Composting
What is composting: Composting is nature’s way of recycling. It involves us collecting organic waste—like food scraps and yard trimmings—and allowing it to naturally decay while providing it air and some water to keep it moist so that the microorganisms break down the organic material. The result is a dark, crumbly, nutrient-rich material called “compost”. This is very good for use as a natural fertilizer for plants.
At the end of the article is a video of Vaishnavi Sariputi from the Fairfax Sai Center demonstrating how she composts. This video was taken on Earth Day in 2022.
Materials you can use: Grass clippings, kitchen scraps, and vegetable peels.
Prohibited Materials: No meat or cooked food.
The mix ratio: Combine 2 to 3 parts “brown” material (dry leaves, cardboard) with 1 part “green” material (kitchen scraps, peels) by volume.
Maintenance: Keep the pile damp and turn the pile every 2–3 weeks for fast results, or less frequently if you prefer a slower composting process. The turning prevents the development of anaerobic conditions (low to no oxygen) which we don’t want to happen for healthy composting.
More references for composting: https://www.epa.gov/recycle/
