Ten reasons to compost

Maybe you’ve thought about keeping your scraps out of the landfill, but you’re just not quite sure about this thing called composting. Well, check out these reasons to get into the practice. There’s really no downside.

1. Compost is an alternative to chemical fertilizers. It adds nutri- ents to soil and doesn’t pollute groundwater, wells or waterways.

2. Composting keeps organic waste out of landfills. That supports better land use and reduces methane gas emissions.

3. Compost sequesters carbon deep in the soil, especially when used to grow cover crops like mustard or beans.

4. Compost promotes healthy microbial activity in soil, which makes micronutrients available to plant roots and discouraging soil diseases.

5. Compost improves soil structure, thereby protecting topsoil from erosion.

6. Soils fed with compost retain far more rainwater, conserving this precious resource.

7. Compost helps grow plants rich with health-sustaining nutrients.

8. Composting is easy and satisfying.

9. Compost collection programs return precious nutrients to local farms and support green jobs.

10. Composting reverses the course of waste from decay to new growth, turning coffee grounds, cantaloupe skins and chicken bones into sweet carrots, juicy tomatoes and fine wines.

Source: Recology