ZAMBOANGUITA COMMUNITYCOMPOSTING PROJECTI will be implementing thetechniques in this slideshow,in Zamboanguita, a community inNegros Oriental Philippines. I metwith the EnvironmentalDirector Primitivo Eaingcoy anddiscussed my plan. He was veryhelpful with ideas and suggestedthe local radio station for freeadvertising.
Intergrated Solid Waste Mangement Program Zamboanguita has an Integrated Solid Waste Management Program which is great and this project will be a wonderful addition to their program.
BENEFITS OF COMPOSTINGCompost Improves Garden Soil by Increasing its Organic Matter. Replenishes the Soil Healthy Plants1 Compost has the ability to help regenerate poor soils. 5 Compost has a good balance of major and micro nutrients2 Helps Water Drainage 6 Compost is Renewable Improves soil drainage. Organic matter is It is a sustainable product unlike most commercial especially beneficial in heavy clay or light, fertilizers. sandy soils.3 Eliminates Waste Removal Less garbage going to landfills equals less fuel 7 Helps Prevent Pollution Avoids the production of methane and leachate to get it there. formulation in the landfills.4 Adds Microorganisms Microorganisms are what decompose materials 8 Economic Benefits Reduce the need for water, fertilizers, and to make compost. To do their work they need pesticides . carbon sources for food, and nitrogen for proteins.
COMPOSTING PROCESS Compost is decomposed organic material.Composting can happen anywhere, from a tiny city apartment toa country farm. Many municipalities now allow (or even require)residents to set aside their yard waste and kitchen scraps for citycomposting programs. The organic waste is properly treated andbroken down into rich compost, which is generally offered for saleback to the community.Composting food and yard waste helps to complete a naturalcycle of life. Composting occurs naturally everywhere. As plantsgrow and eventually die, their nutrients are made available againby returning to the soil.
It’s Simple to Make CompostOnly two steps to make a happy planet!Collect your yard Next put it into the You have just madedebris. Branches, compost pile. There the planet very happy.leaves, any non are many different You have taken the fistcontaminated plant ways to make a steps in help create amaterial. compost pile. I prefer sustainable planet. a wire cage.
WHAT CAN BE COMPOSTED Nitrogen-Rich and Carbon-RichMaterials OK to use Undesirable materialsNitrogen-rich materials May contribute pests (weeds, plant diseases)Grass clippings when inadequately compostedSeaweed and aquatic plants (washed to remove salt) Weedy, persistent plantsFruit and vegetable trimmingsKitchen scraps like coffee grounds, egg shells, leftover Diseased plantsbread, rice, etc. Human health hazardFresh, leafy garden trimmings Dog or cat feces, used kitty litterCarbon sources May attract flies, rats, animalsChipped trees OilsTwigs, small branches from trees and shrubs (chopped)Sawdust (from untreated wood) Dairy productsStems of fibrous grasses Meat or bones of animals, poultry, fishPalm fronds (chopped or shredded) Are not biodegradableNewspaper or white paper (shredded) Metals, glass Rubber, plastics
Composting vs. Burning Please don’t A Sustainable Alternative burn your garden debris or plastics.COMPOSTING Compost improves garden soil by BURNING increasing its organic matter. This, in By burning debris and plastics you are turn, improves soil drainage. contaminating the air with chemicals. Organic matter is especially beneficial These chemicals float through the air into in heavy clay or light, sandy soils. everyones lungs. Organic matter reduces soil crusting 350 times more carcinogenic chemicals and helps soil hold water and nutrients. than tobacco smoke. Burning can cause The compost also supplies a small or worsen symptoms of asthma, amount of nutrients. emphysema, bronchitis, and lung cancer. Compost can be used as a mulch Burning yard debris also poses a serious around plants, too. Mulch helps wildfire risk. conserve moisture. Outdoor fires such as these are the no. 1 cause of wildfires triggered by people.
Burning Debris & PlasticsSerious Health RisksSmoke from burning household trash, including plastic containers, is moretoxic than the smoke from burning clean wood. Studies have founddioxins, arsenic, mercury, chromium, PCBs, lead, and other dangerouschemicals in smoke from burning household trash. Serious health effectscan be caused by harmful chemicals from burning items commonly foundin household trash. Protecting your health is worth proper waste disposaland there are alternatives to burning.
REPLENISHING THE SOIL Recycling nature to preserve natureComposting helps control soilerosion. In Europe, compost ismixed with water and then splatteredover the slopes to prevent the soilfrom eroding. As a matter of factorganic compost proved to work justfine when other methods forprevention of soil erosion failed.Composts help increase the cationexchange capacity immensely . Thisallow the soil to hold their nutrientslonger and enables the plants tothrive on them better by preventingleaching.
Layering CompostLayering is the recommended method for starting a compost pile. Layering is similar tomaking lasagna, as you add thin, uniform layers of materials in a repeated pattern. Oncethe compost pile is active, you can incorporate new material into the center of the pile oryou can mix it in when turning the pile.Start your compost pile on bare ground, removing the sod or existing vegetation. Contactwith the soil will provide bacteria needed for composting. Do not place the pile onconcrete or asphalt. You may also place a pallet underneath the pile if poor drainagebeneath the pile is a concern.Layer 1. Add a 6-8 inch layer of organic matter, both brown and green. Do not pack thematerials in, as this limits air flow and oxygen needed by bacteria.Layer 2. Add a starter material, such as animal manures (see the list of acceptable types),fertilizers, or commercial starters. These materials help to heat up the pile by providingnitrogen for the bacteria and other microorganisms.Select one of the following:• 1-2 inch layer of fresh manure from a grain eating animal, OR• 1 cup of 10-10-10 or 12-12-12 fertilizer per 25 square feet, OR• a commercial starter (follow label directions)Layer 3. Add a 1-2 inch layer of top soil or finished garden compost. This is done tointroduce the microorganisms to the pile. Avoid using soil recently treated withinsecticides and also avoid using sterile potting soil.
Get In Tune With NatureComposting is one of the best thingsyou can do, individually, to create asustainable planet. The benefits ofcomposting are many and its easy todo. Take the next step and start acompost pile today!