It's International Compost Week! (May 3-9)

Posted on May 4, 2015

Here are our Top 5 reasons to love compost (thanks to the Compost Council of Canada):

1. Send less to landfill. Organics represent over 1/3 of the materials being sent to landfills. Whether through backyard or large-scale composting or anaerobic digestion, those banana peels, apple cores and other organic materials can be recycled.

2. Reduce greenhouse gases. According to Environment Canada, landfill sites account for about 38% of Canada's total methane emissions. It's the organics that are buried in the landfill that are a key contributor to this production of greenhouse gases.

3. Save money and reduce the need for pesticides. Through backyard composting, you can turn your leftover organics into a valuable soil amendment without spending a dime. Your healthy and productive soil can also help suppress plant diseases.

4. Reduce the need to water. By improving the soil structure through the addition of compost, water is retained and available for plants.

5. Make a positive environmental difference. With compost, you can take resources otherwise regarded as waste - organic residuals - and turn them into something of value while at the same time realizing landfill and greenhouse gas reductions, improved soil productivity and water quality.

How can you get started? We have some great online guides for the beginner, intermediate and expert composter.  And you can always pick up a composter at our EcoStore or during our Annual Rain Barrel & Composter Sales!

C'mon Calgary & join us in celebrating all things compost!