9 Reasons Why You Should Compost

How many of you still need convincing?

Creating a compost pile at home is an easy and effective way to reduce our impact on the environment and use our resources wisely. Even if you’re not using it in a garden, it still makes more sense to compost than to continue to feed your trash habit. Need some help getting started, download our Free Definitive Guide to Composting and check out our list of things you should and shouldn’t compost.

9 Good Reasons Why You Should Compost:

Still not sold on composting? Come on, all the cool kids are doing it. If you’re one of the holdouts that still isn’t convinced you should be composting, here are 9 amazing reasons you should have a home compost system in place:

1. Reduces Waste

Yard and food waste make up 30% of the typical waste stream. Composting your kitchen scraps and yard trimmings helps keep that waste out of the landfill, waterways and water treatment facilities. Coupled with smart recycling, we can greatly reduce the amount of waste we produce.

2. Use Less Pesticides

You will significantly reduce pest problems and, consequently, your use of pesticides. Compost use in landscapes reduces pest problems since compost supports beneficial soil microbes that recycle nutrients and protect plants from disease.

3. Improves Soil

Compost provides a balanced, slow–release source of nutrients that helps the soil hold nutrients long enough for plants to use them. It also includes macro and micronutrients that can not be supplied by manufactured fertilizers. Compost amends both sandy and clay soils and optimizes PH levels.

4. Retains Moisture

Adding organic matter from fresh compost to your garden soil improves moisture retention. Only a 5% increase in organic material quadruples soils water holding capacity. Better moisture retention means less watering and longer lasting fertilizer.

5. Supports Beneficial Organisms

Adding decomposed organic material to your soil feeds beneficial organisms. Compost bacteria break down organics into plant available nutrients. Some bacteria even convert nitrogen from the air and supply it to the soil. Compost enriched soils have lots of beneficial insects, worms and other organisms that burrow through the soil keeping it well aerated.

6. Grow a Healthier Garden

Healthy plants from healthy soil look better, produce better and have a much greater ability to fight off pests and diseases. Nutrient dense compost added to your garden soil will give you a healthier more robust garden.

7. Harvest Higher Nutrient Foods

Supplying your plants with quality compost will improve your own diet allowing you to harvest plants with higher nutritional density. Plants grown in depleted soils have a reduced nutrient content.

8. Saves Money

Composting saves money. Not only do you avoid the cost of buying soil conditioners, bagged manure etc. but you also save taxpayer money by not sending all that material to the landfill.

9. Teaching your Children

The act and process of home composting is something the entire family can participate in. Getting the kids involved in picking out what can be composted can become a fun game. Watching the decomposition process is a valuable tool in educating children about nature and the cycle of life.