COMPOSTING IS EASIER AND MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU THINK

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By Rachel Hutman

April 1, 2009 (San Diego's East County) - Sure, you recycle, but do you compost? You probably know a little about composting and have heard it’s important for the environment. However you have always pushed it into the back of your brain saying “maybe someday” or “I don’t know how to start.” However composting is much easier than you think, and there are many nearby resources available to help you. The most important reason to start now is the positive difference you will be making in the environment by recycling valuable organic materials. It’s estimated that 50% of your everyday waste can be composted and reused.

Why?

There are many great reasons to start composting. Gardeners love it for the great fertilizer it produces for their plants. Composting saves money, since you won’t need to purchase commercial fertilizer. It conserves water by helping the soil to hold more moisture, reducing the need for frequent watering. Composting helps the environment by recycling waste and extending the life of landfills. Normally your waste is put into a landfill, where the waste decomposes without access to air and releases methane gas, a harmful greenhouse gas. However, by composting your waste is mixed with dirt and air, and no methane gas is released into the atmosphere.

How to Start ?

Free workshops and education are offered by San Diego County, the City of Encinitas, and the City of San Diego. The best thing to do is to attend a workshop that will walk you through the ins and outs of composting. Check out the Solana Center for Environmental Innovation (www.solanacenter.org) for dates and times of workshops. You can also find exhibits and a wealth of information on composting at Cuyamaca College’s Water Conservation Garden in El Cajon (http://www.thegarden.org/gardensExhibits.html).

Unincorporated areas of the county offer subsidized compost bin prices that substantially reduce the cost of bins. However, the Solana Center offers compost bins at cost prices to anyone outside those areas. Plus compost bins can be built yourself quite easily and the Solana Center offers directions on how to build them. A good sized bin is usually 3 feet by 3 feet. Most people think the bigger the better, but with composting that is actually not the case.

Making compost is kind of like preparing a meal, according to the Solana Center. There are four main ingredients: greens, browns, water, and air. You want to have 50% greens and 50% browns. The breaking down of the compost is done by microorganisms and macroorganisms-- and there are more in a handful of compost than there are people on the planet! There are three types of compost styles. The first is active composting, which involves turning the pile on a regular basis, and monitoring the temperature and moisture level weekly. Through the active method you can have compost ready in as little as 12 weeks. The second type is the passive method which is the easiest, but longest of all. You turn your material and add water less frequently, but it can take from six to 18 months before your compost is ready. The last type is vermicomposting, which is composting with earthworms. You will need a special worm bin; fortunately the great thing is the bins are small and can used in very small spaces, even condo balconies! Vermicompost will be ready in about three to four months.

What to Compost

Vegetables, fruits, egg shells, coffee grinds, tea bags, dryer Lint, grains, pasta, bread, and even hair can all be composed. NEVER use meats, fish, oil, dairy products or sweets. The jury is still deciding on citrus, but in very small amounts you will probably be fine. Another good rule to follow is if in doubt, leave it out! You want to make sure to cover your compost with a couple inches of dirt so rodents cannot smell it. If you are noticing any unwanted invaders in the area, cover waste with a wet sheet of newspaper and more dirt. The overall texture in your bin should be moist like a wrung out sponge.

The Solana Center offers the “Rot Line”, where Master Composters are available to answer your questions. Bin Sales are held at the Solana Center on Tuesdays and Thursdays and they can also answer any compost questions you can think to throw at them. There is also a blog on their website, called the “Solana Center Composter.” Don’t forget to visit a free workshop for specific instructions on how to get started composting. There are so many wonderful reasons to get started composting right away; your finished compost can be used as potting soil or spread as a ground cover. But the best part is knowing that through a little bit of time and energy, you have turned waste into something reusable! Know stop making excuses and go get started already!

Rachel Hutman is a freelance writer hailing from Lisbon, Maryland. She is obtaining her masters in Journalism from San Diego State University. She lives in Pacific Beach with her husband and two Pugs. She enjoys anything outdoors, playing guitar, and, of course, writing.

Additional Resources:

www.solanacenter.org

Solana Center Rotline 760-436-7986 ext.222

City of Chula Vista 619-409-5900
www.chulavistaca.gov/clean

City of La Mesa
619-667-1338
www.cityoflamesa.com/composting

City of Imperial Beach
www.cityofib.com

Local nurseries are a great resource for composting information

CA Integrated Waste Management Board
www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Organics

Compost Resource Page
Howtocompost.org

Rachel Hutman is a contributing writer for GoodTasteInternational.com and has served as a staff writer for the Grapevine in Washington D.C.. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history with a minor in creative writing from the University of Maryland and is currently an intern with East County Magazine.


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