COMPOSTING

INTRODUCTION:

Food waste or garden waste management systems are implemented to reduce waste in the beloved land. Therefore, composting project has been carried out in schools with the cooperation of all school staff and students. This project has been carried out in the school since 06 July 2017 and this project will continue to be carried out over the time for the sustainability of the earth. Compost is an organic fertilizer that is very suitable for use in our gardens. It is able to restore the fertility of the sluggish soil. Eventually, the compost produced will be turned into organic fertilizer.

OBJECTIVE:

• To provide an outdoor learning station

• raising worms for composting in vermihome; setting up worm towers for composting waste and providing natural fertilizers to plants

• To educate students on how to add nutrient to the garden soil by collecting kitchen waste from school canteen for composting and also as an effort in waste reduction

• Manage waste from parks, field areas and school canteens effectively.

• To produces environmentally friendly organic fertilizers that rich in nutrients.

• To reduce the cost of garden expenses by producing our own fertilizer.

COMPOSTING PROJECTS IN SMK CONVENT PULAU TIKUS:

There are 5 types of compost projects carried out in the school area such as food waste composting project, layer compost, Vermi Tower, Vermi Composting and dried leaves compost.

VERMI TOWER

Leftover PVC pipes are cut and bury about 1/5 into vegetable bed. Kitchen waste will be put into the Vermi Tower. Food waste that has been decomposed will continue to be absorbed into the soil and made the organic nutrient to the vegetables.

VERMI COMPOSTING

Vermicompost (vermi-compost) is the product of the decomposition process using various species of worms, usually red wigglers, white worms, and other earthworms, to create a mixture of decomposing vegetable or food waste, bedding materials, and vermicast. This process is called vermicomposting. However, we started our vermicompost project by adding in the African Night Crawler (ANC). From the information search through internet, what we learn is The African Nightcrawler, Eudrilus Eugeniae (Scientific Name), is truly an amazing composting worm. African Nightcrawlers have a unique coloring, being a mix of grey and purple. They have huge appetites, they will eat up to 150% of their own body weight each day if given the proper environment and proper amount of food. They eat more food per day than any other composting worm.

source:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eudrilus_eugeniae

https://midwestworms.com/blogs/worm-blog/the-amazing-african-nightcrawlers

Therefore, we have taken the initiative to visit the Penang Consumers Association (CAP) to gain more information on vermicompost and we have learned more about it through one of our external community committee members in Eco-Schools Programme, Mr. Subarrow.

METHODOLOGY:

An African Night Crawler (ANC) compliant worm house is very important before starting it. This is to prevent the worm from fleeing its home. Therefore, teachers and school gardener have worked together to build a home for the worm. After that, we purchased the worm from shopee, an online platform with the cost RM 45 for 1kg. Food waste, fruits and dried leaves is the favourite food for the ANC. From what we monitor and compare in between layer compost and vermicomposting, the composting process in vermicompost is faster than the layer compost. The composting soil will used for the vegetables plants around the school and it often give surprising results. For the example, some of the winter melon and cucumber in the schools were grown from composting soil.

Dried Leaves Compost

Each time after mowing the grass in the field, the grasses will be collected into dried leaves composting bin (tyre). Apart from reducing waste to landfills, this project is also able to expose students to the process of decomposing dried leaves.

WHY COMPOST?

COMPOST BENEFITS THE ENVIRONMENT

The ability of compost to sequester carbon, rebuild depleted soil nutrients, conserve and retain water, limit erosion, reduce the use of negatively impact synthetic chemical fertilizers, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions has strong environmental benefits.

source: http://illinoiscomposts.org/why-compost/