Back to NatureBack to Nature

What is this strange pile in the backyard? If you let vegetables, fruits, leaves, and grass rot in a pile, they will turn into compost. Compost looks like soil. You can put it in your garden to help plants grow.

What’s compost?What’s compost?

Process Process ofof Compost Compost something that can be rotten naturally soon

What's compostable? What's compostable? GreensGreen leaves Coffee grounds Tea bags Plant trimmings Raw fruit and

vegetable scraps Fresh grass

clippings Hair

BrownsDried grasses, leaves

and some weeds Straw Woodchips Twigs and branches Sawdust Shredded newspaper

• Food with meat, dairy or oils • Pet feces (dog, cat or bird) • Diseased plants • Weeds gone to seed • Ash from charcoal or coal

What’s not compostable? What’s not compostable?

What's compostable? (and what What's compostable? (and what isn't?)isn't?)

Let’s talk about!Let’s talk about!Cycle of CompostCycle of Compost

Where Does Your Waste Go?Where Does Your Waste Go?

Most of the trash that people throw away ends up in

landfills or dumps. The process starts when we put our household trash by the curb to be picked up. Garbage trucks go into neighborhoods to pick up the trash. Then they bring it to the landfill where the trucks dump out all the trash. Next, machines push the trash into big piles. Finally, the piles are covered with dirt so more trash can go on the top.

Landfills- areas where trash is taken

Trash decomposes at different rates. Some trash takes a long time to decompose, causing the piles to get too big. We are running out of room for new trash.

Decompose-to rot orbreak down

glass aluminum plasticpaperfood

500yrs

400yrs

300yrs

200yrs

100yrs

50yrs

25yrs

0yrs

less thana year

QuestionsQuestions1. What three things happen to trash as soon as it reaches the landfills? (Hint: Write your answer using commas in a series.)2. Which would decompose faster, a paper bag or a plastic bag? Explain your answer in a complete sentence.

3. Give two examples of types of trash that take years to decompose.

4. What do you think will happen when our landfills get too full?

Sample answers next

AnswersAnswers1. After trash reaches the landfill garbage trucks dump it, machines push it into piles, and soil is placed on top.

2. A paper bag would decompose quicker because it is made from trees. Trees are a natural resource which decompose faster. Plastics are man-made and decompose slowly.

4. If landfills become too full, we would lose land that could be used for places such as: homes, playgrounds, and schools. The Earth would become more polluted and eventually we would run out of space. What other ideas did you come up with?

End of activity

3. Trash that would take years to decompose include:

glass aluminum plastic

Can you put more things that go in a compost bin?