Compost – Applications

Finished compost can be sold or given away to agriculture. Compost utilized in agriculture industry reduces the dependency on petrochemical fertilizers and reduces water consumption by providing a healthier soil, and help to sequester CO2, thus reducing the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Vineyard managers apply compost after the harvest to return nutrients to soil. Hundreds of vineyards in Northern California now apply compost because organic growers have demonstrated the practice elevates soil quality and vine health.

From an article pointing out the advantages of composting; “Growers and researchers alike are finding compost and mulch to be indispensable aspects of vineyard floor management programs. In addition to recent evidence that use of compost may reduce root rot associated with phylloxera damage, growers are using compost and mulch for erosion control, soil moisture retention, nutrient content, and as a contribution to overall vineyard health.”

EXAMPLES OF AREAS OF APPLICATIONS FOR COMPOST:

• Continuous maintenance of the soil in connection with the planting of shrubs and trees, and new lawns
• Soil improvement to land with poor soil structure
• Combined soil and fertilizer (such as vegetables, flower beds og lawns)
• For pots and flower boxes (mixed with topsoil)
• Rooftop landscaping

From Table to Earth

From Table to Earth

• Compostable liquid and solid waste can easily be transformed into fertile soil that can be used as a fertilizer of lawns, potted plants and flower beds.
• The composting process reduces the waste volume by up to 90%, limiting the need for waste disposal, and hence reduces emissions of carbon dioxide and particulate matter from transport.
• By composting your food waste you take responsibility for the environment.

Click to view a larger (pdf) format of the From Table to Earth: www.green-solutions.no/press/uploads/Lifecycle_English.pdf

Why Compost?

In terms of the soil ecosystem, intensive cultivation practices used to produce mass quantities of food and fiber have (in many cases) left soils depleted of organic matter and vital nutrients, thus making them less naturally productive and more vulnerable to erosion. After humans consume the commodities, by-products of their decomposition often are not returned to the soil. Instead, they become part of the voluminous wastestreams which modern societies are having difficulty handling.

The composting of organic materials can help remedy this situation by capturing the energy and matter released in the decomposition process. Composting transforms organic "waste" products into a nutrient-rich soil amendment capable of improving depleted or disturbed soil environments. By the intentional act of composting, humans participate in what has been called nature’s "Law of Return" because a vital link is established for the return of organic matter to soil systems. By including composting in human-devised waste management systems, they become more reflective of natural patterns, and more sustainable in the long run. The organic matter resource is conserved, and problematic wastes are converted into a beneficial product that can be sold to help finance the composting operations.

What Is Compost?

From Green Solutions AS website:

Compost is the product resulting from the controlled biological decomposition of organic material; a stable, humus-like product resulting from the biological decomposition of organic matter under controlled conditions which has a positive effect on plant growth.

Composting refers to the biological degradation process of organic matter. It is a thermophilic process that relies on high temperatures to meet pathogen reduction standards. The waste product from the Bionova process – the compost – is the result of such a controlled biological decomposition of organic material at high temperature.

Compost is beneficial for more than its "fertilizing" capacity. It is highly regarded as a soil amendment because it confers many physical benefits to soil.

The benefits of compost include:

• Higher humus content in the soil
• Increases Earth's water storage capacity
• Ensures good aeration of the soil
• Provide nutrients and micronutrients to the soil
• Increase the plants ability to absorb nutrients
• Stabilize the soils pH and prevent acidification
• Prevent plant diseases
• Plant nutrients are returned to the earth’s natural cycle.

Congratulations to Green Solutions AS

Green Solutions AS website.

Congratulations to Green Solutions AS, a new Norwegian company formed by the entrepreneurial duo Tone Bekkestad and Einar Mjelde.

Green Solutions AS is committed to communicate and to create sustainable technological solutions – working with companies who hold or develop technological solutions in the front edge – that in different ways can contribute to a sustainable society and reducing emissions of greenhouse gases.

Another important goal is to prove that environmentally-friendly solutions can be profitable.

Holtermann Design LLC wishes Tone and Einar prosperity and success with their new company – and more new, exciting projects soon to come.

We encourage and appreciate your help with spreading the word to friends and colleagues who might be interested in Green Solutions AS.