Students from Nursery to Grade 2 at GIIS Nagpur took part in the iCare Compost Making Activity. They learned how organic waste, like leaves and vegetable peels, can be turned into compost that is good for plants. Parents can easily try this at home.

Compost is waste from plants that has rotted down. Over a few weeks, it turns into dark, soft soil that smells fresh. Gardeners add it to pots and garden beds because it gives plants food and helps the soil keep water.

The activity also taught students about waste segregation, which means keeping different kinds of waste apart. At home, this starts with one separate container for kitchen waste. Fruit and vegetable peels, used tea leaves, eggshells and dry leaves can go in. Cooked food, meat, milk products and oil should stay out, because they smell bad and attract pests. Plastic, metal and glass do not rot, so they always go in a different bin.

All that is needed is a bucket or pot with holes in the bottom. Put in a layer of dry leaves, add the peels, and cover them with more dry leaves. Use about two handfuls of dry leaves for every one handful of peels. Keep the mix as damp as a squeezed sponge, and stir it once a week.

Nagpur is warm, so the mix dries out fast. A little water every few days will help. If it smells sour, it is too wet, so add more dry leaves. A small bin usually gives usable compost in two to three months. The compost can be mixed into the soil of a plant pot or spread around the base of a plant.

Children from Nursery to Grade 2 can help with easy jobs. They can drop in the peels, add the water and look at how the mix changes. Parents can also ask what goes into the compost and what does not. This shows whether the lesson on waste segregation has stayed with the child.

The activity was planned to help students build responsible habits. Doing small jobs every week is the best way to build a habit.