Party Walls

Sustainability Consultant and SWA’s Master Composter, Celeste McMickle, recently lead the workshop, “In-Home Composting” at the GreenHomeNYC Forum. Celeste discussed best practices for at-home (or in-office!) composting, as well as the tools and resources needed for the experienced composter and newbie alike.  For those of us who were unable to attend the workshop, we asked Celeste a few questions about one of her favorite topics.

SWA: What is compost?

CM: Composting is the process of speeding up natural decomposition through science.

SWA: How did you get into composting?

CM: I have always loved gardening and composting is a vital part of the gardening process as it provides nutrients and vitality to the soil and plants. I wanted to learn more and was thrilled to find out about the NYC composting initiatives and wanted to get involved.

SWA:  What are the greatest benefits of composting?

CM: It’s a great way to divert food waste from the overall waste stream. About 40% of household garbage is compostable. Think about what that can do for our ecological footprint, especially as many landfills are at or beyond capacity. We always think of trash and waste as a problem, and I love that compost can be a solution. It’s this marketable desirable product that we can create just be eating the foods we love and choosing to not put them in the landfill.

SWA: How do you use compost?

CM: I’m very fortunate to have a vegetable garden nourished by the compost I make at home (fueled in part by the efforts of team members at SWA!). If you don’t have a garden you can use compost for house plants, street trees, give it to friends, or donate it to a local collection site.

Have you tried composting before?  Let us know what you think!