What’s better than composting when it comes to reducing wasted food? Well, not having food scraps to compost in the first place. However, attaining true zero-waste in the kitchen is impossible for most of us. So, what’s the best thing to do with those pesky scraps? Compost!
For county residents living in Eugene, Springfield or Veneta city limits with curbside yard debris bins, you can place your food scraps — including meat and bones — into your yard waste bin for pickup. And if you don’t live in one of those cities, you can compost at home (minus the meat).
This is a big deal if you are concerned about climate change and saving landfill space. Any time you can avoid putting food in a landfill, it’s a win for the climate, as food waste creates extremely potent methane gas.
When it comes to meat and bones, if you’re concerned about the stink factor or attracting pests, try freezing them until just before yard debris bin pickup.
To learn more about what is compostable in curbside yard waste bins, visit lanecountyor.gov/wastewise-food. You can also sign up for our monthly newsletter Waste Wise News, published by Lane County Waste Management.
Daniel Hiestand has been the Lane County Waste Reduction Outreach Coordinator since 2022.
Follow us online: Facebook.com/WasteWiseLaneCounty
Instagram @wastewiselandcounty/
Comments