Communities Environment Program

Prescott Primary Northern Compost Project

Prescott Primary Northern in partnership with the Communities Environment Program have been working to establish a compost system at our school. The aim of this project is to maximise the use of organic matter at our school to produce nutrient rich compost that will feed the soil in our vegetable garden at Prescott Primary Northern.

This week, the families that attend Little Giggles Playgroup joined in with a composting workshop, which gave caregivers and their children the opportunity to participate in the composting process. This hands-on experience allowed some of the little people in our community the opportunity to add leaves, shredded paper and food scraps into our compost bin. They observed the worms in our worm farm and learnt how to use worm juice to feed the vegetables in our garden. Finally, they were given the opportunity to plant seeds and plants in soil enriched by our compost. We look forward to harvesting the food they planted and then return the scraps back into our compost ready to start the cycle all over again.

The aim of composting organic waste is to reduce the amount of organic matter ending up in landfill. By composting our own scraps of food, leaves and shredded paper or cardboard, we can help the environment. We reduce harmful leachate entering our soils and waterways and we reduce harmful gasses entering our atmosphere from landfill sites, where the decomposition system is out of balance. Could you try composting at your home? The ratio you need for success is 50% green waste mixed with 50% dry carbon rich matter like shredded paper and dry leaves. Turn the compost regularly to keep the organic matter well oxygenated. Through time, decomposers will reduce the pile to beautiful nutrient rich compost that you can use in your own gardens or growing containers at home.

Let us work together to protect our local environment by conserving resources, composting organic matter, monitoring our patch and managing our waste sustainably.