In the tradition of Top 10 lists, here are some of the reasons to become part of the “Green Wave of Recycling”.

1.Send less to landfill. Organics represent over one-third of the materials being sent to landfills. Whether through backyard or large-scale composting or anaerobic digestion, those banana peels, apple cores and other organic materials can be recycled.

2.Reduce greenhouse gases. According to Environment Canada, landfill sites account for about 38 per cent of Canada’s total methane emissions. It’s the organics that are buried in the landfill that are a key contributor to this production of greenhouse gases.

3.Recover valuable materials. Composting produces compost, the single most important ingredient for healthy and productive soil.

4.Decrease soil erosion. Soil erosion can remove nutrients from the soil, reducing its productivity, as well as reducing runoff that can carry sediment, nutrients and chemicals into waterways thereby creating new sources of pollution. Compost helps enhance soil structure and binds soil particles together.

5.Revitalize soil. Compost helps provide sustenance for the very necessary biological diversity in the soil. Plants depend on this to convert materials into plant available nutrients and to keep the soil well-aerated.

6.Reduce the need to water. By improving the soil structure through the addition of compost, water is retained and available for plants.

7.Reduce the need for pesticides. Compost can help suppress plant diseases.

8.Save money. Through backyard composting, you can turn your leftover organics into a valuable soil amendment without spending a dime.

9.Make your garden grow. Compost provides essential organic matter for the soil, which is of fundamental importance to its’ health, vitality and fertility.

10.Make a positive environmental difference. With compost, you can take resources otherwise regarded as waste – organic residuals – and turn them into something of value while at the same time realizing landfill and greenhouse gas reductions, improved soil productivity and water quality.

Source: http://www.compost.org/English/10_REASONS.htm