Recycling is now a mainstream activity and hopefully the types and volume of items being recycled will continue to increase even during the current weak economic times. There have been a lot of old, dead cars recycled in the past year because of the value of the metal. It wasn’t uncommon to get $300 to $500 per car. Demand has slackened due to the global recession but it is a good example of the benefits of recycling.

Paper, cardboard, glass, cans and metals of all kinds are now recycled. Less and less waste is going to the landfill these days. Families who religiously recycle and compost their organic materials are reducing their trash collection by up to 75%.

The recycling of organic materials by making compost is the most exciting type of recycling for many people. That compost bin on the kitchen counter gets filled up fast by families who eat a lot of fruit and vegetables which most do today.

There are certain items in your kitchen that you shouldn’t put in the compost bin because they can create odor problems and attract rodents and flies. Don’t put meat or fish bones or scraps, any dairy products and any fats grease, lard or oil in your compost bin.

Most yard waste, grass and leaves can be composted. It is best to separate your leaves from your regular compost pile as they are high in carbon and it is best to work them into your compost pile with the other items you compost which are higher in nitrogen. Grass can go directly into the compost bin because it is high in nitrogen and will decompose quickly.

A lot of municipalities don’t allow yard waste to be taken to the landfill nor do they allow leaves to be burnt in the fall which has forced many homeowners to learn to compost their yard waste. Yard waste decomposes very slowly in landfills because of the lack of oxygen and takes up a lot of space in the process.

It is possible to compost just your yard waste without adding your kitchen scraps to it. It just takes a lot longer for it to decompose and it produces much less compost. Leaves and grass are great additions to an active compost pile. The grass is hot which means it decomposes quickly and the leaves add bulk that allows oxygen to flow through which assists in the decomposition process. Kitchen scraps, leaves and grass mixed together make a productive compost pile if turned regularly.