Welcome to A Wormy World!

The beginning of an awesome composting journey!

Hi, and welcome to A Wormy World, a blog for kids all about composting. If you are interested in composting, keep reading! But if you're not interested...still keep reading, there are lots of fun new things you can learn about composting!

Why Compost?

Composting is easy and super cheap. A few states in the U.S. even give away free compost bins! But even if you have to buy a compost bins, the cheapest ones are only around twenty bucks. Composting is good for the environment because then you do not have to throw as many things in the trash. Trash, especially food waste, contributes to methane and pollution and builds up landfills, which is why it is bad for our Earth.

What Can I Compost?

There are a lot of things you can compost, from apple cores to yard waste. You can even compost a lot of things you recycle, like cardboard and paper. But make sure any paper you're composting doesn't have a glossy sheen over it - that kind of paper contains chemicals in it that are non-compostable.

The Specifics of What You Can Compost

Compostable items include:

1. Any kind of fruit or vegetable and its peel

2. Leaves and grass clippings

3. Tissues

4. Old food

Composting vs. Recycling

Now we know that trash is the worst for the planet, but which is better: Composting or recycling? And why? Composting is better for the planet because recycling takes more resources and energy, while composting is pretty easy and takes close to no work. While there are special facilities to decompose materials like compostable plates and forks, most composting can be done right in your backyard!

So Is Recycling Bad for the Environment?

Although composting is better than recycling, reprocessing materials is still a better alternative to garbage. So my answer is this: When choosing between composting and recycling, choose composting. But when choosing between recycling and trash, choose recycling.

If You Can Compost Paper, What Is Recycling For?

First of all, not all paper can be recycled. Like I said earlier, paper with a glossy sheen can not be composted and should be recycled instead. You also need a balance to our compost, so you can't just be putting paper in it. If there is too much paper for your compost to handle, you may need to recycle some of it instead. And recycling isn't just paper; there are other things, like plastics, that can never be composted and should always be recycled.

Exactly what kinds of recycling can I compost?

You might be wondering what kinds of recycling to compost. I've mentioned paper and cardboard, but what kinds and how much? Here is a list of compostable and recyclable items:

1. Thin cardboard - like the material of cereal boxes - without a glossy sheen

2. Paper, especially the type that is just plain white without dyes or bleach

3. Some types of paper plates and cups

4. Glass

Your compost should be balanced, so if all you have is a bunch of papers, they will not decompose as well. Make sure there are other things in your compost as well.

Can I Compost Meat?

While meat is compostable, I would not recommend composting it because the smell will attract animals from all over. Unless you buy a special bin that is expressly made so that it is sealed and animals will not be able to open it, you should just throw any bones away into the trash because although trash is bad for the environment, you probably do not want to be woken up in the middle of the night to a bear in your backyard!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you learned something about composting!

Stay tuned for the next post from...A Wormy World!