This blog was written thanks to a dozen helpful resources provided by Paz Artaza-Regan. For more composting information and projects like this, consider joining a Creation Care Team (CCT) or signing up for the CCT newsletter. Email Paz at paz@catholicclimatecovenant.org for more information.
As Catholics, we believe that nothing God creates is meant to be wasted — our faith teaches us that God brings new life from what seems spent and barren. Composting is a small but meaningful way to live this truth in our daily lives.
In the United States, the average person throws away over four pounds of waste each day — much of that waste is organic scrap that can be composted, such as coffee grounds, eggshells, and banana peels. When organic waste goes to landfills, it produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Composting instead returns those scraps to the earth, enriching soil and supporting healthy plant growth in our own backyards. For Catholics, composting becomes a small act of stewardship — caring responsibly for the gifts God has entrusted to us.
Composting also invites us into a deeper relationship with creation by helping us slow down, noticing what we consume, and reminding us that all life is connected from beginning to end.
With spring around the corner, now is a good time to think about composting. Here are a few easy ways to begin:
- Start small: Begin with fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, tea bags, and eggshells.
- Know what to avoid: Skip meat, dairy, and oily foods unless you have access to an industrial or local composting program.
- Choose a method: Compost bins, tumblers, backyard piles, or community compost drop-offs are all options, depending on how much space you have available.
- Balance materials: Mix “greens” (food scraps) with “browns” (leaves, paper, cardboard) to keep compost healthy.
- Be patient: Composting takes time, but the result is rich soil that can nourish gardens, grow boxes, plants, and green spaces.
It’s a great idea to incorporate our Catholic faith in creation care efforts, and that might include asking for the intercession of certain saints. Many saints modeled deep respect for creation and can inspire our composting efforts:
- St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of ecology, praised God through all creatures and reminded us that the earth is our kin.
- St. Hildegard of Bingen wrote extensively about the healing power of the natural world and humanity’s role within it.
- St. Kateri Tekakwitha, who lived simply and in harmony with nature, inspires care for the land and gratitude for its gifts.
Turning to these saints can help root composting not just in environmental concern, but in spiritual practice.
It’s also worth saying a special prayer in your composting space to remind yourself that you are actively answering God’s call to care for creation every time you work in your garden or greenery area, making it a sacred space.
Prayer for Composting from Catholic Climate Covenant
God of all creation,
You formed us from the dust of the earth
and breathe new life into all things.
Bless the scraps we return to the soil,
that what is discarded may become nourishment,
and what seems finished may bring new growth.
Teach us to waste less, love more,
and care faithfully for the gifts You entrust to us.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Composting may seem like a small act, but when done with intention, it becomes a prayerful expression of gratitude, responsibility, and hope. By composting, we as Catholics can bolster a faith that believes in renewal, resurrection, and the sacredness of all of God’s creation.
