One of several compost piles at Parker Family Farm
Organic Materials Don’t Belong in Landfills: Sending our organic waste, like food and yard waste, to landfills or incinerators is unsustainable. We need to move beyond the idea that our waste simply goes “away” and instead look for smart, effective ways to close the loop on our consumption patterns. Composting is nature’s way of recycling and returns nutrients to the soil to be used again.
Composting is Good for Soil and Water Quality: The composting process encourages the production of needed micro-organisms that help break down matter into nutrient-rich humus, a material that helps soil retain moisture. The composting process can eliminate or mitigate a broad array of toxic materials and compounds in contaminated soils. Further, it can reduce or eliminate the need for chemical fertilizers and can lead to higher crop yields.
It Can Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Reducing the volume of organic materials that ends up in landfills can reduce the amount methane, a potent greenhouse gas, released into the atmosphere. If food waste were a country, it would be the third-largest greenhouse gas emitter, behind the US and China.
Composting Can Reduce Solid Waste Management Costs: Compostable organic materials are the most prevalent and heaviest component of most municipal solid waste streams. Reducing the volume of this material reduces weight-based disposal costs, and save money.
Composting Programs Create Jobs: The growing interest in composting and the need to separate our organic waste from the rest is resulting in new jobs to collect and process the material. Composting is good for the environment and good for business.
