Our daily habits and food waste can be disastrous for the environment and our health. We say ‘yes’ to composting as a method of reducing the environmental footprint of food waste

Our daily habits and food waste can be disastrous for the environment and our health. We say ‘yes’ to composting as a method of reducing the environmental footprint of food waste

At a time when the planet is groaning under the weight of mindless human activity and food waste that ends up in landfills and garbage, no one can deny the importance of readjusting our behaviour to protect the environment where we live.
Even our smallest and largest daily choices, however small they may seem in comparison to the “big picture” of heavy industry, make up our own environmental footprint, which adds to the pressures we place on nature as humanity.
Scientists say composting is the solution to reducing the environmental footprint of food waste. Composting can turn organic waste into fertilizer, reducing food waste.

In the context of the Life – “FOODPrint” project, which aims to reduce food waste and involves a campaign funded by the European Union’s “Life” programme and coincides with the implementation of Cyprus’ strategy to achieve the broader environmental goals for sustainable management and drastic reduction of municipal waste by 2030, several figures released from the surveys carried out are particularly disappointing for our country.

For the record

The environmental footprint left by households from food waste is close to three times that of plastic waste. This is because, when the food gets back into the ground, it releases methane, which is far more destructive to the atmosphere than carbon dioxide.
However, there is hope and it offers the best solution: composting turns organic waste into fertiliser and is an effective solution to the problem of food waste. It is, after all, a method that has been used since the land has been cultivated, with the first officially recorded reference dating back to around 2 300 BC.

Home composting

So what we all need to do is to improve our composting skills. All an ordinary household needs is a composting bin, in which we make holes in the bottom and sides to aerate the waste mixture we put in. If there is difficulty in creating a homemade bin, there are several options available on the market as well.

Home composting is an effective way to reduce by 70%-80% the organic waste from the kitchen and garden by producing useful compost. In this way we manage to intelligently manage a very large part of household waste, which is characterized by strong odors and heavy weight.
When food or other natural ‘waste’ such as tree leaves etc. decompose, they create the ideal conditions for the creation of compost, which acts as a natural fertiliser. A compost mixture also needs moisture – either from rainwater or tap water – oxygen and a temperature of about 60°C. Whether you make it yourself or buy it ready-made, the benefits to your yard and the environment are immeasurable because compost reduces the use of pesticides and other chemicals by adding nutrients to the soil, helping it to retain its moisture. Alternative energy production.

What is composting?

Composting is the natural process in which organic waste (fruits, vegetables, leaves, prunings, etc.) is turned into a rich organic mixture that acts as a soil conditioner and fertilizer. This product is called compost. The addition of fertiliser of an appropriate age (through the composting process) to the soil will improve its water retention and enrich its soil bacterial activity. It then has a direct influence on the availability of some mineral salts to plants.
Purpose of composting:

The main purpose of composting is to reduce the volume of waste that ends up in landfills. According to studies carried out from time to time, a large proportion of 50% consists of fermentable materials, i.e. food waste and other organic materials. With the help of the composting method, this percentage can be reduced and can help environmentally, economically and socially.

The benefits are multiple, such as:
1. Improvement of the natural structure of the soil.
2. Modifying soil temperature extremes, colder in summer and warmer in winter.
3. More efficient use of rainwater or irrigation water, to lose less moisture through evaporation and runoff because it allows for better absorption.
4. Development of biological activity in the soil, which contributes to more efficient nutrient uptake of certain ions, particularly clay and iron, which can be toxic in low pH soils.
5. It gives the soil a storage capacity (i.e. the ability to resist change in pH), with the immediate consequence that the effects of chemical/intensive cultivation are less critical.
6. Achieve weed reduction by adding at least five centimeters (5cm) of compost fertilizer.
7. Reduction of greenhouse gases.