RichD wrote:
The local grocery has a compost recycle bin,
for food scraps etc. Even the plates and utensils
go in there.

I was wondering, what constitutes 'composting'?
I mean, does it simply get dumped into a big grinder,
or is there some enzymatic chemistry involved?

And who/how/where receives it? Is it really
superior to petrochemical fertilizer, or is it
guilty conscience liberal feelgoodism?

That's an excellent question, actually.

There are two methods of compost, both work fine. The object is to keep
the kitchen scraps out of the dry garbage, it smells terrible and make
sorting it almost impossible, although most recyclers do the sorting for
you now, so even that isn't a adequate excuse for not recycling anymore.

The first method is to simply bury the compost in rich dark soil, or
even sand works. In this case nature just runs its course, although in
sand the ants do most of the work. Gotta love those ants.

Only IDIOTS use herbicides and pesticides.

The second preferred method is to mix the compost with leaves and grass
ABOVE GROUND in a geometry where the innoculant (some soil for instance)
can spread through the mix, and raise the heat in the center of the pile
to a high enough temperature where the plant material can break down
quicker, and only beneficial gases are produced. As you will quickly see
an entire civilization of bugs and insects and worms and bacteria will
quickly take charge of the situation and do most of the work for you.

All you have to do is turn over and mix the pile every once and a while.