During the summer and fall, yard waste makes up about 50% of the trash that is sent to the landfill. Most of this waste can be diverted from the landfill and can be used in your yard or garden as organic fertilizer. Grass clippings can be mulched instead of bagged. Leaves can be composted or picked up curbside as part of the Recycle the Fall program.
Limbs and branches can be chipped or set out curbside in bundles by attaching an Overflow Sticker. Even Christmas trees are collected and shredded into mulch at the Ada County landfill for erosion prevention projects. And don’t forget about other organic matter like fruit and vegetable scraps from your kitchen—this type of waste can be composted in your backyard to create a rich amendment to your soils and flowerbeds.