Fall is the perfect time to start composting. The "black gold" of the garden is easily made at home to save money for future gardening projects. In these economic times, it makes even more sense to turn waste into a cost reducing activity.
Composting is the act of decomposing organic materials such as yard and kitchen waste into a nutrient rich additive to soil. Yard trimmings and food scraps make up over 20 percent of the waste stream. Reducing or eliminating these materials from the garbage reduces municipal collection costs, saving valuable tax dollars.
By simply layering the "browns" (leaves, straw, newspaper, shredded cardboard) and the "greens" (new grass clippings, prunings, coffee grounds, tea bags, fruit and vegetable kitchen scraps) in a bin, keeping it moist, and turning the contents a few times a month, compost forms for the next growing season. Leaves break down even more quickly if they are shredded.
Compost can be used as mulch, scattered over lawns as fertilizer, or used directly in the garden as an organic additive. Rather than buy these garden supplies from a store, people can transform materials that they would probably just throw away into free fertilizer.
Long before organic food was even a recognized term, families all over the world were using composting for healthy fruits and vegetables. Compost allows crops to grow organically without fertilizer and also reduces the need for watering by holding in moisture, promotes higher yields of agricultural crops, and suppresses plant diseases and pests. People save both money and time by not having to water their lawns and gardens as frequently.
Besides financial incentives, there are also benefits to community health. Compost material effectively captures solids, oil, grease, and heavy metals from stormwater runoff and 99.6 percent of industrial volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) from contaminated air, keeping the air and water supplies clean. Composting provides a way to dispose of leaves in the fall.
Waltham residents may purchase an Earth Machine or Brave New Composter bin for $30 at the Town of Lexington's Public Works Department, 201 Bedford St., where they are given a receipt to take to the Minuteman Facility booth, 60 Hartwell Ave., Lexington, to pick up the compost bin. The Lexington DPW is open Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The phone number is 781-274-8300, Ext. 1.
Contact the Waltham Recycling Department at 781-314-3390 or email walthamrecyclingintern@yahoo.com with any questions about composting.
Allison Morse is an intern in the Waltham Recycling Department.
