Eurobodalla Council is highlighting the usefulness of residents’ kitchen scraps this International Compost Awareness Week.
Eurobodalla Council’s sustainability education officer Gillian Kearney said Compost Awareness Week was the perfect time to start or revive home composting.
“Compost improves the nutrient value of soil, saves water and gets superbugs working for you as they munch through your waste products, providing lush and healthy vegetables and herbs,” she said.
“If all residents stopped putting organics into their red-lidded bins, the amount of material heading to landfill could be reduced by up to 50 per cent.
“It makes residents’ bins lighter, less smelly and even more importantly, reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Decomposing organic material in anaerobic (no oxygen) conditions like a landfill release harmful methane into the atmosphere.”
There are different methods to reuse scraps that suit each household – from Japanese-style bokashi fermenting methods to worm farming and chooks.
“Chooks are a great option to take care of your food scraps and in return they provide nitrogen-rich fertiliser with their droppings, in addition to helping to keep insects at bay,” she said.
The council runs free home composting and worm farming workshops for Eurobodalla residents at Moruya Waste Transfer Station in March and November. Participants receive a free starter kit to get them composting or worm farming right away.
Council also conducts free workshops at local schools and preschools, with many setting up their own compost and organic reuse systems that support their herb and veggie gardens.
To find out more about Council’s home composting and worm farming programs visit https://www.esc.nsw.gov.au/residents/gardens/home-composting-and-worm-farming
Above: Batemans Bay Public School student Lucas Pangalos helps compost the canteen scraps, which feed the school’s canteen veggie garden.
