Get Started Composting

Composting is one of those rare habits that’s good for you, good for your garden, and good for the planet. It’s not just a “green lifestyle” add-on anymore—it’s a practical, effective way to reduce waste and create something valuable in return.

Here’s why composting matters now more than ever:

• Keeps food waste out of landfills. In 2025, food waste still makes up nearly 25% of municipal solid waste in the U.S. When those scraps end up in landfills, they decompose without oxygen and release methane, a greenhouse gas over 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Composting diverts that waste, cutting methane emissions and easing the burden on already overflowing landfills.

• Transforms scraps into healthy soil. Compost enriches soil naturally, improving its structure and helping it retain water—something especially important as more regions face drought and unpredictable weather. It also encourages beneficial microbes and earthworms, creating a living ecosystem that supports stronger, healthier plants.

• Reduces reliance on synthetic fertilizers. Bagged fertilizers often contain chemicals and salts that can disrupt soil health and pollute waterways. Compost is a closed-loop solution: your food scraps come back as nutrient-rich humus that feeds your soil organically, eliminating the need to buy (and transport) as many commercial fertilizers.

• Supports climate resilience. Healthy soil doesn’t just grow better vegetables; it also helps lock away carbon and makes gardens, farms, and even city green spaces more resilient to flooding and erosion. In other words, your compost pile is part of a bigger climate solution.

• Saves you money. Less food waste means fewer grocery trips, and the compost you create reduces the need to purchase fertilizers, soil amendments, or expensive bagged compost from the store.

• Feels surprisingly good. Beyond the big-picture benefits, composting offers something simple and satisfying: a sense of accomplishment. Instead of tossing scraps in the trash, you’re giving them a new life. And if you garden, the moment you pull up a thriving tomato plant grown in soil enriched by last year’s banana peels and coffee grounds? That’s composting magic.

If you’ve already started reducing waste in the kitchen—by organizing your fridge or making homemade vegetable stock—composting is the natural next step. It takes those unavoidable scraps (think onion skins, carrot tops, coffee grounds, and eggshells) and turns them into a resource instead of a burden. Whether you use a backyard bin, a worm farm, or one of the new countertop composters now available in 2025, composting is an easy, tangible way to make a difference.

How to Get Started

Getting started can be easy easy or involved as you would like. There are two basic ways to go:

• Find out if your area has municipal or community composting. Or, connect with a private composting service that collects your compost (and sometimes yard waste) once a week for a fee. Sometimes you can use the compost they make, too. The easiest way to do this is typing “compost service” into Google maps.

• Start composting on your own! This can be as simple as the compost pile your parents had in the back of the yard. (If your parents were like our parents, that is.) Or it can involve some more active management. You can even use worms, if you want to get into vermicomposting (which can be done inside). Green America has a fantastic breakdown of the different types of composting and which might be right for you. And here are some tips from the USDA on how to implement your preferred method.

Next, set yourself up for success. Where in your kitchen will you collect food scraps, and in what? What will your process be for putting the scraps into the container, and what will your process be for moving them to the compost (or to the side of the street)? How can you reduce the number of steps this takes to make it as simple as possible?

Get started and practice! It takes time to build a habit, so forgive yourself for throwing out your orange peels for the first couple of weeks. And until you have it down, feel free to hang this printable list of what’s compostable (download it in PDF form here) on your refrigerator.

Whatever method you choose, you will be making something useful out of what you don’t need instead of letting it go to waste. Be proud!

What You Can Compost in 2025

Not sure what belongs in your compost bin? Here’s a quick guide:

Food Scraps

• Fruit and vegetable peels, cores, and scraps

• Coffee grounds and filters, tea bags (look for plastic-free tea bags)

• Eggshells

• Nutshells (except walnut, which can be toxic to plants)

• Stale bread, pasta, rice, and grains (in moderation)

Yard & Garden Waste

• Grass clippings and leaves

• Plant trimmings and dead flowers

• Sawdust and untreated wood chips

• Small amounts of natural holiday greenery (pine needles, wreaths without glitter or wire)

Paper & Cardboard

• Uncoated paper towels and napkins

• Shredded newspaper

• Plain cardboard (tear into small pieces)

• Pizza boxes (as long as they’re not too greasy)

New in 2025: Compostable Packaging

• Certified compostable produce bags and takeout containers (look for BPI or OK Compost certification)

• Compostable coffee pods and filters from select brands

• Biodegradable packing peanuts (cornstarch-based, dissolve in water)

Things to Avoid

• Meat, dairy, and oily foods (these attract pests)

• Plastic, foil, and “biodegradable” plastics that aren’t certified compostable

• Diseased plants or invasive weeds

👉 Pro tip: Always check if your compost is backyard compostable or requires industrial composting—many cities now offer curbside compost pickup or drop-off programs that accept things you can’t compost at home.