Background Research

According to the EPA, 27 millions tons of composted material was created in 2017. Compost requires three main ingredients: carbon sources (i.e. dead leaves and branches), nitrogen sources (i.e. grass clippings, fruits and vegetables), and water. The ratio of carbon to nitrogen sources is important for compost development. The optimal ratio is 1:1. Adding water allows for an accelerated breakdown of the organic matter.

These key components are what people attempting to have an effective compost pile must work to maintain. We spoke to a few people with compost piles that have encountered varying levels of success, and a common denominator among all of the issues faced was the inability to accurately know when to add what materials and when the compost is fine. By not only allowing the user to "see inside" the compost with sensors so as to show the status of each aspect of the pile by taking the responsibility and therefore the possibility for human error out of the user's hands, the Smart Composter also helps to make composting as easy as possible.

Many benefits can be gained by making and using compost. One such benefit is a reduction in the need for chemical fertilizers in crops, which also benefits the humans or the animals who eat the crops. Compost can help suppress plant diseases and pests. Compost is also an effective way to limit the food wasted by a household and to take uneaten biodegradable material and turn it into something beneficial for the environment. Because of the importance surrounding green living and the urgent changes we need to make in order to save our planet, there can be a lot of guilt surrounding an inability to “go green” due to financial or time constraints. The Smart Composter can help assuage these feelings by allowing people with barely any time or space to spare the opportunity to help out and do something to improve their impact on the environment.

Sources

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Composting At Home. (2019, November 13). Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-homeReducing the Impact of Wasted Food by Feeding the Soil and Composting. (2020, May 8).

Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-management-food/reducing-impact-wasted-food-feeding-soil-and-compostingSeries of Five Fact Sheets About Uses For Compost. (2016, September 8).

Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-management-food/series-five-fact-sheets-about-uses-compostTypes of Composting and Understanding the Process. (2016, August 29).

Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-management-food/types-composting-and-understanding-process