Many people are worried about the health of Pennsylvania’s environment but may feel there is little they can do about it. Or maybe you are making efforts to reduce your carbon footprint but wonder what difference one person can make.

Not long ago, recycling was a rare practice that required people to make special trips to a recycling center. Today, curbside recycling pickup is offered in nearly all in Montgomery County and throughout the state. Recycling allows for the reuse of recyclable materials and saves landfill space for trash that cannot be recycled.

Composting

           
Why bag those fall leaves if, when mixed with things like food scraps, weeds, water and air, they will decompose into a great fertilizer for your shrubs, flowers or garden? Composting saves space in our landfills, improves soil and plant health, and saves you money because you don’t have to buy commercial fertilizers.

If you don’t have enough space or aren’t permitted to do backyard composting at your home, you can easily compost materials in a plastic container such as a trash can with a lid. You will need to cut holes into the trash can to allow air to circulate and help break down the materials. Those holes should be covered with window screening to keep bugs and critters out.

Get into the habit of dumping your kitchen scraps inside the trash can. Those scraps can include things like fruit, potato and carrot peelings, coffee grounds, lettuce, cabbage and egg shells. Note: No meat, dairy or greasy wastes should be added to your compost!

Under optimum conditions, with frequent turning of the materials, you will have usable compost within a month or two. Simply mix the compost with your soil to nourish your plants.