We’re more attentive of what we can do to reduce our carbon footprint. So today we discuss one of those ideas, which is quite simple to do and makes a difference: composting.

Composting consists in a process of prioritising organic materials. It’s simple and sustainable, since the organic residue stops being sent to landfills and are used to fertilize garden soil, vegetable gardens and back yards, for instance.

It has become a common practice even in larger cities where composters have been installed.

If you’re not composting yet, perhaps this is a good time to start.

For instance, when you peel vegetables or make coffee, you are producing a good amount of organic residue which you can re-use. You can start by placing them in a composter, or, if you have some free outdoor space in your yard, you can create a pyramid or dig a hole to have one installed. But you can also build your own composter, let’s say, out of wood.

In order to successfully compost, it is important to have the right balance between brown or dry residue and green or wet residue.

Brown residues are rich in carbon: like straw, dry leaves, or small branches.
Green residues are rich in nitrogen: Leftovers and vegetable skins, coffee grounds, rice and pasta, tea leaves and bags, cereal. You can even use very small amounts of paper and fabric.

You should not include meat, fish, dairy and fats, and also excrements and ashes. The composter base should have some thick branches in order to keep the airflow. You only need to stir the composting pile, and you shall have some results within 3 to 6 months.

The outcome of this process is a dark organic material compost, scentless and with high fertilising ability.

If your local council already has a composter, then you can store your residue at home in a small bucket and then transfer them to the municipal composter.

This is our eco-friendly tip to start off 2020. Give it a go, it’s fairly easy.

Amália Souto de Miranda, Landscape Architect.