You recycle your morning paper, remember to bring your own bags to the grocery store, and finally broke your paper napkin habit in favor of cloth. Now, what about your food scraps? Still dumping them into garbage cans to be whisked away to a landfill? According to Mike Lieberman, who runs the site UrbanOrganicGardener.com, there is a big misconception that food scraps will biodegrade in landfills. But landfills are full of junk, like bicycle tires and e-waste, and are packed so tightly the food may not receive enough air to help it break down. “Composting will not only reduce your garbage and keep food from landfills, it’ll give you one of the building blocks to growing your own food,” said Lieberman, who composted in his New York City apartment for a year before moving to Los Angeles and continuing his practice there.

Compost, a form of decomposing organic matter, is often referred to as “black gold” because of its value in improving soil. Making compost isn’t limited to those with backyard space. If you’re an urban dweller, Lieberman suggests starting with a 10-gallon metal trash can (with a lid), and a small pail. The 10-gallon trash can will hold your compost pile, but you’ll have to drill a few small holes for aeration (search “How to Make a Compost Bin” on Lieberman’s site). The small pail will temporary hold food scraps until you’re ready to add them to the pile. He kept both in his kitchen. If you have a balcony or patio, you can place them outside.