*Aussies account for around a half-tonne of household waste for every person, every year, most of which ends up being thrown into landfills. More than half of what goes into the rubbish tip is organic waste, and composting can convert them into a useful medium for your garden or farm!

*Compost or brown manure has been made for 4,000 years in open heaps or enclosed bins, and is used for landscaping, gardening, fertilising of fallow plots, soil conditioning and landfill control. Compost can fight the effects of erosion, wetland damage and heal damaged soils.




*In Australia's eroded, nutrient-poor soils, compost can make a crucial contribution to agricultural output. Compost coming from bins, pits and heaps can take in materials that would otherwise create methane, a destructive greenhouse gas. Organic matter decomposing in the oxygen-deprived conditions of a landfill will break down into methane, but a carefully tended compost pit or overturned compost bin will distribute oxygen and allow the material to convert into less ozone-killing gases. Composting helps save the world's atmosphere and combat global warming.

*As a porous, absorbent material, compost becomes suitable for plants by providing needed nutrients and good growing conditions. To achieve the right mix, compost bin owners will sometimes dilute their output with soil or water to reduce salinity or neutralise the acidity to around pH 7 or add fertilisers, manure, and materials to improve porosity such as sand, barkchips, vermiculite (earthworm droppings) or clay granules. Make compost making your first project in green farming.

*Bushfire protection: rather than simply burning off potential kindle material around your home, why not take the time to gather fallen leaves, brush and grass mowings and make fertiliser out of it? You'll be doing your bit to fight fire hazards with a properly tended compost project.

*From a combination of kitchen and garden waste, you can create a chemical-free and hygienic, clean-smelling material that you can use for the household, sell or share to neighbours and friends. Deep-coloured and crumbly, compost added as surface mulch will allow soil to absorb and retain water, important in these times of chronic drought. You'll save water on your crops and yard!