COMPOST J O S E P H M. D E L E O N C O M P O S T C O A L I T I O N A U S T I N

Transcription

1 THE POWER OF COMPOST J O S E P H M. D E L E O N C O M P O S T C O A L I T I O N A U S T I N

2 INTRODUCTION Compost Coalition volunteer Gardens at Gus Garcia leader Funky Chicken Coop Tour organizer Worked 5 years for Texas WIC state office Currently work for DSHS communication

3 POWER OF COMPOST? Transformative effect Healthy activity Make the world a tiny bit better

4 TRANSFORMATION Literally turning trash into food

5 HEALTHY ACTIVITY

6 ENVIRONMENT

7 POWER OF YOU

8 OVERVIEW Turning food waste into plant food improves the environment while making the most of our resources. Participants will learn: what is compost? how organic material decomposes how to make and use compost how to start your own office compostable material collection program

9 H O W O R G A N I C M AT E R I A L D E C O M P O S E S

10 WASTE OF RESOURCES

11 ORGANIC MATERIAL BREAKS DOWN AEROBICALLY (WITH OXYGEN) ANAEROBICALLY (NO OXYGEN)

12 ANAEROBIC DECOMPOSITION Happens in a landfill Produces methane, a greenhouse gas 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide Locks away and potentially contaminates nutrients and resources, like water Not all bad: Can be used to produce biogas and electricity

13 AEROBIC DECOMPOSITION Bacteria, fungus, microorganisms, and insects use oxygen to decompose the material, releasing water vapor and CO2 Water and nutrients from the food waste and other organic material is recycled in the garden Plants use the compost to help produce stems, leaves, flowers, and fruit.

14 WHAT IS COMPOST?

15 VIDEO OF MATERIAL BREAKING DOWN

16 HOW PLANTS USE COMPOST Builds soil structure Helps soil retain nutrients plants need, like nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, and iron Retains moisture Protects plants against common diseases Feeds earthworms and other soil microbes that help sustain plants

17 SOIL COMPONENTS Minerals Air Water Organic material

18 COMPACT VS AMENDED SOIL

19 H O W T O M A K E C O M P O S T

20 WHAT S IN COMPOST? Carbon-rich material (browns) Nitrogen-rich material (green) Water Oxygen Microorganisms

21 CARBON-RICH MATERIAL (BROWNS)

22 NITROGEN-RICH MATERIAL (GREEN)

23 MATERIAL TO AVOID Meat, bones, fish Dairy products Grease, fat, oil Highly processed foods Trash Ashes

24 MICROORGANISMS

25 OTHER ORGANISMS Worms Rollie Pollies Grubs Spiders Roaches Millipedes Snails Maggots Earwigs Soil Safari

26 THE IDEAL MIX 30% greens to 70% browns Browns provide the home for microorganisms Greens provide the food Microbes and invertebrates break material down Compost provides some plant food, but it also feeds the soil

27 KEEP IT MOIST (SQUEEZE TEST)

28 TURN, BABY, TURN Turning or mixing compost speeds it up Physically breaks pieces up Inserts oxygen into the core of the pile Makes sure all areas are decomposing Allows moisture deep into the pile Vents gasses Helps fix many problems

29 D I F F E R E N T WAY S T O C O M P O S T

30 HOT COMPOSTING (OUR FOCUS) Advantages Quick breakdown of material Heat helps kill pathogens and seeds Disadvantages It gets HOT! (140 to 200 degrees) Need to keep the right mix Low risk of spontaneous combustion

31 BIL OL PILE Advantages Quick to set up Low maintenance Contact with soil Disadvantages Long time to breakdown Easily overgrown Hard to keep wet Uneven breakdown Pests Looks ugly

32 TRENCH COMPOSTING Advantages Quick to set up No maintenance Contact with soil Easy to keep wet Easy to move compost onto plants Few pests Heat from compost can help in winter Disadvantages Uneven breakdown Can cause drainage problems Heat from compost can hurt in summer

33 WIRE MESH Advantages Quick to set up Low maintenance Contains material Speeds up breakdown Contact with soil Disadvantages Hard to keep wet Hard to turn Uneven breakdown

34 TUMBLER Advantages Contains material Speeds up breakdown Easy to keep wet Easy to turn Protected from pests Great for tight spaces Disadvantages No contact with soil Limited capacity

35 3 BIN COMPOST SYSTEM Advantages Contains material Evenly breaks down material with turning Contact with soil (if has no bottom) Built-in storage Disadvantages Complex set up Can be difficult to turn Can be difficult to get established (if has a bottom)

36 VERMICULTURE Advantages Produces fine compost, worm castings Low maintenance Can be kept in a tight space Disadvantages Requires red wiggler compost worms Requires cool temperatures Requires a special container Slow breakdown of material

37 VERMICULTURE Advantages Produces fine compost, worm castings Low maintenance Can be kept in a tight space Disadvantages Requires red wiggler compost worms Requires cool temperatures Requires a special container Slow breakdown of material

38 KEYHOLE GARDEN Advantages Contains material No need to move compost to garden Contact with soil Heat from compost can help in winter Disadvantages Complex set up Limited capacity Hard to turn Uneven breakdown Heat from compost can hurt in summer

39 KEYHOLE GARDEN Advantages Contains material No need to move compost to garden Contact with soil Heat from compost can help in winter Disadvantages Complex set up Limited capacity Hard to turn Uneven breakdown Heat from compost can hurt in summer

40 CHICKEN COMPOSTING Advantages Turn food waste directly into food eggs and meat Chickens do the work Food waste attracts bugs chickens eat Disadvantages Complex set up Uneven breakdown

41 CHICKEN COMPOSTING

42 SECRET OF CHICKEN COMPOSTING?

43 BENEFIT OF CHICKEN COMPOSTING

44 COMPOST PILES FEED CHICKENS

45 KEEPING THE PILE HAPPY Feed the pile Water the pile Turn, baby, turn Goal is to fill bin, then let it cook Could take 3 months, or longer

46 FINDING A SITE FOR COMPOST PILE Shady area Near water Away from wooden structures Be mindful of flooding Visible and easy to access (out of sight, out of mind)

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48 WHEN IS COMPOST READY? The pile shrank, up to one-half its original volume You can t recognize original materials Hot composting method: the pile no longer makes lots of heat Material is dark, crumbly, smells earthy

49 HARVESTING COMPOST Give it a final turn, piling most to one side Use shovel to load into a sifter Sift out big particles, throw them back into the bin Separate trash, discard Use right away, store the rest

50 HOW TO STORE COMPOST Keep it cool, moist, and ventilated Reuse soil or mulch bags Use it within a month or so, longer it s stored, the more organisms will die off Longer than a month return it to the compost bin

51 HOW TO USE COMPOST AKA FEEDING THE SOIL Mixing into soil One trowel per planting hole OR About 2-inch layer compost mixed into the to 6 to 8 inches of soil

52 HOW TO USE COMPOST SIDE DRESSING One trowel of compost per plant is enough per dressing One side dressing at midseason is usually enough until harvest Heavy feeding crops mostly summer fruiting crops like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants will benefit from more than one side dressing

53 HOW TO USE COMPOST COMPOST TEA Mix 1 shovel compost into 5-gallons water Mix daily for 3-4 days, strain Side dressing = full concentrate Leaf spray = dilute 10:1 (weak tea) Use immediately

54 W H AT C A N G O WRONG?

55 WHAT CAN GO WRONG? THE COMPOST PILE STINKS Cause Too much greens/not enough browns Too wet Solution Add more brown material Turn it to add oxygen, encourage evaporation

56 WHAT CAN GO WRONG? NOTHING S HAPPENING Cause Not enough greens/too many browns Not enough material (too little volume) Too dry Solution Add more green material Water the pile Turn it to add oxygen, distribute moisture

57 WHAT CAN GO WRONG? I HAVE ANTS IN MY PANTS Cause Compost is delicious and moist Solution Move the pile, if possible Turn the pile daily Abandon the pile for a month or so Consider organic ant bait

58 WHAT CAN GO WRONG? I HAVE WEIRD BUGS IN MY BIN Cause Compost is delicious and moist Solution Pat yourself on the back, you have a healthy compost pile!

59 WHAT CAN GO WRONG? EEEK! I HAVE MICE IN MY BIN Cause Compost is delicious and moist Solution Turn the compost daily If serious infestation, consider using Just One Bite

60 S TA R T A C O M P O S T C O L L E C T I O N P R O G R A M

61 THE BIRTH OF FUNKY FRIDA Started composting program at Texas WIC in Aug 2013 An average of 50 pounds of organic material each week is diverted from landfill to compost piles That s more than 2,600 pounds each year

62 GET PERMISSION Make sure management is on board Don t forget to inform custodians

63 DO AN AUDIT Do spot checks to find out where organic material is thrown away (break room) Try to collect greens (kitchen) and browns (copier/shredder) Find nearby community gardens that might accept your compost collections

64 PREPARE MATERIALS Make flyers/signs Write a company-wide , get approval, if needed Get enough buckets with secure lids Craigslist for kitty litter buckets Restaurants often throw buckets away

65 GET BUY IN Invite everyone to learn about what goes into the collection bucket; what shouldn t Consider a salad social or naming contest. Recruit compost volunteers Find out if anyone in the office gardens; they may be willing to take some compostable material Launch the program -- kick off the program and monitor closely

66 MAINTAIN THE PROGRAM Make sure buckets do not sit too long and become stinky or gnat-infested Keep fresh buckets available, replace damaged buckets Recruit more compost volunteers

67 WHAT CAN GO WRONG No one wants to help Too many full buckets! Not enough clean, empty buckets Compost is attracting gnats Compost stinks

68 THAT S MY COMPOST TAIL

69 THANK YOU!

70 C O M P O S T I N G P ET P O O P

71 COMPOSTING CAT AND DOG POOP

72 COMPOSTING POOP DECORATIVES Only for decorative plants, trees, and grass Not for plants you eat dog poop has a risk of carrying pathogens that can make people sick

73 COMPOSTING POOP DIG A HOLE

74 COMPOSTING POOP MAKE A BIN

75 COMPOSTING POOP BURY BIN

76 COMPOSTING POOP THE SWAP

77 COMPOSTING POOP THE HARVEST

78 COMPOSTING POOP THE FLUSH

79 COMPOSTING POOP - DRAINAGE

80 COMPOSTING POOP ADD POOP

81 COMPOSTING POOP - INOCULATE

82 COMPOSTING POOP - WATER

83 COMPOSTING POOP TIDY UP

84 THANK YOU! ( A G A I N )