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 Composting
Composting is one of the best ways to reduce the amount of material going into the landfill. At one point, it was estimated that organic waste comprised up to 40% of all waste being landfilled. Composting programs have reduced this percentage considerably and could potentially eliminate all organic material from our landfills.
Organic Material
What we refer to as organic material is the plant based waste that you generate. The amount of organics that you are responsible for depends greatly on your circumstances. For example, if you are an apartment dweller, you will produce mainly kitchen scraps. If you own a house with a large lawn, you will generate a large quantity of lawn clippings in addition to your kitchen scraps. The good news is that there is a composting program to match your needs regardless of how much or how little organic waste that you are responsible for.
Backyard Composting
One of the easiest ways to get into composting is by purchasing a plastic backyard composter. These composters are typically constructed of recycled plastic and are easy to assemble and very tidy looking. They take up about as much space as a large garbage can, yet can convert a large amount of organic household waste into compost. The compost produced is an excellent soil amendment for your garden.
Vermicomposting
Vermicomposting is the use of worms to break down your organic kitchen scraps. Small, aerated bins are used to house the worms and with very little maintenance, you can virtually eliminate all of the vegetable scraps that you may throw into your garbage can. The resulting compost can be spread on any flower beds or the bases of shrubs and hedges that are on the grounds of your apartment complex.
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