Then along came the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Almost everyone thought that these chemicals would prove to be the keys which unlocked the door of abundance for the world, and they were right. Except for a couple of minor problems i.e., both the ecosystem and people were poisoned. The natural fauna contained in the soil died and the soil became depleted. The bad bugs became resistant to the pesticides, the good ones croaked, and in the end, the farmers were left with little choice but to continue plowing in the chemicals with only deminishing returns. I once asked a relative of mine, who has a farm, how many worms he had per acre. He candidly informed me that, "There aren't any".

Ever wonder what most communities do with their garbage? No? I can't say that I blame you. It is after all, not the sort of topic which comes up in polite conversation. Actually, it doesn't come up much at all... until there is a problem. That's what we pay those Waste Management guys for isn't it? Out of sight, out of mind!

Devine Providence blessed this country with abundance in just about everything. We are awash in stuff which gets old, eaten, broken, or simply used up (all of which has some sort of leftover trash component). Then it finds it's way onto the list of "honey do's", under the heading, "Take Out Trash". From the curb it is hauled off to the landfill where, except in rare cases, it is added to the hundreds of tons per day of other garbage. Dirt is piled on the trash or it is burned.

I think it was some time in the 1970's when I first heard someone say, "One of these days, all the landfills will be filled up and then what will we do?". Just about everyone got a chuckle out of that then, but now... You got it! Population growth and urban centralization have resulted in the concentration of sewage sludge, garbage and trash. Landfills of astronomical proportions were built to hide the 'unmentionables' from view. Alas, the darn things leaked nasty stuff into the ground water, belched gases like methane, and worst of all, they continue doing it for half a century or more! "No problemo", said the experts. "We'll just dig a new one".

Well... that worked pretty well until people couldn't drink water from the tap, or swim in the rivers, or breathe without filtering the air. It worked right up to the point that some rivers caught on fire, the fish in the ocean started dying, and no one could see the sun at noon. So after some pressure from a concerned public, the government changed the rules on how landfills should be operated, then set the effective date a few years ahead to provide time to fill up the existing dumps.

Behold! The deadline is at hand! Dump fees and costs are skyrocketing. Old dumps, unable to comply with the new regulations, are being closed, and yes... new ones are being opened.

The costs of operation and set up for the new dumps which, by necessity, are much farther away than the old ones. Closing and oversight costs for the old dumps etc., new rules of operation, and a host of other new or growing expenses have started to force a re-evaluation of alternative waste stream management methodology. Recycling of metals, cardboard, paper, glass, and other easily reclaimed and commercially viable non-organic refuse, is rapidly becoming the industry and individual standard. Almost everyone recycles something sometime. Many individuals and some local governments, are carefully sorting at home, transfer stations, or the landfill proper, to seperate the recyclables from the "non-recyclables". The good effect of this is the slowing rate of fill at their landfills, and a rate reduction in raw material consumption.

You can only put sooo much sewage sludge, raw manure, or chemicals on a garden or field without causing massive problems. Composting reduces the volume of the organic materials, which is good from both an environmental and landfill perspective. This is particularly true if it has to go into the landfill anyway. A lot more compost than raw stuff can be added to soil without causing damage as well. Back to the point! The cost of doing the recyling and/or size reduction, is offset by the extended life of the landfill, and the environmentally positive effects of the reduced amount of organic waste in the landfill.

Additionally, if some 'point of origin' (the location of the waste's source), recycling programs are started in the community, haulage dollars and the cost of sorting can be reduced. A lot of the green waste, having been processed, can be returned to the community benefiting everyone. Such programs tend to grow in effectiveness, as over time, the community becomes aware of the benefits and more involved in doing their part.