Composting is the breakdown of organic materials like food and plants into nutrient-rich soil. It's a process that happens all the time in nature, but people speed it up by using heat. Composting counts because it keeps useful material out of landfills, helps people replenish the Earth's soil, and even helps prevent global warming. Teaching children about composting helps them understand the full cycle of organic life: from yucky table scraps to divine dirt that grows more food for your table.