Construction to be completed by Summer 2014.
When completed, we at Al Shawab Agriculture would have created a sustainable, scalable industry model for the state, the nation and the world to demonstrate that putting clean, recycled, composted organic materials back into the ground is the most predictable, cost efficient, productive, and eco-friendly use of a natural resource. Our vision is to increase awareness and preference for composting, to accurately represent our members’ interests, and to always preserve and conserve all of our natural resources.
Through our actions, we will increase the recycling of organic materials and further the use of clean compost as a way to: complete the Organics Recycling Loop, reduce organics in landfills, reduce GHG emissions, reduce the use of petro-based chemicals (fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides) in agriculture and landscaping, reduce water consumption, and create “green” jobs in the United Arab Emirates.
We will implement our Vision by assembling permitted organic recyclers and compost operators into a direct lobbying organization that represents them with a unified, statewide voice on issues of importance: product and safety standards, government regulations, environmental planning, trade and marketing development. We will promote composting, wood sorting and grinding, and other methods of producing value-added services and recycled products that are long-term, earth friendly solutions generating the greatest good versus conventional, out-moded and competing waste handling alternatives. We will develop markets to increase sales of clean compost, mulch and wood products. And, we will foster cooperation among public and private organizations involved in sustainable organics recycling.
About Composted Organics
Composting is the best possible use of recycled green materials and wood waste resulting in healthy soils for a healthy environment. Composting is a simpler, more desirable practice than more resource intensive alternatives like anaerobic digestion, co-mingling with biosolids or other technologies, because composting is the acceleration of an already occurring natural process – requiring fewer steps, less energy, less water,capital investment and other inputs.
It takes approximately 3,000 years for nature to produce six inches of topsoil. Every 28 years, 1 inch of topsoil is lost as a result of current farming practices. Organic biointensive farming can produce six inches of topsoil in as little as 50 years—60 times faster than the rate in nature2. California’s organic recycling and composting companies convert wood waste and green materials into compost and mulch every 45 – 60 days.
Organic matter and soil life make up just a small part of the soil volume, but are the glue that holds healthy soil together. Decomposing plant materials (like compost) support a great variety of beneficial organisms ranging from microscopic bacteria to earthworms. One teaspoon of compost-rich organic soil hosts 600 million to 1 billion helpful bacteria from 15,000 species. One teaspoon of chemically treated soil can host as few as 100 bacteria3.