Composting

Composting is an important way to recycle and can be done at home. It is an easy way to reduce the amount of household garbage by about one third. As well, it produces a valuable soil amendment for use in gardening and landscaping.

What's In the Mix?
Most household organic waste can be composted at home. For backyard or home composting to work best, it is important to use selected material including:
From the Garden...
Leaves (chopped - to speed their breakdown)
Grass (not wet)
Plants & Weeds (without ripe seeds)
Old potting soil
Soft plant stems

From the Kitchen..
Fruit scraps
Vegetable trimmings
Egg shells (crushed)
Tea bags
Coffee grounds with filters
Shredded paper

DO NOT include...

Meat, fish and bones
Plastics
Metals
Fats and oils
Dairy products
Pet waste
Cheese, meat or other sauces

Green Consumer

Is it possible for well-intentioned consumers to see through all the greenwashing and really find environmentally sound products? Yes, but it’s not easy. And as I found out, it’s the most difficult when you are shopping at retail stores, since you’re at the mercy of labels and sales clerks.

Shopping online, however, makes it easier to find legitimate green products. There are a variety of Web sites that provide tips and vet green products for you, such as greenyour.com and ecomall.com. There are also sites like greenerchoices.org that provide more information about green labeling and evaluate the certifications found on many types of organic and other environmental goods.