My Switch to Simple Composting
Every little choice we make and thing we do can have an effect on our low toxic lifestyle. This year, I decided to set my sights on a couple simple, and attainable changes to my daily routine in order to make a healthier, happier home for me and my family.
While it can be tempting to dive right into the low toxic life with both feet, I think it’s actually easier to take small steps and slowly build up to a holistic, green way of living. With this in mind, I did a little research to find out what changes I could make that were small, sustainable, and would have big impact on our health and environment.
A few facts really stood out to me as I was reading:
Landfills are within the U.S.’s top 3 emitters of methane and greenhouse gases
Agriculture also made it into the top 3 of the U.S. greenhouse gas emitters
When food scraps are dumped in landfills they emit methane gas due to the lack of microorganisms and carbon needed for proper decomposition
With these 3 facts in mind, I decided to commit to 2 simple and impactful changes for me and my family. First, we were going to ensure we ate more fresh veggies. I dream of the day where we’re a fully vegetarian household, but for now, I tell myself “progress over perfection.” The second new commitment was to start composting. Both of these adjustments to our lifestyle can have profound benefits to our home and the earth.
When I first started getting into the whole compost thing, I was a bit overwhelmed. It seemed like there were so many options and recommendations out there. Then, I remembered, there’s joy and empowerment to be found with every step forward I make. Composting doesn’t have to be stressful!
In the end, I found myself celebrating this little green victory when I built my own “Lazy [wo]man’s compost bin.” Making this adjustment was actually very low maintenance. I committed to and stuck with composting because it worked into my daily routine and it can work with yours too.
When looking to start your own composting journey, remember:
Composting Enriches the soil by helping it to retain moisture and quell plant diseases.
Composting reduces the need for chemical fertilizers because the compost acts as a natural fertilizer.
Composting lowers your carbon footprint by keeping waste out of landfills.
