Hi all, Spring is a great time of year to begin composting. Whether you work for local government, a non-profit, a company, a school, or otherwise, now is the time to encourage people to compost at home. The Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) has created an interesting Home Composting 101 Guide that is useful for beginners. It could also be used as a training guide for communities that are running home composting programs. The guide covers the ten steps of composting. I won’t include all the details, but here are the ten steps to give you an idea: 1. Determine composting system, location, and set-up2. Chop up large materials as needed3. Add to composting system4. Cover any exposed greens with browns5. Aerate and mix regularly6. Keep an eye on your compost7. Troubleshoot as needed8. Cure9. Screen (optional)10. Store and use finished compost
The guide also includes information on the benefits of composting, a breakdown of materials that can and cannot be composted, and the four ingredients needed for composting microbes. The guide is six pages long, so it is easily digestible (pun intended!). As a heads up, you will need to provide your contact information to access it. Aside from the guide, ILSR also provides learning activities related to composting. These include: Building piles and measuring bulk density, identifying compostable materials, a hand squeeze moisture test, demonstrating the water-holding benefits of compost, and a seed germination test. All of this is available in both English and Spanish. To access the Home Composting 101 Guide and/or the learning activities, click here.
The guide also includes information on the benefits of composting, a breakdown of materials that can and cannot be composted, and the four ingredients needed for composting microbes. The guide is six pages long, so it is easily digestible (pun intended!). As a heads up, you will need to provide your contact information to access it. Aside from the guide, ILSR also provides learning activities related to composting. These include: Building piles and measuring bulk density, identifying compostable materials, a hand squeeze moisture test, demonstrating the water-holding benefits of compost, and a seed germination test. All of this is available in both English and Spanish. To access the Home Composting 101 Guide and/or the learning activities, click here.
