> Also... What is composting?

Composting is a (1) human-managed (2) aerobic decomposition of organic materials, driven by (3) thermophilic microorganisms (primarily thermophilic bacteria). The result is compost. Anything that doesn't feature all three of the above components isn't composting, it's something else.

Compost is easy to make in your backyard: get enough fencing to create a minimum 1 cubic meter area on the ground (not a paved driveway or something) that you fill with organic material such as leaves and other yard scraps, kitchen scraps, manure, cardboard, dead animals, biochar, etc. It's best to keep wood and large bones out since they won't break down well - you can pyrolysize them instead and then co-compost the resulting biochar. You want air to freely move in and out of the pile, and to keep a thick layer of cover material on top such as dry leaves or hay (best, IMO) to prevent smells. A carbon to nitrogen ratio of around 25:1 works well. Inputs with high CN ratio: dry leaves, cardboard (~450:1), sawdust (500:1), etc. Things with low CN ratio: urine (0.8:1), fresh kitchen scraps (15:1), manure / toilet material, still-green yard scraps, etc. Mixing high and low CN ratio inputs results in a good overall mixture. The compost bin contents must be moist but not wet. I keep a compost thermometer in my pile at all times and currently, my 7-month old pile is around 120F / 48C. This well-above-ambient temperature is the result of thermophilic bacteria creating internal biological heat, a key component that distinguishes compost from other things such as vermiculture. Compost isn't done until it cools to ambient temperature, and then I let it sit for a year.

There are many kinds of decomposition and composting is just one of them. Here are some other kinds:

Combustion: aerobic thermal decomposition, resulting in ash

Pyrolysis: anaerobic thermal decomposition, resulting in biochar

Vermiculture: decomposition via worm digestion, resulting in worm castings, aka worm shit

Right. But I think OP was suggesting that the website needed to include this information.

Yes, but he answered it just here in great detail and clarity for our benefit ..

Thanks for your helpful answer! I have some experience with using vermicompost, though I do daydream about making my own stuff one day.

I've read that vermicultures have a bit of an issue with not neutralizing plant pathogens that you introduce with the worm feed, have you had similar problems with composting, or does the heat usually take care of this issue?

Hey, glad to help. Yes it's true, vermiculture doesn't destroy pathogens to anywhere near the same degree as composting, and the heat is an important factor. Pathogens aren't a concern in composting, they're simply destroyed by the process. Further, composting is superior at degrading or destroying other inputs like pharmaceuticals - with a few exceptions like certain chemotherapy drugs; gasoline; TNT; insecticides and herbicides and other such poisons, etc. In contrast, red worms have a much smaller range of diet, and again don't produce biological heat. Composting is a powerful process and thermophilic microorganisms are extraordinary little creatures.

That said, vermiculture is also great, and one of the nice things about it is that you can make it inside an apartment like in a container in your closet, while compost is made outside and needs at least 1 cubic meter of material. If I couldn't make compost I'd make worm castings via vermiculture, and I wouldn't worry too much about pathogens.

Thanks for the specific and constructive feedback, I'll pass this along!