Composting is the controlled decompsition of organic materials such as manures and other organic matter. Composting involves a wide variety of physical, chemical, and biological transformations of the feedstock. Mesoorganism like worms and milipeds, can break down larger agggregates of organic matter mostly by mechanical means. Chemical transformations in the composting process are mediated by microorganisms, primarily bacteria and fungi. The main components of compost are degradation product of plant and body matter. Composting gives many advantages like, keep the proper managemement of animal waste, keep environment clean, and control the pathogen.
The quality of the compost is determined by many factors such as pH and moisture. pH is the measure of the acidity or alkalinity or hydrogen ion activity of compost, the scale 7 is considered as a neutral pH. A pH of less than seven means that substance is acidic while a value above seven that it is alkaline. Most finished composts are about to be in neutral pH within range from 6-8. However the initial pH of the manure compost will be more alkaline, with a pH as high as 8.5. Microorganism in compost will grow and multiply within the pH range from 5.5 to 8. The organic acids are formed in the initial stages of the aerobic decomposition process and these acidic conditions favor the growth of fungi
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Composting organic waste allows for decomposing the organic materials into a more compact form of management (Tognetti et al.,2011). Compost has been used at the household or small farm level for recyling of organic matter and nutrients for thousands of years. Since the late 20th century, more and more large-scale composting facilities wre established to manage and recycel organic waste from farm areas. Particularly, in recent years, these composting activities have been viewed as promising efforts to reduce waste streams to landfills and manage waste in a more sustainable
The soil averages to have a pH of 4.5-5.5 as there is low nutrients and Aluminum and Iron left behind and iron oxide giving the soil a reddish colour.
The goal of the project is well hearted, and has benifits for the environment, by encouraging recycling and lessening the amount of energy used by making new materials, the tax payers, by eliminating the cost it would take for the county to open a new landfill (which would be very costly), and citizens, by providing compost to use in their gardens.
Compost bins are ugly to look at although it would be possible to create a natural compost area using timber within the garden space, beneficial for grass cuttings, vegetable peelings and such like.
Composting is important when we look at the future wellbeing of our planet and how it will affect the upcoming generations. According to epa.gov ,benefits of composting would be to reduce waste in landfills, and to transform that waste into a natural
Go to the EPA website and learn about “Reduce and Reuse” , “Composting” and “Recycling” : http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/rrr/
An educational campaign should be launched to inform and encourage new behaviors. All consumers should be shown the benefit of composting versus traditional disposal methods. Once consumers have been properly educated, encouraging participation is key. This would include providing a composting method for waste to be properly composted. The food recycling program would provide the means for all associates to begin composting donations rather than disposing via trash receptacles. Food compost bins should be provided in any food service industry to allow for proper disposal of waste. Companies should locate composting facilities and begin distributing food waste to said facilities rather than traditional trash disposal services. If possible and practical, companies should work to create their own composting stations.
Agriculture, flourishing nature, and eco-friendly energy solutions, are only a few things we are making into innovative features in Grecho. One thing Grecho is known for is it’s major composting and agricultural buildings. Composting is a big thing in our city, and we want to focus on it because it saves money, saves resources, improves the soil we use for our agriculture, and
Reducing CO2 emissions is an important part of a sustainable community, but changes in human behaviors are necessary to ensure these goals are met. An estimated 9.3 acres of farmland are lost every day in and around Austin. As of 2014 less than 1% of the food consumed in the region is produced locally, and of the food imported an estimated 97 thousand tons enters the landfill. This has a value of nearly $200 million. A great method for reducing food waste is composting, in the region approximately 1,837 tons, or 1.9% of the total waste, is being turned back into the soil. This is a part of Austin’s “field to fork” food system that addresses the growth, distribution, consumption, and recovery of food. Locally growing all food consumed in the region not only reduces transportation
Imagine you lived during the time period where poor farming techniques were created, and dust was being deposited or dropped into your lungs, forcing you to walk slowly down the steps of death. The phenomenon, the Dust Bowl, took place in the United States during the years around the 1930’s. It was an event that occurred in the United States, where the area it was taken place did not have moist soil, healthy crops, and a considerable amount of water. During this time, the soil was poor, meaning there was a small amount of nutrients in it. From this, it caused the seeds being planted to wilt, and die.. Compost helps the nutrients and moisture to stay within the soil, in order to allow the plants to not wither from being over watered or the lack of this liquid.
To succeed in the initial stage of this project, a composter, site and strategy need to be set in place. In order for the project to be financially feasible, it is important to identify how much material is available, how many and what type of generators we are to serve, and how much material is expected to be generated by the project.
Food waste is an environmental, economic, and ethical problem that can lead to less calorie intake and unnecessary damage of our assets. Individual behavior can redesign food waste at home and lead to bigger changes in the ecosystem. The problem is Americans throw out more food than glass, paper, and plastic. Also about 25% of food grown, processed, and transported in the US will never be consumed. When food is disposed in a landfill it rots and becomes a significant source of methane— a potent greenhouse gas with 21 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide.
To began, composting would not only reduce the amount of food in landfills, it would also reduce methane gas. Methane in landfills is produced because of lack of oxygen that reaches the decomposing waste. But when composting is done correctly, methane production is much smaller. In order to correctly compost, food scraps must be turned on a semi-regular basis as well as be lightly watered and the food waste (an organic material) must be mixed with a carbon-based material (paper or wood chips) in order for it to
Households can recycle and reduce their amount of waste by taking certain biodegradable materials and start a compost bin. It is here that the common wastes such as food scraps, coffee grounds or anything that has a high organic matter can be put together and let nature take its course. “Using composts in agriculture to minimize organic wastes and to reduce the addition of fertilizers and fungicides in crop production is highly effective”. (Stan, Virsta, Dusa, Glavan, 2009 pg 1) So the compost that is produced can be used to help fertilize the ground in which crops even flowers are grown cutting down on pesticides and fertilizers. The organic component, in materials, can be used in compost recycling to help to promote a healthy soil. By having a healthier soil this provides a healthier plant. This
The issue of food waste is one that many people might not consider to be serious, but it is critical to the environment that a solution is devised. Fortunately, there are many simple things that people all over the world can do to keep the Earth healthy. First, if farmers and agricultural employees would prevent overgrazing, pesticide pollution, and over plowing, water would be saved, and the general health of the
Gift wrapping materials, such as gift wrap, are often non-recyclable (Earth911qtd. in Gift). This is because wrapping paper is often dyed and laminated, and can contain additives, such as gold and silver coloring, glitter and plastics, and usually has nonrecyclable tape on it (Earth911 qtd. in Gift). Including too much non-recyclable material in the recycling bin can keep an entire load of material from being recycled, so it is important to only place accepted items in the recycling bin (Malone). Trying to recycle non-recyclable items can cause more harm to the environment than simply sending the non-recyclable items to the landfill to begin with. If looking to buy recyclable wrapping paper, it is better to stick with the simple stuff, like basic craft paper without a shiny coating (Miller). But really, it’s better to reuse giftwrap or to avoid it entirely (Malone). This is because making wrapping paper recyclable is not the most effective solution.