Composting and why its cool

What do you usually do with your food after you're done eating it? Let's say you finish off a honey crisp apple, what's your next step? What you've probably been doing is throwing this apple in the trash, with all your other garbage from the day. If we followed the apple core, its journey as garbage would likely end in a landfill, where it would sit for years. There's a better option on what to do with your food waste- composting!!!

What Is Compost?

Compost is made from things that were once alive, like fruit peels, vegetable scraps, leaves, grass clippings, and eggshells. Tiny living creatures like worms, insects, fungi, and bacteria break these materials down until they become rich, dark soil. Gardeners often call it "black gold" because it's so good for plants!

Here's an image of worms munching on yummy compost. They do usually prefer softer foods, hence why you see them enjoying rotting foods

Why Does Composting Matter in Montauk?

We all know that Montauk is loved for its natural beauty. From our beaches to our forests, nature is incredibly important here. Composting helps protect these special places by reducing the amount of trash we send to landfills. When food waste piles up in landfills, it releases a gas called methane, which contributes to climate change.

When you choose to compost, you help keep the air clean and protect the natural places that make Mobtauk such a special place.

Compost Helps Gardens Grow

Compost acts like a natural plant food. It helps the soil hold water, provides plants with important nutrients, and creates a healthy home for earthworms and helpful insects. It's kind of like a protein bar for plants!

What can you compost?

Here are some things that belong in a compost pile:

-Fruit and vegetable scraps

-Dry leaves

-Grass clippings

-Eggshells

-Coffee grounds

You should not compost items such as meat, dairy products, greasy foods, plastic, or pet waste.

How to Start Composting

Although starting a new process can be intimidating, composting is easier than you think.

Step 1: Find a compost bin or choose a small spot outside

Step 2: Add a mix of "greens" (fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, fresh grass) and "browns" (dry leaves, twigs, shredded paper, or cardboard)

Step 3: Stir or mix your compost every week to let air in

Step 4: Keep it slightly damp, like a towel after the beach

Step 5: Wait! Over time, tiny decomposers will turn your scraps into nutrient-rich compost that you can use in a garden.

Compost Quiz!

A little game of true or false (check answers at the bottom when you're ready)

1. Compost is made from things that were once living.

   
   

2. Plastic bottles belong in a compost pile.

   
   

3. Compost helps plants grow.

   
   

4. Banana peels can be composted.

   
   

5. Composting helps keep Montauk cleaner by reducing waste.

Answers: 1 True, 2 False, 3 True, 4 True, 5 True