Composting is nature’s way of recycling. It turns food waste and other organic matter into high quality soil amendment called compost.

Here are a few facts you may not know about composting:

1. Composting has been around for centuries.
2. The Australian Brush-turkey builds compost piles to incubate its eggs.
3. Composting worms love watermelon!
4. You can compost indoors.
5. Compost piles can reach over 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. Fresh worm castings (a.k.a. worm poop) is often referred to as “black gold.”
7. George Washington was an advocate of composting.

Recently Parks & Rec partnered with Bennett Compost to help reduce food waste by composting. Bennett Compost agreed to pick-up food waste from our camps and after school programs.

In return, Bennett moved its composting business into an unused building on park land.  The company processes more than 250 tons of food waste a year on Parks & Rec’s site. Learn more about the city’s composting program. 

There are many benefits to composting.

Composting helps:

• Prevent soil erosion.
• Conserve water.
• Supply the soil with nutrients.
• Create green jobs.
• Decrease landfill methane emissions.
• Reduce the need for fertilizers and pesticides.

Want to learn more about composting? Bennett Compost hosts public tours every 4th Thursday of the month.