About Composters
Composting household organic waste material not only makes environmental sense, it makes economic sense as well. Any kind of plant matter can be composted to produce a rich, environmental friendly, natural fertilizer. Composting also takes very little effort. Rather than dumping your potato peels, coffee grounds, egg shells and leftover veggies in the trash, simply toss them into a composter. Does this Spark an idea?
Significance
One of the major issues facing the world community is dispose of our waste. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that nearly one-fourth of all waste entering landfills in the United States comes from compostable food residue and yard trimmings. Using a composter to recycle these degradable organic materials frees up our landfills and provides a renewable source of a rich natural fertilizer for use on our gardens and lawns.
Function
A composter serves as a central repository for compostable materials. Composters convert organic materials such as grass clippings, dryer lint, fruit and vegetable peelings into a rich, natural soil called humus. A composter must allow for heat and moisture in order to function properly. Adequate ventilation combined with manually turning the contents of the composter will help prevent the strong odor commonly associated with compost. In addition to supplying a renewable source of fertilizer for your flowers or vegetable garden, a composter can be an invaluable educational tool to teach children practical lessons in biology, earth science, chemistry and ecology.
Time Frame
A composter helps to control the decomposition process of the organic materials deposited in it. The type and ratio of organic material in the composter, combined with the outside temperature, water content of material, surface area and a number of other factors, affect how rapidly the material breaks down into usable compost. Composting is not an exact science, but as a rule of thumb you can expect a composter to take from six to eight weeks to turn your trash into humus.
Types
Composters come in two basic types; static or tumbler. Both types have advantages and disadvantages. Static, or stationary, composters are generally larger than tumblers and can hold more organic material. They are a good choice if you have a large amount of grass clippings or leaves to compost. They require you to turn the contents manually. Tumbler composters are smaller than their static cousins, but because of their round or cylindrical design, they have no corners for material to get stuck in and allow you to easily mix the contents.
Considerations
Using a composter to recycle organic material is a great way to reduce waste in our landfills and to enrich the soil in your yard. Not all organic material is suitable for composting, however. Black walnut leaves and charcoal ash can release substance that could be detrimental to plant growth. Diary products, meat and fish can create unpleasant odors and attract vermin. Pet waste may contain parasites and other pathogens that could be harmful to humans.
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