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CompostingI.C.E. Project

By: Kaitlyn Szlachta

What is my Igniting Creative Energy (I.C.E.)

Project?

My I.C.E. project is about composting. I was inspired by the fact that my family composts. We add to the compost bin daily. I wondered why my neighbors didn't have one…… I started to wonder how much food waste goes into the landfills?

First Of All-What is Composting?

Composting is when organic matter has decomposed over time and is recycled back into soil or fertilizer. But, what does that really mean? What that means is food scraps and grass clippings are put into a bin or pile and turned until the material breaks down after a period of time into soil.

The composting process is helped by shredding the plant waste, adding water and regular turning. Worms, fungi and bacteria do the rest of the work. How simple is that!

How does Composting Help Gardeners?

• Compost contains nutrients that your plants need for optimal growth. The more varied the materials used to make the compost, the greater the variety of nutrients your compost will provide. You may not even need to fertilize the soil enriched with your own compost.

• After you start composting there is nothing extra to buy. You don’t have to drive anywhere to get the compost. You know exactly what is in the compost, no chemicals are required.

What does that do for the Non-Gardeners?

If we all composted we would be using less trash bags, which leads to less trash which helps us save money!

We would also be saving more money by using compost because it makes a natural fertilizer. No need to buy all those bags of fertilizer.

Our landfills are filled with 30 – 40% of compost ingredients. If we used the ingredients for composting then the landfills would be decreased by 1/3. Less space wasted on trash.

Starting and Maintaining A Compost Pile

The simplest way to compost-Heap Composting! A heap compost -> A heap compost should be 5 feet wide by 3 feet high. First you

pick a site, then add brown ingredients (straw, leaves or shredded paper). Next add green ingredients ( grass clippings or fruit or veggie scraps) . Added live worms are a plus, but don’t worry because the worms will find your pile! Keep the pile moist with a squirt of the hose. Turn the compost with a pitch fork to help with air circulation. Then just wait. You will be rewarded!

The Bins

There are 2 types of bins. Standard and Tumbler. Difference?

The Tumbler is easy to turn, no shovel required.

For the wooden bin, you need to turn the compost with a shovel, a couple times a month.

Good Things To Put Your Compost

Fruit and Vegetable Scraps Garden Waste (except weed seeds) Eggshells & Coffee~Why?~Food scrapes make up to almost 30% of all solid waste in the United States. Approximately 100 billion pounds of food is wasted in the United States each year.

Things Not To Put In your Compost!

Meat, Bones and Fish – Pet Waste Cheese & Dairy - Black Walnut Wood or Leaves Colored or Glossy Paper - Commercial Fire Log Ash~Why~Do you want to attract birds of prey or carnivores to your back yard? Or have the “stinky” cheese like in the book Diary of a Wimpy Kid? If yes, ignore this. If no, don’t put it in.

Thanks For Watching!Start Composting

Today!