At Earth Camp I witnessed so many amazing experiences that will help me change for the better. One experience that I really gained a lot from was visiting the food bank and the landfill. There was so much garbage that people just carelessly threw away from day to day probably including lots of food. The amounts were enormous, too. It was so hard to believe that so much was wasted, when possibly half that amount could've been actually thrown away. At the food bank a woman talked to us about composting the food that you don't eat (not including meat). She showed us a model of a compost pile. Besides eliminating waste, compost piles also help enhance garden growth.

When I get home in Wisconsin after Earth Camp, I am going to start a compost pile. The compost pile will be placed in the Southwest corner of my backyard, nearby the garden. To start the compost pile, I am not going to use a container for the compost, because it will be easier to move around. I will start out by digging a shallow hole, so that the compost pile will be able to obtain moisture through the ground. The pile should start out with an accumulation of twigs, leaves, and grasses, and from there I will add any food waste not including meat or oils. In order to have an affective pile, I am going to eventually add earthworms to enhance the process and turn over the pile every few days. After starting my own compost pile successfully, I am going to be sure to let others know about it, including my friends and other family. By doing this, I will be taking a step toward helping the environment and, therefore, becoming a leader for a shared planet. I'll even get to eat some yummy vegetables from my garden!!