Compost Gin©, The Compost Learning Game

$12.00 Plus Shipping and Handling charges

In the spring of 1998 Stan developed the Compost Gin Card game for a workshop in Baton Rouge, LA. Patterned after the traditional gin card game, the six different suits represent the ingredients of a compost pile; each card is assigned a point value and has helpful hints on compost materials and methods. Each player is dealt eight cards and by drawing and discarding cards in turn, player progresses toward the perfect compost ratio.

• Three brown (Carbon) cards
• Two green (Nitrogen) cards
• One red (Heat) card
• One blue (Water) card
• One gold (Beneficial)card and
• No orange (Negative) card in the hand.

The first person to make compost yells out COMPOST! and lays down his/her hand. Everyone counts up the points in their hand, the winner of the hand gets an extra 30 points for making compost first. The game goes to 200 points. (usually 3-5 hands)

Folks seem to love it and there’s lots of educational value, too! It’s an instant workshop! A deck of 56 cards is $12; discounts are available for large quantities.

	Browns contain Carbon, are usually dry and typically will burn. The carbon or carbohydrates are the energy source for the microorganisms which “eat” a compost pile. Without an energy source these small creatures, typically bacteria, don’t have any food and can’t grow. Knowing exactly what is a “brown” can be difficult. Cow manure for example is at first wet and smelly, characteristic of the greens group. Over time, however, it dries and looks brown and is burned for fuel in the Third World. Leaves make a similar transition over their lifetime. Notice the various “browns” in the deck and their point value. They are rated by their suitability for making compost. Wood chips and sawdust are a +2, because they are so woody and hard to digest. They are concentrated browns requiring a lot of greens and typically a long time to break down. Coffee grounds however are readily digestible (by bacteria) and quickly fuel the bugs energy needs, hence its +5 value.
	Greens contain Nitrogen, are usually wet and need to be handled quickly as much of their evaporating nitrogen often escapes as ammonia giving the typical bad smell. Within a compost pile, however, this nitrogen is rapidly assimilated into the bodies of new generations of “bugs” and finds an important use. The nitrogen in the “greens” is a key ingredient in protein which the bacteria need to produce more bacteria. Like our bodies, a compost pile needs carbohydrates and protein, and for the same reasons. Grass clippings, food scraps and manures are some of the most familiar “greens”. All of the “greens” have a +4 rating because they can all be good ingredients if handled well.
	Blue stands for water. It is essential for bacterial life. About 50% humidity throughout a pile is the goal. The most common reason compost piles fail is lack of moisture. If the pile is too dry, bacterial action will be slowed or stopped. If too wet, the process may continue but excess water can fill the air spaces and cause other types of bacteria to dominate the process. Typically these bacteria produce foul odors in the anerobic rotting process. There are three “just right” water cards in the deck. These are +10. There is one each “too dry” and “too wet” cards. These are -5 because although necessary, they slow the process and don't contribute to good compost action. There are only five moisture and heat cards. If one comes by, even if it’s negative, better grab it!
	Red stands for heat. Unlike the other suits, heat is not an ingredient in a compost pile. You can’t add heat, heat is the result of building a good pile. Those black plastic compost bins one sees in the garden catalogues only serve to dry a pile by cooking moisture out. As in the blue suite, there are three “just right” cards worth +10. Also there is a “too cold” and “too hot“ card, each valued at -5. Although you must have a red card to win, it could be a too cold, a too hot or a just right card. There are fewer reds and blues than any other cards so these suites are often the “ones you need.” Don’t pass up a “too hot” even if its negative!
	Gold represents beneficial ingredients and activities. There are ten gold cards. It’s usually easy to get a gold but they range from +4 to +15, so be on the lookout for a better one to come along.
	Oranges are either bad ingredients or pests drawn to the pile by poor composting practices. There are ten orange cards ranging from -5 to -10. Because they don’t fit in the compost hand they are usually discarded early in the game. They can also provide frustration when drawn later in the game as the players search for those last necessary cards. Passing the cards at the first of the game serves to distribute oranges around the table and even out the hands somewhat.

Compost Gin is a great learning tool. It takes an unfamiliar concept and makes it into a simple, accessible process that is easily learned. During the first hand people usually play by the colors. After the first person wins, they notice the importance of the point value of their cards. Finally as the game progresses, they start to read the hints on each card. By the end of the game they’ve learned a great deal about compost! Groups of all ages have had lots of fun with the game. Over 2,000 decks have been sold all over the world.

CLASSROOM HINT: It helps to make up a several large-print lists of what cards are needed to win, i.e. 3-Browns, 2- Greens, one each of Red, Blue and Green, for easy reference. When possible let the students make the signs- they get to learn the rules faster, practice laying out a poster, etc. OR — download the Rules Sheet from this link.

Other Uses of the Cards

Cards can be used as quiz cards after playing for a while. Students can play “What am I?” with single cards to increase familiarity with the texts and values of the cards. Try other game formats with the cards. Let us know how you use the cards in your lessons.