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The Generation Soil Revolution Blog
Composting, Food Forests And Regeneration
Explore articles, how-tos, and Bristol case studies. From real-world composting wins to soil-first growing, every post helps you turn food waste into living soil and grow more with less.
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Why Community-Scale Composting Feels Slower
Community composting is often described as slow. Compared to industrial food waste systems, it can look inefficient. Buckets instead of bins. Human collection instead of automated vehicles. Time spent monitoring, turning, curing and waiting. From the outside, it can feel like a step backwards. But that sense of slowness is not a flaw. It is a signal that something different is happening. Speed Was Never the Only Goal Modern waste systems are designed around removal. Food wast
Alex Montgomery
6 days ago3 min read
Composting Is Participation, Not Waste Disposal
Composting is often framed as a task to get right, which can make it feel stressful or moral. This post reframes composting as participation rather than waste disposal. It explores how community-scale systems reduce anxiety, allow imperfect contribution and help people understand compost as a living process rather than a technical test.
Alex Montgomery
Jan 203 min read
Is Composting Food Waste Safe in the City?
Is composting food waste safe in the city? This guide explains how urban composting works, what makes compost safe, and how to compost responsibly in places like Bristol. Learn how to manage smells, pests, contamination, and when compost is ready to use, plus where to get practical support if you need help.
Alex Montgomery
Dec 24, 20254 min read
What to Do if Your Compost Attracts Pests in an Urban Garden
If your compost is attracting pests, it can feel worrying, especially in an urban garden. Pests are usually drawn to exposed food waste or unbalanced compost, not composting itself. This guide explains why pests appear, how to prevent them, and what to do if they’re already present, with practical advice for composting safely in urban gardens like Bristol.
Alex Montgomery
Dec 24, 20253 min read
Why Your Compost Isn’t Breaking Down and What to Do About It
If your compost isn’t breaking down, it can feel frustrating, especially when you’re trying to do the right thing. Slow composting doesn’t mean composting has failed. In this guide, we explain the most common reasons compost stalls, how to rebalance food waste and carbon materials, and what to do to get compost breaking down again in urban gardens like Bristol.
Alex Montgomery
Dec 24, 20253 min read
Compost smells bad? How to fix common composting problems in Bristol
If your compost smells bad, it’s usually a sign that something in the composting process needs adjusting, not that composting has failed. In this guide, we explain why compost smells in urban gardens, what different odours mean, and how to fix common composting problems in Bristol using simple, practical steps.
Alex Montgomery
Dec 24, 20253 min read
Why Living Compost Starts With Listening, Not Fixing: Lessons From Bristol’s Soil
Living compost does not respond well to force. It responds to attention. In this post, we explore why the Bristol Living Compost Project focuses on listening before fixing, and what soil teaches us about patience, care, and regenerative practice. Drawing on lessons from composting in Bristol, the article shows how working with living systems leads to healthier soil, stronger communities, and more resilient local compost systems.
Alex Montgomery
Dec 17, 20254 min read
Cold-Weather Composting Tips for Urban Gardeners
Composting doesn’t stop when it’s cold; it just needs a little care. In this guide, Generation Soil shares simple, science-backed tips for keeping your compost active through winter. From insulating bins and managing moisture to using Bokashi indoors, discover how to turn your scraps into soil all year long.
Alex Montgomery
Dec 16, 20253 min read
How to Improve Urban Soil Health in Bristol
Healthy soil is the foundation of a thriving city. In Bristol, many gardens and green spaces sit on compacted or depleted ground, but with the right care, we can bring them back to life. Learn how to regenerate urban soil using living compost, biochar, and mulch, and discover how the Bristol Living Compost Project is turning local food waste into fertile ground that feeds people, plants, and community. Join the movement to grow Bristol from the ground up.
Alex Montgomery
Dec 16, 20253 min read
How Generation Soil Turns Food Waste Into Living Compost
At Generation Soil CIC, we turn Bristol’s food waste into living soil through a three-stage composting process: fermentation, in-vessel composting, and maturation. Each step builds microbial life, reduces waste, and regenerates urban soils. Learn how bokashi microbes, controlled composting, and natural maturation create compost that feeds your garden and the planet.
Alex Montgomery
Dec 16, 20254 min read
The Secret Life of Waste: Inside the Bristol Living Compost Project
Food waste isn’t waste, it’s life waiting to return. The Bristol Living Compost Project transforms kitchen scraps into living compost that feeds the soil and cuts carbon. Using an innovative three-stage process, Generation Soil is building a citywide circular system that reconnects people to the land beneath them, proving that regeneration begins right where waste ends.
Alex Montgomery
Dec 16, 20253 min read
Composting for Resilient Cities
Composting for resilient cities means rethinking waste as a living system. At Generation Soil, we’re turning Bristol’s food waste into fertile soil that strengthens local food systems, reduces emissions, and builds climate resilience. Learn how urban composting closes the loop between people, planet, and place and why the future of sustainable cities begins in the soil.
Alex Montgomery
Dec 6, 20253 min read
The Benefits of Bokashi Composting
Most food waste ends up releasing methane in landfill, but bokashi composting turns those same scraps into life. Using beneficial microbes, this Japanese method ferments food waste into nutrient-dense material that feeds soil health and cuts emissions. Learn how bokashi helps households and cities close the loop between food and earth, one bucket at a time.
Alex Montgomery
Nov 3, 20253 min read
From Surabaya to Bristol: What the UK Can Learn from Community Composting Success Stories
When it comes to tackling food waste, Surabaya, Indonesia, proved that big impact doesn’t need big tech. By empowering neighbourhoods to compost locally, the city cut landfill waste by 20% while improving soil and community wellbeing. Now, Bristol is taking inspiration with the Bristol Living Compost Project using bokashi composting and local hubs to turn food waste into living soil and resilience.
Alex Montgomery
Oct 25, 20254 min read
How to Start Composting at Home in Bristol (and Beyond)
Composting isn’t just for gardeners. Whether you live in a Bristol flat or a UK village, your kitchen scraps can become living soil. Learn how bokashi, wormeries, and community compost hubs turn everyday waste into regeneration.
Alex Montgomery
Oct 20, 20254 min read
No Garden? No Problem: How Bokashi Makes Compost Anywhere Possible
No garden? No problem. Around 1 in 8 UK households have no private garden, but that doesn’t mean composting is out of reach. Bokashi fermentation makes it possible to turn food scraps into nutrient-rich pre-compost in any kitchen — smell-free, fast, and microbe-rich. At Generation Soil, we’re using this method to keep nutrients local and regenerate Bristol’s soils through the Bristol Living Compost Project.
Alex Montgomery
Sep 30, 20253 min read
The True Value of Living Compost: Why It’s Worth It
Why does our living compost cost £12 for 5 litres when garden centre bags are so much cheaper? The answer is simple: our compost is alive. Made in Bristol from locally sourced food waste and woodchip, it’s packed with beneficial microbes, fungi, and nutrients that regenerate soil health and give your plants the best start. Every purchase also supports community composting, food education, and our two-acre food forest market garden.
Alex Montgomery
Sep 16, 20253 min read
The Ultimate Guide to Food Waste Collection in Bristol
Food waste isn’t rubbish, it’s a resource. In Bristol, every peel, crust, and leftover has the power to cut emissions and regenerate soil. This guide explains how food waste collection works, what you can (and can’t) put in your caddy, and why local composting is cleaner, smell-free, and better for the planet. Join Generation Soil’s collection and compost delivery service to be part of Bristol’s soil solution.
Alex Montgomery
Sep 15, 20254 min read
How to Get Involved in Local Food System Education in Bristol with Generation Soil
Join Generation Soil CIC in Bristol to learn, volunteer, and take action for a healthier planet. We run workshops, a market garden, and a food waste composting service that turns scraps into living soil. Get involved in local food system education, discover sustainable growing methods, and help build a circular economy that regenerates nature, supports community wellbeing, and creates a resilient future for Bristol.
Alex Montgomery
Aug 12, 20254 min read
Why Generation Soil’s Living Compost Stands Out from the Rest
Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting out, it's important to understand the differences in compost quality, ingredients, and impact on soil health. In this blog, we'll break down the main types of compost available and explain why Generation Soil compost is one of the best sustainable options on the market today.
Alex Montgomery
Jul 14, 20253 min read
About Generation Soil CIC
Generation Soil is a Bristol-based non-profit turning food waste into living soil. Through the Bristol Living Compost Project, our workshops, and regenerative market gardens, we’re building a circular food system that keeps nutrients local and restores biodiversity across the city.
Every handful of compost we make begins as Bristol’s food scraps transformed through microbes, biochar, and community action. From households to schools and businesses, we help people connect with the soil beneath their feet and the food on their plates.
Explore More:
Bristol Living Compost Project
Together, we can turn Bristol’s food waste into fertile ground and grow a more resilient, regenerative future, one bucket at a time.
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