The most fundamental question when it comes to backyard
composting is why. We can talk all we
want about the who, what, when, where and how, but what really matters is the
why. Why should the average person participate
in composting? Backyard composting is a
simple way for any person to make a positive impact on the environment.
Although it can seem daunting, composting is a simple
endeavor. There is little to no startup
cost. Participation does not require
formal training or expertise. A compost
pile requires little maintenance. The
various organic components decompose and transform into fertile, useful compost
almost like magic. Because of its
simplicity, people with all kinds of interests, backgrounds, and circumstances
can participate. This means that
composting is not just for a specific demographic, as it is sometimes
portrayed. Rather, composting can be for
everyone.
Rather than focus on the daunting task of saving the earth,
the environmental benefits of composting can be discussed in a very personal
way. Backyard composting improves my personal environment – the space
around me. Producing something useful instead of
producing more trash is a significant positive impact. In addition to less garbage, using compost in
and around gardens and yards reduces the use of chemical fertilizers and
pesticides. The improved soil
contributes to better produce and less water waste. No money is wasted on chemical additives
because the soil is naturally enriched through what would have otherwise been
taking up space in the landfill.
There is room for the moral argument to why. Why bother to compost? Because we all share
this beautiful, amazing planet, and if we are all willing to do our small part
it really does add up to a big difference, as simple as that might sound. Backyard composting really is a simple way
for any person to make a positive impact.
After learning so many interesting things about backyard
composting over the past seven weeks, I have been brave enough to let myself
dream big, and I’ve even shared my big dreams with my family. For now, our composting project is very small
and simple, consisting of a few basic elements.
We have acquired an additional 13-gallon kitchen trash can so that we
can separate compostables from garbage.
We have designated a small corner of our backyard as our compost
pile. It’s an exciting little experiment
that will hopefully yield useable compost for our garden and yard.
My dream, however, is much, much larger. It really is just a dream, not a realistic goal,
but that’s the magic of dreams – they go beyond the realm of reality. Our family has several hundred acres of
property in the county. We could start a
business called County Compost. Residents
of the county could purchase a composting can similar to their regular
municipal garbage can. We would collect
the contents of their compost can once a week.
Residents could also bring compostables to our site. We would have a HUGE compost pile, or more
likely, several different compost piles.
We could hire people recently released from prison to work at County
Compost. People with a criminal record
often have a difficult time finding work, but unless they find a job, it is
nearly impossible for them to make necessary changes in their lives so they do
not continue or repeat criminal acts.
These people could work operating tractors to mix the compost piles,
collecting weekly compost cans, and delivering compost to customers. Residents who have purchased a composting can
could come get loads of compost from our site to use in their yards and gardens
at a reduced rate. Other customers could purchase compost or have it delivered
for an additional fee.
I have wished for years that I could somehow help provide
employment for the hundreds of men I teach in the jails and prisons. I have also wished for years that I could do
something more to help our fragile environment. When I started my own little
backyard composting experiment, these wishes grew into a dream.
