Tarapoto: Compost is a surprising technique for reusing organic waste as fertilizer

This initiative allowed local people to change their waste management habits. In this article you can also learn how to make homemade compost and take care of the environment a little more.

Each person usually generates almost one kilo of waste per day, of which more than half is organic waste, such as food or vegetables. So much garbage! If we change our habits, we can take care of the environment. One of the most effective techniques is to separate organic waste from inorganic waste. In this way, we avoid that garbage that can serve other purposes ends up in the truck.

Composting is a solution to the problem of unnecessary waste. According to Ricardo Eneque, a graduate of the School of Agricultural Engineering of the Universidad Pedro Ruiz Gallo in Lambayeque, compost is a set of organic material used for soil treatment and fertilization.

This technique has been implemented in a project of the Municipality of La Banda de Shilcayo in San Martin, 1 km from Tarapoto. The objective is the prevention of excessive organic waste by implementing ecological programs, in which each participant is given 1 kg of compost. Due to the great reception, to date, more than 300 kg of compost have been distributed for caring and strengthening gardens, green areas and other areas of jungle biodiversity. In addition to this, participants are trained on how to take advantage of the richness of their soil.

How to make homemade compost?

First of all, it is important to choose a space that is warm, dry and away from any animals that might sniff around. Here, we can place the container that will serve as compost. The most important thing is to create green and brown layers. The green ones are usually humid and refer to fruit or vegetable peels, eggshells, coffee beans, filters, herb leaves, etc. Browns, on the other hand, are dry leaves, paper, stems, cardboard, straws, twigs/limbs. The trick is to intersperse one green layer and three brown layers.

In this way you collect the organic waste you choose until you obtain the desired amount. Then it is important to add water. The precise amount is that of a sponge if the compost is small. The most important thing is to mix the new waste with the layers below and repeat this process once a week.

The compost takes about a few months to be ready to be added to plants or gardens. It should have a dark appearance and earthy smell. This will help the place where you pour it to absorb the nutrients and grow in a resistant way.

Reducing our waste and improving our environmental situation is possible if we make small changes in our daily lives.