Scraps to Riches

Composting is the most direct way you can impact climate change, says Shawn Garcia, former director of the Lower East Side Composting Project and Democratic district leader in New York. Why? Doing so can reduce food waste, limit methane gas emissions, help grow plants, and even give back to the community. Benefits big and small abound, but getting started can be daunting. How to turn trash into a new kind of treasure, wherever you live…

- By Madeline Howard

SUBURBAN SETTING

WORM YOUR WAY IN The little slimy guys eat your leftovers, converting that waste into finished compost, says Garcia. Order a pound of worms online, then put them in a plastic container (outside) with moist cardboard or paper. Add scraps, and in a monthvoilà!-compost.

HARNESS PLANT POWER Once you've made your compost, amp up the health of your garden by creating an enriched soil compost mix, says environmental scientist Laura Young, a sustainability communicator. Hot tip: Stir in the 'post (get those hands dirty!), don't just plop it on top.