Composting, for the uninitiated, is the natural process of recycling organic matter, such as leaves and food scraps, into a valuable fertilizer that can enrich soil and plants. It’s a simple process that allows us to recycle the organic waste we generate at home and ultimately prevents our endless waste from landing in another landfill. Instead, it helps nourish the earth around us.
For families with a baby at home, composting can seem like a daunting task. Fear not, as composting with a baby at home is completely manageable with a few simple tips and tricks.
Composting with a Baby at Home
The first step in composting with a baby at home is to choose a composting method that is safe and convenient for your family. There are two main types of composting that we’ll highlight in the following paragraphs:
- Home composting, and
- Commercial composting
Home Composting
Home composting involves using a kitchen compost bin to collect food waste, such as fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, and eggshells. For families with a baby at home, indoor, home composting is usually the best option as it is easier to control.
Home composting requires a few basic things to get started.
- Little & Brave Eco Nappies (Wee Only)
- Compost Bin (available from Little & Brave)
- Biochar Compost Enhancer (available from Little & Brave)
- Compost Thermometer
- Drag Fork or Pitch Fork
- Food Waste (please remove all plastic stickers and wrapping)
- Coffee Grounds
- Coffee Husks
- Dried Leaves, Sawdust, Grass Clippings, Fine Wood Chips, or Hay
Simply sandwich the compost in your bin as depicted in the image below, test the temperature to control the microclimate and that’s it – you are now an active part of the movement towards a more sustainable future for all of us.
Head over to our informative posts on the home composting process for wee nappies for a more comprehensive guide on how to compost the right way, with specifics on how you can keep the process effective and hygienic.
Remember - Our nappies are compostable, eco-friendly, and your best choice of nappy when composting at home! By ensuring that every home creates its very own home-based circular system with its wee nappies, you can use your nutrient-dense, carbon-rich compost for all of your agricultural and horticultural needs around the home. Breathe life into your prize-winning orchids and your very own herb garden.
Stop by our FAQs on Composting Your Little & Brave Wee Nappies for more information, and allow us to put your minds at ease about this simple and rewarding process of composting wee nappies.
Commercial Composting
“But, what about the poo nappies?!”
Well, that’s where commercial composting comes in!
Commercial composting or industrial composting refers to large-scale composting which is designed to handle a high volume of organic waste. The Little & Brave eco nappies were designed to be commercially composted and returned to the earth the right way. This means that all you have to do is return the poo nappies to us and we’ll have them converted to compost. Little & Brave is proud to voluntarily comply with New Zealand Standard NZS-4454: 2005 regarding composts, soil conditioners, and mulches, to ensure a nutrient-dense, pathogen, and contaminant-free compost.
Little & Brave is proud to have helped compost over two hundred metric tonnes of organic material since the end of 2018. This compost has been used for land remediation in Clevedon to add the necessary nutrients to the ground and to nurture young saplings. Unfortunately, experts strongly advise against home composting poo nappies. Nappies with poo in them have specific conditions to ensure pasteurization, and this process is more complicated than the wee alternative. Going forward with composting poo nappies despite this warning could give rise to safety and health concerns from the breeding of pathogens.
You can find out all about the Eco Circle and Nappy Truck efforts all over our website.
Composting Tips
- In order to ensure that your compost bin does not become a breeding ground for harmful bacteria, it is important to properly maintain it. This means regularly turning the compost to allow for adequate airflow and adding brown materials, such as leaves or shredded paper, to balance the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio. Brown materials help absorb moisture and provide air pockets for the compost to breathe.
- In addition to regular maintenance, it is also important to be mindful of the types of materials that are added to the compost bin. Avoid adding meat, dairy, and pet waste to your compost as these materials can attract pests and may contain harmful bacteria that can be harmful to your baby. Instead, focus on adding plant-based materials such as fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, and yard waste.
- Composting with a baby at home also requires a bit of planning and organisation. For example, you may want to keep a small container in your kitchen to collect food waste, so that you can easily transfer it to your compost bin when it is full. You may also want to keep a compost bin in your yard for yard waste, such as leaves and grass clippings. This will save you time and energy and ensure that your compost bin does not become too full.
- It is also important to educate yourself and your family about the benefits of composting. Composting helps to reduce the amount of waste that goes into landfills and reduces greenhouse gas emissions, which have a negative impact on the environment. Composting with a baby at home thus can also serve as a great educational opportunity. You can teach your children about the importance of reducing waste and taking care of the environment. Composting is a hands-on activity that can help children learn about the natural process of decomposition and how it contributes to a healthy and sustainable environment.
Composting with a baby at home is a manageable and environmentally friendly practice. By choosing a safe and convenient composting method, maintaining your compost bin, and being mindful of the materials that are added, families with a baby at home can enjoy the benefits of composting without any added stress or hassle.
The Bottom Line
A zero-waste lifestyle with our eco nappies is not hard to achieve with a little bit of persistence and perseverance. Rest assured that you won’t have to compromise your baby’s needs with that of the planet. Build a cleaner tomorrow, one nappy at a time.