Compost your vegetable waste instead of throwing it in the trash (or chewing it up in the garbage disposal). One third of waste that goes to landfills could be composted (and in a landfill, it doesn't biodegrade because it's buried, and not exposed to air).
--So composting reduces trash costs, and the amount of energy (and emissions) to transport trash.
--Compost rich soil also requires less water for irrigation.
--It reduces the need for fertilizer (which requires a lot of energy--and chemicals--to produce and ship).
--It captures more carbon dioxide in the soil, keeping it from enhancing global warming.
Practice what I preach? I generally compost all organic waste. We have a ceramic jar in the kitchen, which I empty into a black composting bin in the back yard. Last week, though, it was cold outside and I didn't feel like heading outside. So for a couple of days when the jar was full, I didn't empy it and threw all of the vegetable scraps into the trash (when Dr. Wife, MD's back was turned). I'd say I'm not so much of a hypocrite on this one.
