The videos are about the importance of sorting organic waste for both residents of apartment buildings and for private households, and the possibility of introducing proper recycling

Organic waste accounts for 40 to 60 percent of the contents of garbage containers of the average Ukrainian, and, in the absence of centralized infrastructure for processing such waste in most communities, is a serious challenge for both the environment and humans.

The coordinator of the United Nations Development Programme’s “Nature-based Solutions for Sustainable Cities” project, Olena Tarasova-Krasieva, says that when dumped in landfills, organic matter contributes to the formation of greenhouse gases that are exacerbating the climate crisis. “Organics also create a fire hazard, as a result of which toxic substances can poison the air,” Tarasova-Krasieva adds. “In addition, food and garden waste produce liquid, which, flowing through the layers of debris, enters the groundwater and returns to humans through water mains and food.”

The first video in the series explains why it’s important to compost organics in general, and what type of composter to choose. Tetyana Chuchko, a certified permaculture designer with 15 years of vermicomposting experience, gives expert advice.

In the second video, on the example of the "park of composters" in Lviv, Tetyana talks about the three best design options for processing organic waste.

The third video in the series discusses the basic rules for effective composting: maintaining humidity and temperature, access to air, and so on. The expert also shares her own experience of using effective microorganisms and points to some composting "taboos".

Anzhelika Zozulya, the coordinator of the composting initiative, says that the total duration of the videos is less than ten minutes, but they contain the most important points on the topic of composting. "We hope that this format of reporting will be interesting and convenient for those who want to embark on the path of rational management of organic waste, but who need some additional knowledge," Zozulya says.

The videos were developed as part of the project "Community Safari: Composting in Cities", implemented by the Plato NGO with support from the United Nations Development Program in Ukraine.