Residents can learn to compostResidents can learn to compostJune 18, 2004
Whether it is organic debris, bioremediation, pollution prevention, organic compounds or kitchen wastes, these are just some of the words used to describe composting. But experts say that organic compost can be the best fertilizer available and with Oakley's soil residents can use all the help they can get.
That is just one of the reasons why the Ironhouse Sanitary District is offering a free class next week to help residents learn the ins and outs of composting. Another reason is that organic debris accounts for an average 20 percent to 40 percent of household waste, according to one study. By simply composting your own yard waste, such as leaves, fruit and grass clippings, you can inexpensively fertilize your yard and help solve this mounting problem.
On Wednesday, the district and the Contra Costa County Development Department will offer a workshop from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Sanitary District's office at 450 Walnut Meadows Drive. There will be hands-on instruction in the basics and benefits of composting in your home.
Participants will receive a free booklet with step-by-step details of how to compost. By practicing composting at home, you will be contributing to the county’s state-mandated recycling goals designed to reduce by 50 percent the amount of trash being sent to landfills.
So what's in it for you? Compost is one of nature's best mulches and soil amendments, and you can use it instead of commercial fertilizers, which will save you money in the long haul here in Oakley where there aren't enough natural nutrients in the soil to make your garden grow. Compost is cheap. You can make it without spending a cent.
Using compost improves soil structure, texture, and aeration and increases the soil's water-holding capacity. Compost loosens clay soils and helps sandy soils retain water. Adding compost improves soil fertility and stimulates healthy root development in plants. The organic matter provided in compost provides food for microorganisms, which keeps the soil in a healthy, balanced condition.
Most gardeners have long understood the value of this rich, dark, earthy material in improving the soil and creating a healthful environment for plants. Oakley residents are no exception. During the hot summer months that are before us, many residents tend to give up on their lawns and flowers because it costs too much to keep the soil from drying up and blowing away. By September and October it is not unlikely to find sand blowing in the wind and wreaking havoc throughout town. Adding more problems to gardens and lawns.
Understanding how to make and use compost is in the public interest, as the problem of waste disposal climbs toward a crisis level. Landfills are brimming, and new sites are not likely to be easily found. For this reason there is an interest in conserving existing landfill space and in developing alternative methods of dealing with waste. So how can you help? Don't throw away materials when you can use them to improve your lawn and garden! Start composting instead.
About one third of the space in landfills is taken up with organic waste from our yards and kitchens, just the type of material that can be used in compost. With a small investment in time, you can contribute to the solution to a community problem, while at the same time enriching the soil and improving the health of your garden.
Reservations are required to attend the Ironhouse Sanitary District composting workshop. Please call the Recycling Hotline at 1-800-750-4096.
Roni Gehlke's column on life in Oakley appears each week in the Brentwood News.
Distributed by the Contra Costa Times