Composting

This afternoon the Gardening Club will have a visitor from the Lower East Side Ecology Center coming in to teach us how to compost. According to the E.P.A.'s website, compost is organic material that can be used as a medium to grow plants. It is created by: combining organic wastes (e.g., yard trimmings, food wastes, manures) in proper ratios into piles, rows, or vessels; adding bulking agents (e.g., wood chips) as necessary to accelerate the breakdown of organic materials; and allowing the finished material to fully stabilize and mature through a curing process. Parents, you can support the learning process by asking your children what they have learned about composting, and giving your children materials they may bring to school to compost. Here is a list of materials that are able to be composted:
Animal manure
Cardboard rolls
Clean paper
Coffee grounds and filters
Cotton rags
Dryer and vacuum cleaner lint
Eggshells
Fireplace ashes
Fruits and vegetables
Grass clippings
Hair and fur
Hay and straw
Houseplants
Leaves
Nut shells
Sawdust
Shredded newspaper
Tea bags
Wood chips
Wool rags
Yard trimmings