Composting. This is one of the easiest and most effective methods to reduce the litter you are sending to the landfill from your home. There are three main ways to accomplish composting:
1. Backyard composting
2. Municipal pickup
3. Private landscapers/local farmers
Today, I want to talk to you about backyard composting. You may be thinking, “Yes, I would love to reduce my trash footprint, but I don’t know about putting a compost bin in my backyard. Besides, my spouse would totally object.” Well, here are the potential cons and what you can do to keep them under control:
Smell. You don’t want a stinky pile of trash in your backyard, right? Well, it won’t be if you keep your pile aerated. A turnover will take about 5 minutes and works best with a pitchfork. When else do you regularly use a pitchfork? This should really be a benefit.
Pests. Certain items, like dairy, bread and meat will not compost correctly and also invite animals and bugs, which you do not want. I found a nice list of 11 Items You Shouldn’t Compost on the Organic Authority, which you can click on to get the full information.
Mess. “I don’t want food scraps in my kitchen and a pig pen in my backyard.” I get it, neither did I. It takes 47 seconds to take food scraps to the compost after you clean up from meals and there are lots of containers you can use to prevent your compost from appearing unattractive. 
I chose to re-purpose an old garden box for my compost bin several years ago. I think this was a good choice because I was no longer using the box and I wanted to keep it out of the landfill. Plus, my neighbors just think this is where I store the extra cushions for the lawn furniture.
I have been backyard composting for years and I have never had any significant issues with any of the issues listed above and neither should you, if you follow these easy steps and some very minimal maintenance.
Find a location and a container and get started! You will be amazed at the amount of waste you can put into your new compost container and how much less trash you are setting down by the curb to go to the landfill.
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Stay tuned! In future columns, I will explore municipal composting and other local options for your compost. I have some perennials, like Black-eyed Susans that spread seeds like crazy and I do not want them in my backyard compost pile or the landfill. So what am I going to do? Could it involve my friend Sandy?