4 steps to make compost from organic waste at home

4 steps to make compost from organic waste at home

Most beautiful flowers and a healthy garden can come at no extra cost to you. The secret is composting, which not only reduces the amount of waste in landfills, but also enriches the soil in your yard with a material rich in nutrients. We have listed 5 simple steps to get you started on home composting:

1. Choose a container

Choose an outdoor space and a container to deposit your compost. It can be a large trash can or a plastic bucket, for example. It is important that you drill holes in the bottom of the container so that the leachate (decomposing organic material) can pass.

There must be another container under the compost to store the leachate. It may be a shallower basin, for example. She just can't stay in direct contact with the composter so that the leachate has space to drain.

2. Collect garbage from your home

Collect your kitchen and garden waste and mix the materials. It is necessary to have twice as much brown waste (sawdust, dry leaves, cardboard and newspaper sheets) than green ones (fruits, vegetables, grass, coffee grounds). This balance is important, since brown elements are rich in carbon, while green elements contribute nitrogen.

In addition, your compost also needs oxygen and moisture. If the material becomes too dry, you can add a little water to moisten it.

3. Distribute the material in the composter

To speed up the decomposition process, you must distribute the material in layers: one of nitrogen (wet material) to three layers of carbon (dry material, such as leaves, cardboard and sawdust).

4. Wait for the magic to happen

Over the next few weeks, you will see your food scraps turn into soil. Your compost will be ready when it looks and smells of earth. Remember that it is not a substitute for your soil, but rather acts as a natural fertilizer to nourish it.

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What you should NOT put in the composter:

•     Animal products
•     Fats
•     Oils
•     Pet waste
•     Spiced food
•     Cigarette butts and ashes
•     Sick vegetables

What can go into the composter:

•     Fruit and vegetable scraps and peels
•     Roots and dry grass
•     Dry leaves and pruning remains
•     Wood sawdust
•     Newspaper
•     Cardboard
•     Tea bag
•     Coffee powder with paper strainer
•     Dry grass

Homemade fertilizer: learn how to make and make plants healthy

Homemade fertilizer: learn how to make and make plants healthy

The reason your plants don't grow, flower or stay strong and strong may be due to a lack of nutrients in the soil. Homemade fertilizers are a great way to take advantage of leftover food that would go to waste, like banana and egg peels, and even make your plants much more beautiful! Remembering that organic fertilizers are always welcome, so you can fertilize whenever you feel necessary. But the general guideline is to use the fertilizer every three months. Next, check out some tips to make homemade fertilizers and have a sustainable attitude at home !

Banana peel

You can stop throwing banana peels away now, they are great for enriching the soil . "To use the banana as a fertilizer, grind the peel and pulp and bury it around the plant. The banana is a great source of potassium", teaches Gabriela Pileggi , a landscaper in front of the Loyal Gardener . The inner part of the bark can still be used to clean and shine the leaves of the plants, making them brighter. "Philodendrons, alocasias and cacti are some species that are easily cleaned with the banana peel", says Gabriela.

Eggshell

Rich in calcium, the eggshell can help a lot in plant growth . To use as fertilizer , just crush the shells - in a blender or with a pestle - and when they are like flour, sprinkle over the substrate. "The calcium will be absorbed as the plant is watered", explains Gabi.

Coffee grounds

In fact, it will be necessary to make a water with the coffee grounds . Gabriela indicates diluting 100 g of the sludge (about 3 tablespoons) in a liter of water and letting it rest for a week. This water, then, can be placed in the sprinkler or spray and applied over the leaves of a plant, serving as a repellent, since it keeps away pests. If placed in a watering can, it can be applied directly to the soil, acting as a fertilizer , since it is rich in nitrogen and carbon. Warning: coffee grounds must not be placed directly on the ground.

Vegetable peels
Pumpkin, carrot and potato peels, for example, are rich in vitamins E and, if mixed with the soil, will help healthy plant growth.

milk

Yes, even milk can be beneficial for your plants. Dilute 100 ml of milk in 1 L of water. "By spraying the leaves, this water with milk will act as a fungicide . The liquid has several salts and amino acids and its use makes the plants more resistant and prevents the appearance of animals that cause diseases. If applied to the substrate , it will serve as a fertilizer ", explains Gabriela . The calcium in the milk will make the leaves of the plants more beautiful. "After preparing the milk water, use it immediately and discard the leftovers", he warns.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon powder mixed with soil prevents the growth of fungi on plants and accelerates rooting. "The spice can also be used to heal wounds, just put the powder on the injured part of the plant", he explains.

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Municipal Commitments

Municipal Commitments

Currently, the Office of Circular Economy belonging to the Waste Management Area of ​​the Ministry of Environment does not have public policy instruments regarding the management of municipal organic waste. Therefore, during 2019 they intend to develop a study aimed at collecting and analyzing information about their management at national and international level. “The objective is to have the necessary background to design and implement a medium and long term strategy that allows us to increase its value. We have defined that 2019 will be the year of the organic ”, affirms the Head of the Waste Management Area Ministry of the Environment, Pablo Fernandois.

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Nothing is lost, everything transforms

Nothing is lost, everything transforms

The generation of waste is one of the most important environmental concerns of today's society, in this context, living under the Zero Waste culture is an invitation to address the problem of waste in an integral and systemic way, so at least The executive director of the Garbage Foundation, Macarena Guajardo, is running.

“It is essential to produce a change in the way waste is understood. Abandon the belief that they are something negative, but that they are resources and materials that can be used in new processes. That is why our motto is Trash does not exist because it is a product of the limit of our imagination, ”says Macarena.

Beyond domestic composting, there are pioneer initiatives in the country such as Reciclajes Industriales SA, a company that has been dedicated to the management and recycling of agroindustrial organic waste since 1982, avoiding its disposal in sanitary landfills. Each year they recycle 120,000 tons of organic waste, from which they obtain between 15,000 and 20,000 tons of compost per year.

“Without a doubt, interest in composting in Chile has been increasing. An important part of our mission as a company is to leave the planet better than we receive it, returning waste transformed into products to the environment through sustainable technological solutions. For that, recycling and the circular economy are key ”, comments the Development and Business Manager of Reciclajes Industriales SA, Leonardo Curotto.

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What is composting?

What is composting?

Composting is a process of transformation of organic matter to obtain compost, a natural fertilizer. This practice becomes very important considering that the daily waste generated in homes contains 50% organic matter.

Recycling organic waste contributes to the reduction of waste destined for landfills, thereby mitigating Climate Change. And although some are just getting acquainted with the concept, in Chile different initiatives and protagonists in Social Networks that promote this habit in their homes stand out.

“To take care of our organic waste is to take care of 50% of our garbage. Since January I manage this type of waste in my house through a vermicompostera and although I am not an expert in the field and I have had some setbacks, it has worked quite well. I am convinced that with enthusiasm and a little effort you can always ”, says the Designer and creator of the @nomedalomismo account, Camila Silva.

On the other hand, Alejandra Kopaitic and Agustín Orozco, the faces behind @vayaconsumismo, comment that “being responsible for the waste we generate is key, not only to reduce our garbage, but also to combat Climate Change from our homes”.

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Since not all people have the possibility of allocating time and space

in their homes for the practice of home composting, ventures have emerged that perform this service. The NAMUNTU Composting and Wormling Club has a system that works on the basis of airtight buckets with a capacity of four liters to dispose of organics, such as fruit remains, vegetables, eggshells, among others. Through a membership, customers have a weekly removal from the bucket, which prevents garbage from reaching the point of decomposition. That container is washed and returned to the houses to repeat the process.

Under the motto We return the earth to the planet , Architect Álvaro Pineda, founded in February of this year Mr. Compost, a bicycle service for the removal of organic waste, “today we are present in seven municipalities of Santiago, withdrawing every two weeks 7 thousand liters of waste ”.

Composting: A trend to combat Climate Change

Composting: A trend to combat Climate Change

The phenomenon of Climate Change is a worldwide problem. Therefore, several countries have pledged to reduce their Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions through the recognized Paris Agreement. Under this framework, and in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment of Chile and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change of Canada, the Organic Reciclo program was born.

The objective of this initiative is to incorporate the recycling of organic throughout Chile, through the implementation of composting plants or anaerobic biodigesters in different communes of the country. In addition, it seeks to raise awareness in the community about the positive impact that sustainable waste management generates in the environment, especially when half of the waste generated in households corresponds to organic waste.

"Most people do not dimension what it means to throw away the remains of fruits or vegetables, because they assume that they decompose naturally, however, the process of anaerobic degradation in landfills produces the emission of Greenhouse Gases , highly polluting for the environment. According to the latest National GHG Emissions Inventory, 3.23 million tons of CO2 equivalent are emitted in Chile for municipal solid waste disposal. If 38% of the national population separated their organics to manage them through composting, for example, it would be possible to reduce these emissions by 30% by 2030 ”, explains the Coordinator of the Organic Recycle Program, Gerardo Canales.

According to the World Bank Report “What a waste 2.0” (World Bank Report “What a Waste 2.0”, 2018), worldwide, only 5.5% of waste is composted - and in Chile only 0.4% - On the other hand, the Food Wastage Footprint: Impacts on Natural Resources (2013) report states that household composting can potentially recover up to 150 kg of food waste per household per year.

There is no doubt, it's time to compose.

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Composting is an efficient closed circuit solution and full of resources for most organic waste.

Composting is an efficient closed circuit solution and full of resources for most organic waste.

The role of organic materials and organic recycling.

Of all segments, organic waste can present the majority of energy and efficient effort for Zero Waste opportunities - partially because they are more susceptible to processes that are easily absorbed by nature. Digestion by various organisms is the most common way of recycling organic waste, whether aerobic digestion such as composting or anaerobic such as fermentation.

Organic products are necessary: ​​soil products for the production of healthy food, fiber and landscapes, as well as fuel and energy products for transportation, heating, food preparation and electricity.

Compost is a necessary component for the circle for the Zero Waste systems of the planet, and the more waste is composted instead of being thrown into landfills, the better impact on the planet.

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3 ingredients for compost:

•     Cafes - Dead leaves, branches or firewood
•     Greens - Grass clippings, vegetable or fruit waste, coffee waste
•     Water

It is important to have the right amount of coffees, greens and water in the compost pile to be able to create carbon, nitrogen and water to be able to break the matter.

Do not include:

•     Bread, rice, meat or dairy products - although they are potentially compost, they particularly attract certain pests and can create harmful bacteria.
•     Cooking oil - Like the products above, they can attract pests. It can change the moisture balance in the compost.
•     Sick plants - Diseases can begin to believe and spread in the compost pile.
•     Stool or personal use products - These products represent a great health risk.
•     Sawdust - Unless the wood has not been treated, it may contain harmful chemicals.
•     Nuts - Contains juglone, a toxic compound for some plants.
•     Inorganic

Making compost in the yard:

If you want to try your own compost at home, follow these steps:

•     Choose a dry, shaded place and near a water fountain for the compost or tub.
•     Add brown and green matter as you collect, cut or break them into large pieces.
•     Moisten dry materials as they are added.
•     Once the compost pile is made, mix grass cuttings and green debris into the pile and bury fruit or vegetable wastes under about 25 centimeters of the compost's matter.

Optional: cover the top of the compost like a tarp to keep it moist. When the background material is dark and rich in color, the compost will be ready for use. This regularly takes between 2 months and 2 years.

Useful links and options for off-site composting:

If you cannot compose food waste at home, there are options for those who wish to do so by other means:

• Local Recycling / Public Works Organizations,
• It is always a good idea to start first with local recycling coordinators or organizations. A quick Google search should give us different options for local composters.

Mother Nature Network

This article offers a nice and easy guide to composting and recycling.