Photo Credit: Aaron Favila – AP, and The Daily Camera.
Harlequin’s Gardens has become a member of the recently formed Coalition for Local Compost Climate Action. This is because Boulder County is getting ready to build a local composting facility to turn our organic wastes into fertility and climate action, which is very exciting!
For years we have been talking about the need for a local public composting facility. And now, driven by the pressure of Climate Change, it is even more obvious. We need to apply Nature’s waste recycling system, using microbes to remove valuable organic matter from the waste stream and turn it into healthy soil.
When plant matter decays, it releases carbon dioxide and methane – both greenhouse gases. But when that plant matter is composted, most of that carbon is conserved. And when it is incorporated into the soil, it functions both as fertility for plants and as a warehouse for carbon.
In modern lingo, this is Carbon Farming, and it is now known to be a powerful tool to reverse climate change. There is more capacity for storing carbon in the soil than in all the plants growing on it and all the atmosphere above it. In farmer lingo, this is turning shit into gold, because turning leaves and weeds into compost supports soil life, holds water, makes healthy plants and nutrient-dense foods.
This new facility would be a huge benefit and resource for Boulder County! Please read the full description and importantly, make encouraging comments to the Boulder County Commissioners.
Main Points:
- The right thing to do for our soil and for the Earth.
- The site is central to Boulder County cities’ waste and to Boulder County farms and residences where the compost will be used.
- The facility will use a tested advanced technology system that will contain the odors and produce a high-quality compost.