With Spring just around the corner, we’re excited to see Spring blooms popping up in flower beds in front of Gwinnett County homes over the coming weeks. While we can’t always see them, we hope the same holds true for vegetable, fruit, and herb gardens out back. Sustainability is one of our favorite subjects at Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful. It marks the steps we take as a community to minimize the depletion of natural resources by exploring solutions and maintaining ecological balance. Think in terms of cutting down a tree, then planting a new one to take its place – that’s sustainability. Another sustainable solution is to grow our food, and one of the best first steps to starting your garden is to launch a compost pile that acts as fuel to help your garden grow. Need a little more convincing before you get out there and get your hands dirty? We’ve compiled four of our most compelling reasons to explore the joys of composting…

Composting Transforms Food Waste to Nutrient-Rich Fertilizer

As a living thing, a garden needs nutrients to thrive. A compost pile will convert organic materials and discarded food scraps like fruits, vegetables, coffee grounds, and egg shells into a mineral-filled, soil-like compound. Adding compost to your flower and food gardens will provide an ideal foundation for those gardens to flourish. 

Composting Diverts Food Waste from the Landfill

While recycling is one way to help divert waste from our landfills, composting is another highly viable solution. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “Organic waste in landfills generates methane, a potent greenhouse gas. By composting wasted food and other organics, methane emissions are significantly reduced.” In 2018, the EPA issued a Wasted Food Report, estimating that 35,277,543 tons of food waste wound up in landfills throughout the United States that year. 

Composting Provides Cost Savings Over Conventional Inorganic Soils and Fertilizers

Many commercially manufactured soils and fertilizers contain chemicals. They also add to the overall expense of your garden. A compost pile really only costs you sweat equity – as it does require a bit of upkeep to keep it turned and watered. If you are concerned about the quality of your existing soil, the EPA conveys that “compost improves soil structure and nutrient content, which reduces the need for chemical fertilizers.” 

Composting Enhances Water Retention in Soil

A compost system’s success relies in part on being turned regularly – so the introduction of air can aid in decomposition. The same holds true for water. Watering your compost pile will also assist in decomposing the organic materials within. All of that regular saturation helps the compost retain moisture. When introduced to the soil, it will also enhance your soil’s ability to retain water. This will help reduce erosion, reduce runoff, and establish vegetation.

Are you excited to get started? Look to Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful’s Guide to Composting for steps to starting your own backyard compost pile or indoor composting system, as well as the ideal items to add to your compost collection.