LOCCAL

When organic resources are sent to landfill, they create methane gas, which is 26 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas. Organic non-composted waste accounts for about 3% of Australia’s annual emissions. Incineration also emits climate pollutants and can contribute to air, water and soil contamination. Compost, on the other hand, can directly put carbon back into the soil, as well as indirectly helping to increase the biomass of plant root systems, and building soil nutrients for revegetation.

Compost is a valuable product that improves the structure and fertility of our soils. It adds organic matter to soil that stimulates biological activity. It increases water retention, reducing the need for watering, and offers improved resilience to erosion, floods and droughts. It provides nourishment to plants, helping to suppress plant diseases and reducing the need for pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilisers. Community composting strengthens local food systems, decreasing reliance on industrial supply chains.

Composting is a simple activity that brings people together, increasing social engagement. It offers the mental wellbeing and stress-recovery benefits of contact with the natural world, as well as physical exercise. Community activities strengthen neighbourhood cohesion, build local social ties and community resilience. Working collectively to create an environmentally-sound resource for shared benefit is a simple and practical way to take climate action. On a larger scale, community composting can create paid ‘green-collar’ jobs.