Get composting, say Haringey Liberal Democrats

10.29.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 11th May 2007

Cllrs Bob Hare and Lyn Weber get composting

In their support for Compost Awareness Week, (6th - 12th May 2007) local Lib Dems have launched a five-point plan to encourage residents to start composting. Compost Awareness Week has been set up to encourage residents to keep Haringey's gardens, allotments and open spaces in bloom by getting more and more people to home compost their kitchen and garden waste.

Lib Dems believe that by supporting and promoting composting, Haringey may take a step closer to becoming an environmentally sustainable community. Composting is seen as an environmentally friendly alternative to dumping waste into landfill sites.

Lib Dems have provided five easy steps for residents to follow to create their own compost:

1) Get a compost bin! Cheap, subsidised Bins are available from the Council

2) Create a good mix of waste - Good compost needs the right mix of ingredients. Create a good carbon to nitrogen ratio, of browns to greens. Dried flowers, woody stems and cardboard (browns) are high in carbon, while fresh grass cuttings and kitchen waste (greens) are high in nitrogen.

3) Nurture - Every now and then introduce air into your bin either by using a garden fork to mix the material or by adding scrunched up paper and card. To help speed up the composting process, add a handful of soil, finished compost or a compost accelerator (young nettles are an excellent natural accelerator).

4) Keep adding - a good mixture of materials.

5) Be patient - Your compost will be ready to use when it resembles dark soil and has a sweet, earthy smell. This can take anywhere between six months and two years.

Cllr Bob Hare (Lib Dem Spokesperson on Green Issues), makes compost on his allotment in Haringey. Cllr Hare comments:

"Composting kitchen and garden waste is a simple yet effective way to get resident's involved. The environment and recycling is an issue that we all care about and composting is a way that everyone can do their bit."

Cllr Lyn Weber (Lib Dem Deputy Spokesperson on Green Issues) adds:

"If all households composted their waste this will have an enormous beneficial impact. We need to act now to reduce the amount of waste we landfill and composting is an ideal opportunity."