A whopping 8% of the greenhouse gases heating the planet are caused by food waste. Eliminating global food waste would save 4.4 million tonnes of C02 a year, the equivalent of taking one in four cars off the road.
In Australia, 35% of the average household bin is food waste. This is a problem because methane gas produced by rotting food in landfill has 21 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide.
The good news is we can reduce food waste and the emissions associated with it by composting! During composting, bacteria eat the materials that would ordinarily create methane gas. They also turn your waste into superfood that helps plants grow. Composting also returns valuable nutrients to the soil and helps soil retain moisture, which in turn reduces water usage.
Bokashi indoor composting
All composting involves a process where organic materials are broken down to produce a material that can be used to return nutrients to the soil. It’s the process in the middle that differs across composting methods.
The most well known household composting methods involve compost heaps, tumblers and worm farms. These methods enable people to reap the full benefits of their composting efforts by adding the nutrient-rich compost directly into their own gardens.
‘Bokashi’ composting is a low maintenance type of indoor composting which requires minimal space.
Bokashi composting involves layering of organic waste in an air-tight container with a special bokashi ‘accelerator’ which encourages fermentation and prevents odours (so don’t worry - it’s not nasty and smelly!).
One Small Step offers a completely free, interactive step-by-step guide to transforming your food scraps into productive fertiliser. We've done the research and outlined the most low maintenance, space efficient, non-smelly compost options plus tips on how embed composting as a lifelong habit the whole household can take part in. One Small Step shows you exactly which actions to take and helps you every step of the way. Here's what our free Food, Not Waste in-app course will take you through:
Indoor composting basics - learn how to compost all sorts of organic waste using the Bokashi system. It's low maintenance and takes up minimal space!
Get the right composting equipment - we help you choose the right type and size bin, put it in the best place and provide options for where you can buy your bokashi mix to get started!
Nail your compost set-up - once you have all the equipment, it is time to put it to use! We’ll give you the steps you need to take to make sure composting becomes a shared household habit.
Join ShareWaste - worried you will have more compost than you can handle? Never fear there are gardens in need of your scraps! Find people in your neighbourhood to share your compost with by joining the ShareWaste community.
Complete the compost cycle - learn how to maintain your compost and make the most of the juice and scraps (both are incredible fertilisers!)
One Small Step’s mission is to help millions of people achieve net zero emissions so that together we can create a healthier future for our planet. You can download the app for free today to start cutting your personal emissions and track your impact as you do it. You’ll be joining tens of thousands of others taking small steps towards a better world.
Don't have One Small Step yet? Download it for free today!
One Small Step helps you every step of the way to living a more environmentally-healthy life. When you download the app, you’ll receive a personalised roadmap that is tailored to you and the way you live your life to help you reduce your carbon impact.
