New York's largest borough is getting a major planet-friendly upgrade. NYC Mayor Eric Adams recently announced that Queens will be receiving the largest curbside composting program in the United States.
Every household in the borough will have access to the program, marking the first time that an entire borough will be included in a composting program.
"Starting this fall, we're bringing guaranteed, weekly curbside composting to the entire borough of Queens — taking action to keep our streets clean and simultaneously fight climate change," declared Adams.
"This launch makes New York City home to the largest curbside composting program in the country and will help Queens residents easily get rid of yard waste, food scraps, and food-soiled paper products in an environmentally conscious way," he added. "There's no sign-up required, and all that Queens residents need to do is put out their waste in a separate bag or bin. This is how we 'Get Stuff Done' for our city."
Composting is an easy, effective way to help combat the overheating of our planet on an individual and communal level.
When waste sits in a landfill and decomposes, it emits methane, a powerful gas that contributes to the rapid overheating of our planet — 80 times more devastating than carbon dioxide, the gas that biodegradable materials emit when they naturally decompose. Composting redirects biodegradable waste away from landfills, thus lowering the overall amount of methane released into the atmosphere.
With curbside programs like the one in Queens, composting becomes much more accessible to everyone, because all you have to do is separate out your biodegradable waste from your landfill trash and recyclables — just put your green waste in the provided composting bin, and you're good to go. You can find more information about composting services in your area at Good Start Packaging.
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