Benefits of Composting

Can you name 5 reasons to compost? Most people can’t because the benefits of composting are not widely discussed. Instead, most people are told which item goes in which bin, but not why it’s important to sort your trash. Did you know that when food waste is allowed to decay in the landfill, it causes methane emissions? 

Shockingly, the World Food Programme states that just one person making the choice to compost their food waste would reduce greenhouse gas emissions! The US Composting Council says that composting and using it in your garden can reduce pests, disease, and weeds and balance the pH of your soil. Even if you don’t have a garden, there are still so many benefits, like, for example, composting is the single greatest thing that the average person can do to help reduce climate change. 

This is why I and some of my classmates are spreading awareness and advocating for composting and teaching people about composting and how it affects climate change. So I challenge you to go home and start composting!

 Click here to learn more about the importance of composting your food scraps.

 By Linden Levy, Marin School of Environmental Leadership, class of 2029
Terra Linda High School, San Rafael, CA