In 1997, the U.S. Composting
Council (USCC) published The
Soil and Water Connection as an easy-to-use document that would
explain the connection of soil to water, as well as the fundamentals of
composting. In essence, it was The
Farmer’s Almanac of the composting world. Since that time, public
opinion has steered in a positive direction and an increase in organics for
environmental applications (as well as the results) can be seen. The composting
industry has also evolved in its techniques and the various ways in which
compost can be applied. This makes now the perfect time for a second edition,
and the USCC has done just that. The Soil and
Water Connection: A Watershed Manager’s Guide to Organics is an
updated booklet that takes the original’s message and applies it to today’s
world.
The first half of The Soil and Water Connection
focuses on the environmental problems of soil degradation and water pollution,
the harmful effects they are having on the environment and what compost
application can do to change all that. From there its goes on to explain just
what compost is, its processes and what makes it so valuable to soil and water.
Finally, the guide describes what can be done to prevent these problems, as
well as composting’s role going forward.
