Introduction

Carbon emission is one of the main topics being discussed by every environmental department of any nations. The use of fossil fuels and increased industrialization has led to a gradual increase in the carbon emitted. Despite the rise, the government and non-governmental organizations are drumming up the effort to combat the greenhouse gases emitted. The focus of this paper will focus on compost programs as the approach to reduce carbon emissions (Partanen et al., 2010). The advantages, disadvantages and the effectiveness of the method will be outlined.

In simple terms, composting is the biological method of decomposing organic waste such as food and material plant by bacteria and other organisms in the presence of oxygen (Epstein, 2017). Whenever composting is applied the result is decayed organic matter called humus. Composting is a procedural process that first involves the choice of the method of composting to be applied. Worm and bin are composting (Partanen et al., 2010). It is essential to choose the right location for the compost bin and also decide the materials that are to be decomposed. For instance, in building a compost pile, various greens such as vegetables, coffeegounds, and tea bags could make the layers. Some of the material to be avoided includes meat, eggs yolks, and pesticides as they halt the composting process. After setting up the compost pile, it should be periodically mixed to allow entry of oxygen. Internal temperature should be checked regularly too.

Advantages of Compost Programs

Composting has many benefits for the environment. First, composting the food craps helps in producing the nutrient-rich soil that is useful in the maintenance of healthy and productive farm fields.  Another significant advantage of composting is when viewed through the lens of global warming. It directly reduces the carbon dioxide and methane emitted. Most of the people believe that throwing away food craps and papers is harmless since the materials are biodegradable. Unfortunately, these materials break down without oxygen leading to the emission of greenhouse gases.

Disadvantages of Composting

Composting is a laborious process that requires carrying of all the compost materials. These include weeds and crops from the garden. Besides that, turning the compost regular is strenuous work. Lastly, after the compost is ready, humus must be carried to the garden. A lot of nutrients are lost during the composting process (Sweeten, 2008). Conversion of the organic raw material into stable humus is critical for long term soil fertility. After composting some of the nutrients such as nitrogen that dissipates into the atmosphere aren’t in humus.

Effectiveness of Composting

Composting is an efficient, sustainable method in achieving the goal of creating a friendly environment. It does so by enriching the soil, preventing pollution as well as remediation of contaminated soil. One of the main benefits of composting is to enrich the soil and reduction of the emission of greenhouse gases (Lakhdar et al., 2009).

Risks of Composting

Despite the benefits, composting could be a potential risk to health. For the farmers with a low immune system and people with asthma and other respiratory issues, composting could be a great risk (Epstein, 2017). Compost piles are sources of bacteria such as tetanus, fungi and other mildew. Therefore, the infection can quickly be passed through cuts.

How to Advertise Compost Programs to the Public

There are many ways of letting the public aware of the composting process. One may choose TV adverts and social media posts. This could be effective when composting is being done in large scale. The word of mouth message in public gatherings could also be applied.

Reference

Partanen, P., Hultman, J., Paulin, L., Auvinen, P., & Romantschuk, M. (2010). Bacterial diversity at different stages of the composting process. BMC microbiology, 10(1), 94.

Sweeten, J. M. (2008). Composting manure and sludge. Texas FARMER Collection.

Epstein, E. (2017). The science of composting. Routledge.

Lakhdar, A., Rabhi, M., Ghnaya, T., Montemurro, F., Jedidi, N., & Abdelly, C. (2009). Effectiveness of compost use in salt-affected soil. Journal of hazardous materials, 171(1-3), 29-37.