As Barbados faces the pressing challenges of climate change, composting could be a powerful tool in preserving the island’s precious soil and securing a sustainable future.
The island’s history of soil degradation is deeply intertwined with its colonial past. Beginning in the 17th century, much of the natural forest cover was destroyed to make way for plantations that mainly practiced monoculture agriculture. This removal not only eradicated much of the biodiversity that existed on the island but paved the way for soil erosion and degradation since:
- Vegetation cover acts as a protective barrier preventing erosion from wind and water,
- The roots of vegetation help to bind soil preventing erosion,
- Leaf litter and other vegetation debris decompose and form a nutrient rich humus which improves soil health and fertility, and
- Monoculture reduces soil health because it involves growing the same crop species on a given piece of land, which depletes specific nutrients from the soil and reduces biodiversity.
Centuries of sugarcane monoculture have therefore left a legacy that is evident through the island’s degraded soils and has created challenges for the agricultural sector, food security and environmental sustainability.
More recently, climate change is a significant contributor to land degradation, specifically, extreme weather events such as droughts, storms and floods, and decreased water availability which negatively impacts the productivity of croplands. The growth of residential and commercial development, and the associated conversion of croplands/grasslands to artificial surfaces, is also a recent driver of land degradation. These impacts are compounded by the physical characteristics of Barbadian soils, namely its shallow depth and slow regeneration.
How Can Composing Help?
Composting is a natural process of breaking down organic matter into a fertilizer (or compost) that can enrich soil and plants. This can help combat soil degradation since the compost can improve the structure, fertility, and water retention of the soil. Specifically, it adds essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium as well as micronutrients to the soil that may have been lost due to intensive farming or erosion. It may also help the soil retain water and reduce nutrient leaching. Overall, this promotes healthy soils which lead to healthy plants that are better able to resist attack by pests and disease-causing pathogens. Additional benefits that can be derived are:
- Diversion of waste from the landfills reducing greenhouse gas emissions while reducing the cost of waste management
- Reduction in imports of and reliance on synthetic fertilizers
- Water conservation – Compost can increase the water holding capacity of soil. Some studies have shown that a 1% increase in soil organic matter can increase the water holding capacity by about 20,000 gallons per acre. This is an especially important feature for Barbados; a water scarce and drought prone country where healthy soils could bolster climate and water resilience.
Staff embrace composting initiative in Barbados
The Barbados IDB Country Office kicked off their Composting and Kitchen Garden initiative in July 2023 with the aim of fostering environmentally conscious habits within the local office, with the financial support of our Corporate Sustainability Program (CSP) team.
With the assistance of the Caribbean Permaculture Research Institute (CPRI), a composting system was set up in the outdoor area of the local office and led a workshop familiarizing staff on the process.
Since then, many staff members have been diligently bringing their food waste to dispose at the office. It is estimated that around 10lbs/4.5kg of food waste is collected each week from 7 staff members. From there, the groundsman supports the process by ensuring that the compost system is balanced.
The Barbados office recently held a follow up workshop, again with a facilitator from CPRI, who took apart the compost pile to “turn” (rotating the components of the compost pile to boost decomposition and increase airflow) and confirmed that compost was in fact produced. The new venture was a success and there was a sense of achievement amongst staff, confirming to those involved the value of their organic contributions.
While this compost looked, and smelled, very much like fertile soil, compost is not considered soil but rather an important component of healthy soil – so much so that some farmers fondly refer to it as “black gold”. This newly produced compost was removed and placed in the kitchen gardens where it will hopefully help to cultivate some fragrant herbs and vibrant vegetables. Indeed, many of the staff started discussing their plans for the kitchen garden.
Initially there was some apprehension by staff who were concerned about the process (and the smell), but many noted that after learning and familiarizing themselves with composting, it was easy to integrate into their routines. Witnessing the results of their contributions helped to reinforce the impact of their efforts, highlighting the importance of sustainability and demonstrating how small, collective actions can lead to meaningful change for the environment and their community.
Growth of Kitchen Gardens
In 2010, the New York Times reported an increase in company gardens across the United States as a way of boosting workers’ morale and health. The gardens provide an opportunity for employees to incorporate fresh air, sunshine and physical movement into their day while also fostering teamwork and camaraderie amongst colleagues. Fresh and organic fruits and vegetables produced in the garden can be used by employees and their families or donated to a local food bank.
By integrating gardening into the corporate environment, companies are fostering a connection to nature, reducing their carbon footprint, and encouraging employees to embrace sustainable living practices. The growth of kitchen gardens is therefore a transformative step toward a greener and healthier future.
Overall, a Successful Beginning!
The Compost turning exercise proved to be a truly enriching and eye-opening experience for the colleagues in Barbados. Their kitchen scraps which were so diligently collected and brought to the office had found new life in the form of healthy, nutrient rich soil. It is so easy to forget that some of the tools needed to combat soil degradation and climate change are readily accessible on our counter tops.
We hope to build on the successes of our composting initiative and to encourage even more staff members, especially those who are new, to regularly compost – either at the office or by setting up their own system at home. If you, too, are interested in setting up a composting system, check out our information box below for details!
Composting 101: How Can You Start Composting?
- Select your location – Ideally, it should be dry and shady spot within your backyard. Avoid placing your compost in an area with poor drainage, otherwise your pile may become soggy.
- Choose a type of bin – Bins can be open or closed and purchased or a DIY project. DIY bins can be made from various materials around the house including wine crates, plastic storage bins, wire mesh, wood pallets etc.
- Prepare ingredients for composting – Composting requires a balance of “browns” (carbon-rich materials that provide energy to the microorganisms in the pile and give compost its light, fluffy body), “greens” (nitrogen-rich materials that provide amino acids and proteins to the microorganisms), water and air (oxygen). Brown materials are wood-based or fibrous (dry leaves, branches, shredded newspaper etc.) while green materials are waste material (fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, green leaves etc.). You can store your food scraps in a container in your kitchen while the brown material can be kept in an area outside.
- Build your pile – Start with a bulky layer of browns then layer browns and greens like a lasagna. Proportions are important, so add at least 2 to 3 times the volume of browns to greens and always ensure that the greens are covered by 4 to 8 inches of brown materials.
- Maintain your pile – As your pile begins to decompose, internal temperatures rise. The pile may therefore require turning/mixing to help the decomposition process and aerate the pile. Turning your pile will also help guide any adjustments that may be needed (see link below for more detail)
- Harvest your compost – When there is no longer visible food scraps and your pile no longer heats up after mixing, it is time for your compost to cure. The oldest compost at the bottom can be removed and placed in the separate area to cure for at least 4 weeks. After this, your compost is ready to use. It will look dark and loose and smell like fresh soil. Finished compost can be sifted to filter out any materials that did not break down.
Information here was sourced from the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Natural Resources Defense Council. Please select the hyperlinks for more detail.
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