Why should I compost?
Rardless of your reasons, composting is a win/win scenario. Good for you and good for the environment.
Adding compost to your garden will not only fertilize, it actually feeds your soil with a diversity of nutrients and microorganisms that will improve plant growth. Chemical fertilizers on the other hand provide a quick burst of a limited number of nutrients that can wash away into our rivers and streams. Compost also increases soil stability, improves drainage and helps retain moisture.
Save Money!
- No need to buy chemical fertilizers. Compost is free!
- Compost helps to retain soil moisture so you water less.
- The nutrients from compost are not washed away by rainfall. No waste!
Save Resources!
- Keeps a valuable resource out of the landfill.
- Waste less water since compost helps with moisture retention.
- Reduce civic costs for waste collection and thereby reduce fuel use.
- Extend the life of landfills. Remember residential waste is 40% compostable materials.
Improve Your Soil!
- Compost returns valuable nutrients to the soil to help maintain soil quality and fertility.
- Compost is a mild, slow release, natural fertilizer that won’t burn plants like chemical fertilizers.
- It also improves texture and air circulation for heavier soils (like Manitoba gumbo) and helps to increase the water retention of sandy soils.
- Provides organic matter and nutrients which will improve plant growth and lead to better yields.
Reduce Your Impact!
- Reduce Green House Gases (GHG’s) in two ways:
- Reduce Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from vehicles used to transport waste
- Organics in landfills break down anaerobically (without oxygen) to produce methane gas, a greenhouse gas 21 times more harmful than CO2.
- Reduce the impact of chemical fertilizers that runoff into our rivers, lakes and streams.
- Buried organics can react with metals in the landfill to produce toxic leachate, a potential source of groundwater pollution.
By composting you complete the cycle by returning what you grow back to the soil to help you grow!
Composting Video
Now that you know all the great reasons for composting, why not learn just how easy it is to do. With the help of a couple of young filmmakers and some funding from Assiniboine Credit Union, we were able to produce this fun video on the basics of composting. Enjoy!
Questions about composting? Call our compost info line:
204 925 3777 or Toll Free: 1 866 394 8880
More Resources
More Blog Posts
More Events
Other Presentations/Workshops
Vermicomposting 101
No yard or space for an outdoor compost bin? No problem! Vermi-composting is an easy and compact way to reduce your waste. Learn the basics behind composting with Red Wriggler worms, including setting up a bin, feeding your worms, keeping them healthy, and harvesting your finished compost.
Vermicomposting 101
No yard or space for an outdoor compost bin? No problem! Vermi-composting is an easy and compact way to reduce your waste. Learn the basics behind composting with Red Wriggler worms, including setting up a bin, feeding your worms, keeping them healthy, and harvesting your finished compost.
Backyard Composting 101
Composting is a great way to reduce waste and at the same time reduce your environmental footprint. Learn how to recycle your kitchen scraps and yard waste into a rich natural soil amendment. Learn the benefits of composting, how to get started, key factors for successful composting, and how to use your finished compost.
Backyard Composting 101
Composting is a great way to reduce waste and at the same time reduce your environmental footprint. Learn how to recycle your kitchen scraps and yard waste into a rich natural soil amendment. Learn the benefits of composting, how to get started, key factors for successful composting, and how to use your finished compost.
Walktober 2025
Walktober is a month-long event encouraging students and families to spend time outside and be active on the way to school. We’re encouraging parents and teachers to sign-up to promote healthy living, and start conversations about the environment.
Walktober 2025
Walktober is a month-long event encouraging students and families to spend time outside and be active on the way to school. We’re encouraging parents and teachers to sign-up to promote healthy living, and start conversations about the environment.
Protecting Mother Earth
Intended for First Nation classrooms, this presentation provides a basic understanding of Traditional Ecological Knowledge in relation to Indigenous worldviews – how we are connected with the planet and how we must find a harmonious balance with our environment for the sake of the next seven generations. This includes actions students can take at home, in school, or within their community. Examples will explore what other schools in First Nation communities around Manitoba are doing to reduce their impact on Mother Earth.
Protecting Mother Earth
Intended for First Nation classrooms, this presentation provides a basic understanding of Traditional Ecological Knowledge in relation to Indigenous worldviews – how we are connected with the planet and how we must find a harmonious balance with our environment for the sake of the next seven generations. This includes actions students can take at home, in school, or within their community. Examples will explore what other schools in First Nation communities around Manitoba are doing to reduce their impact on Mother Earth.