Food is one of the most important things in life, in fact, we cannot live without it. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 20 percent of the waste in municipal landfills is food or food based products. The disposal process of the food in landfills creates a potent greenhouse gas called Methane. These landfills increase the Methane emission which in effect increases the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. In conclusion these landfills are expediting the warming of the Earth. Although this might sound extreme there are actually things we can do to help mitigate this process, and one of them is composting.

Composting is a process in which various foods and food based products are decomposed naturally creating a mixture of organic substances organic substances, or humus,  which can be used as fertilizer. This process helps eliminate a majority of food accumulation in landfills because of a beneficial alternative disposal process.

“I think composting is beneficial because it decreases the amount of waste and helps increase sustainability. The food decomposes and becomes a natural nutrient so instead of the food going to the landfills it actually becomes beneficial,” stated senior Evan Van Pelt.

The best part is that that composting is actually quite simple. To start all you need is a compost bin (which averages around $100) or even simpler, a designated spot in your garden which would allow food waste to naturally decompose. Additionally composting allows for you to reduce your trash output as a lot of substances are compostable. 

“You can actually compost a surprising amount of things. Vegetables, fruit peelings, used paper plates and napkins can all be composted along with items like tea bags and coffee filters,” stated senior Susannah Terry.

Composting can help you financially as well as you will not need to be paying for large garbage because you won’t be accumulating as much waste.

“Actually composting benefits me financially as I am not buying and using fertilizer. My food waste creates humus and I use the humus to fertilize my garden. It acts as a natural fertilizer and is not a harmful pollutant like other chemical fertilizers,” stated Central Kitsap High School AP Environmental Science teacher Bill Wilson.

Helping increase and encouraging an individual’s knowledge on composting will help and benefit planet Earth in the long run. Composting benefits the Earth in a larger sense and also benefits the smaller communities such as Kitsap County and Central Kitsap high School. “Composting cuts the waste stream of building and instead of waste going to the landfill, which does nothing beneficial it goes to the compost facility and begin a natural process that replenishes nutrients,” stated Wilson.