the scoop on compost
About 40 % of residential garbage in Winnipeg is made up of organic material . Yet ours is the only major Canadian city still to introduce curbside compost pickup . The good news is that anyone with a backyard can build a composting pile — and habit — right now . Help divert nearly half of the waste headed for the landfill , reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enjoy the nutrient-dense “ black gold ” that compost yields .
Basics
Compost requires four main components . Brown matter . Dry leaves , straw , sawdust , corn cobs , paper , dry grass clippings and pine needles are rich in carbon and vital to an efficient compost pile . Green matter . Fresh grass clippings and kitchen scraps provide the
HOME COMPOST RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
■ Indoor bucket with a lid
■ List of compostable items
■ Outdoor bin , about 1 m 3 in size
■ Pitchfork or aerator
■ Garden fork or trowel ecociao !
By Sarah Ens
necessary nitrogen . Active compost needs about three times as much brown matter as green matter . Water . Compost should be damp to the touch but not seeping with water . Put the hose or rain barrel to the bin if it ’ s on the dry side . Air . Stir compost with a pitchfork or an aerator to keep the micro compost convertors happy .
METHOD 1 . Store scraps in a pail on the counter or under the sink for easy access . When it ’ s full , empty it in the outdoor bin . 2 . Water and turn the pile every 1-3 weeks . Stop stirring and watering for winter .
Access free help from the Green Action Centre . 204-925-3777 , greenactioncentre . ca
Benefits
Enriches soil . Compost improves the texture , air-circulation and fertility of soil , helping vegetable gardens , flower beds and lawns absorb nutrients . Conserves water . Compost increases water-retention in soil and minimizes the amount of irrigation needed . Reduces need for factory-made fertilizers . A slow-release fertilizer , compost leads to better yields and rain doesn ’ t wash its nutrients away . Reduces methane gas emissions . When dumped in landfills , organics produce methane , one of the major greenhouse gases causing climate change . Recycles kitchen and yard waste . Compost cuts back on garbage bags and upcycles trash into a valuable , useful product . Curtails kitchen stench . By keeping decomposing food in a separate , closed container , kitchen garbage cans get cleaner and kitchens smell fresher .
In just five years , Compost Winnipeg ’ s pickup service has diverted more than 2 million kilograms of organic waste from the landfill — equivalent to about 1,200 Golden Boys !
3 . Harvest the bottom of the pile when it looks , feels and smells like dirt , with no visible food particles . Lift the bin slightly or open the hatch at the bottom of the bin and scoop out black gold with a garden fork or trowel .
Photography : Truck courtesy Compost Winnipeg
20 ciao ! / may / jun / two thousand twenty-one