The old saying “Out of sight, out of mind” is true for our garbage output. People often throw things in their garbage cans and forget about them. All that garbage must go somewhere. That “somewhere” is the dump. Experts estimate that between 20-30% of the trash we throw away ends up in landfills. This includes yard waste and food scraps that can be composted. These materials can build up and take up landfill space, releasing a powerful greenhouse gas known as methane. Organic gardening is the way to go (cue the angel choir!). Organic gardeners naturally use practices that reduce landfill waste. Here are four ways you can help reduce landfill waste through organic gardening.
1. Composting.
The compost pile can be made from anything, including kitchen, yard, and garden waste, in addition to a mix of brown and green material. Keep the pile moist and wait for the magic to occur by placing it in your garden.
2. Bagging leaves.
Bag leaves when you are done raking them in the fall, but instead of dragging them to the curb, save them to put in your garden or compost.
3. Recycling.
Do you have plastic nursery pots left over? Don’t toss them! Instead, recycle them through local programs or reuse them for other gardening chores like seed starting and plant swaps. Many local independent garden centers will gladly take plastic nursery pots to grow more plants. Everyone wins!
4. Letting grass clippings fall.
Did you know you can omit the bag attachment when you mow your lawn and just let the grass clippings drop? This will return valuable nutrients to the soil and encourage deeper roots, which produce healthier, more drought-tolerant grass. You can also add clippings to your compost pile.
