According to the
Rodale Institute, organic farms that fertilize with compost
can sequester carbon at a rate of up to 3,200 kg/ha/yr.
Under the Kyoto Clean Development Mechanism, cities in the
Global South are
composting their organic waste (wood, straw, coffee
residues, fresh green material and manure) to create carbon
credits. Composting avoids methane emissions and also improves
the soil fertility of the degraded soil. Soil & More, the global
composting project, gets 1 carbon credit equals to 1 ton of CO2e
emissions reductions for every ton of compost produced.
Some US cities have also begun municipal composting.
San Francisco has the nation's first mandatory composting
law. The city already converts over 400 tons of food scraps and
other compostable discards into high-grade organic compost every
day. It's snapped up by farms and vineyards across the Bay Area.
By requiring all residents and businesses to compost, the city
will be able to increase the amount of "black gold" available
for sustainable regional agriculture and improve our
environment.
But it's not just farmers and cities, you can compost at home!
So, if you haven't already, take your food, lawn, garden waste -
even poop - and make your very own carbon piggy bank: COMPOST!
Video: How to compost in your backyard!
Video: How to compost in your apartment with worms!
Video: How to compost in the bathroom with a composting
toilet!