FOOD
COMPOSTING REDUCES GREENHOUSE GASES
To
the proven benefits of composting, we can add one more: reduction of greenhouse
gases which many people believe contribute to global warming.
According
to the November, 2000, issue of Resource Recycling, “If the 21.5 million tons
of food residuals generated annually were composted instead of being sent to
landfills, this would result in a reduction of about three million metric tons
of carbon dioxide equivalents in greenhouse gas emissions. This is equivalent to
taking more than two million cars off the road.”
Composting
is easy to do and is problem-free when done right. Compost creates rich
soil and stronger plants, using free and available resources. It reduces
environmental damage such as erosion, reduces the need for chemical fertilizers
and pesticides and increases the life of necessary landfills.
If
you’re composting your food waste, yard trimmings and waste paper at home,
thank you. If you’re still sending all that stuff to the dump, please consider
doing the right thing and look into the many simple, inexpensive ways to set up
home composting.