Composting Vocabulary

Environment -  the natural world of land, water, air, plants, and animals
Stewardship -  the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care
Biodegradable – material that is able to be readily decomposed or broken down by biological means, especially bacterial action.
Compost – organic matter that has been decomposed by microorganisms.
Decay – to rot away; waste away.
Decompose – to break down; change form.
Decomposer – microorganism that breaks down large organic molecules into smaller molecules.
Disintegrate – to break up; crumble to pieces.
Earth – the soil; dry land.
Humus – nutrient-rich organic matter in soil.
Landfill – a method of solid waste disposal in which refuse is buried between layers of dirt to fill in or reclaim low-lying ground.
Microorganism – a living thing too small to be seen with the unaided eye.
Nitrogen – an element most living things consume as food; found in the air we breathe and in all living tissue.
Nutrients – materials a body gets from food to use for energy, growth, and repair; present in compost-rich soil.
Organic – related to food production without chemical fertilizer.

Rot – to decompose naturally.
Soil – top layer of earth’s surface.