Fall is definitely one of the most unique seasons (there’s only four, but we’d still say fall pretty is special). With the Autumn Equinox kicking off this week, we wanted to highlight an easy way to get in the fall spirit: compost! Autumn is Mother Nature’s season to replenish herself and create nutrient reserves for the upcoming winter to support new growth in the spring, and to build protective layers over fertile soil. Fall leaf litter is a vital source of nutrients for a variety of organisms in a forest ecosystem, and is also a great starting point for a home compost pile! Rather than leave bags of leaves out for the trash to take to a landfill, why not compost them instead?
There are countless reasons why composting is a beneficial process, not just for the planet, but for people and the community as a whole. Compost reroutes and makes better use of food waste, which reduces the volume of waste in landfills, decreases the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and increases microbial biodiversity in an ecosystem. Not only that, but composting in a community can create and sustain TWICE as many jobs as landfilling waste, and QUADRUPLE the number of jobs as incineration does. On top of increasing jobs and providing for the planet, composting is also cheaper than landfilling on a municipal scale. It can also be done for free in your backyard!
Leaf litter is a great additive for a home compost pile, and it’s Mother Nature’s own personal compost as well. When leaves die and fall from trees, they create a blanket on the forest floor. As leaves decompose, that blanket of litter compost protects the vital fertile soil underneath from the brunt of winter, providing the ecosystem with important nutrients and opportunities come spring. This layer will provide key nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus to current and future plants, and other products like carbon dioxide and water also support a healthy detritus ecosystem. They can provide the same benefits to a home compost pile, providing vital nutrients and protective layering during harsh seasons.
Composting opens so many doors. Supporting communities, nourishing the planet, introducing new solutions to problems like plastic pollution. It can provide jobs, allow us to make better use of our food waste, and creates a new product that feeds an entire secondary industry. There are a variety of uses for compost, and this capability also increases the number of jobs supported and enhances the positive impact. So as our planet replenishes itself, let’s do our part to help out.
