Dubai, and indeed most of the UAE, is a naturally arid landscape. After seeing success from an early climate control strategy, the late HH Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan said: “They used to say that agriculture has no future [in the UAE], but with God’s blessing and our determination, we have succeeded in transforming this desert into a green land.” At all our nurseries we strongly encourage students to value resources around them, even those they may consider trash.

Composting reduces household waste and can be done inexpensively by everyone to produce a product — finished compost or humus — that can benefit the environment as a natural fertilizer for gardening and farming. Nature creates compost all the time without human intervention, but you can step in and speed up the composting process by creating the optimal conditions for decomposition: Air + Water + Carbon + Nitrogen = Compost.

The average person throws away 4.4 pounds of garbage daily so the first step is to see what you can salvage. To compost easily get a plastic or wooden bucket and find a place outside with access to air and light. Drill small holes in to the bucket to manage moisture and allow for drying.

Tear newspapers into 1 inch squares and combine with other “brown” ingredients like coffee grounds, sawdust and dried leaves and grass cuttings. Create a layer of this at least 3 inches deep and moisten with water. Do not soak. Layer peelings of your fruits and veggie “green” waste on top – it is best to chop or slice this waste into 1 inch or smaller pieces.

Add another layer of brown waste and keep alternating until your bin is filled. Turn a shovel or rake through the compost every 4 days ensuring the pile is moist (add water as needed), and aim for a ratio of 40% brown to 60% green waste. This humus can be ready in as little as 3 weeks and can be mixed in with your garden soil to create a garden that Blossoms.

If you enjoy composting, go here to for help to unleash your inner eco-warrior and reap the results with delicious food and satisfaction that you are doing good for the world!