — the browns, the greens, and water. The brown materials include dead leaves and twigs. They provide carbon. The green items range from grass clippings to coffee grounds. They introduce the nitrogen. All this mixed with just the right amount of water, and composting is off and running. All you need to do is make sure to maintain an equal amount of browns and greens in your compost pile. Alternate the layers of both types of organic material for the best results.
The long list of compostable items
There’s a lot you can compost, but make sure you have easy access to a list. Pay special attention to what not to compost, to prevent throwing off the balance and effectiveness of your set-up. For example, dairy, meat and fish scraps, and fats all don’t belong in a compost bin. They can all create an odor problem and attract insects and rodents. That being said, you can compost fruits, vegetables, tea bags, nut shells, and a long list of common household items.
Extend your impact
Composting is a positive way you can contribute to the environment because of its impact. It helps enrich soil and can reduce the need for chemical fertilizers. Composting also reduces methane emissions since less waste goes into a landfill for processing. By composting, you’re lowering your own carbon footprint.
Reducing methane emissions at home is a good start, but you can also apply this behavior outside your own backyard. Enlarge your impact by making careful choices in everyday life. This can mean researching companies for sustainability initiatives, and making intentional purposes. It can even mean being particular about where you buy your gas.
All of your choices add up when it comes to waste and sustainability. How do you contribute to the state of your planet?