Newsletters: January - February 2008

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A Bowl of Popcorn, the Newspaper & Leftovers

Natural Times-January/February 2008

By Jennifer Bronson

Recycling, lower emissions, renewable resources and organics are words that have entered the vocabulary of politicians, now that we've actually embarked on election year. While it all sounds promising, their words may not be backed by action. As politicians finally turn their attention to the environment and actually debate the future ecological health of the earth, it becomes imperative that we "make a difference" on an individual level. The easiest way for each of us to help restore and prevent further damage to the land is through composting.

The word "compost" may spark images of stinking piles of debris in the backyard that the dog digs through to eat last night's scraps. Conversely, it may evoke images of perfectly measured portions of grass clippings, coffee grinds and lime, stacked like grandma's layer cake. In fact, composting is much less stinky than you may think. And it by no means needs to be regimental. The focus should simply be on getting some kind of composting system going at your home so that household waste can be composted and not dumped in the landfill.

Landfills are a trademark of modern civilization. They are time capsules of our waste, and most of them are made up of materials that could have been composted. One biodegradable product often found among the layers of trash is food. There is really no excuse for food to be found in such abundance in landfills. Food products are one of the easiest to break down. If you've got scraps that don't belong in a compost pile, dispose of them some other way. Stale cereal products and popcorn are examples of foodstuffs that break down very quickly, while corncobs take longer. The science of composting with kitchen scraps is something that is best learned through trial and error, but it may be best to do a little research about it before you start.

Compost piles and containers are not the only way to keep various organic materials out the landfills. Another option is to use newspapers and cardboard products in the garden. Yes, all those newspapers stacked in the recycling bin can be used in your yard! This way you can be sure that the paper is recycled right there on site. A thick layer of newspaper or a single layer of cardboard covered with mulch makes the perfect organic weed mat. Not only do newspaper linings prevent weeds in the garden, but as the organic material in the paper breaks down, it actually improves the soil.

It is important to compost at home and the more people that do this, the bigger the impact. So, do some research, try different methods to see what works with your lifestyle, but, most importantly, if it is biodegradable then keep it in your own yard!