On January 1, 2022, Senate Bill 1383—Reducing Short-Lived Climate Pollutants in California took effect. SB 1383 requires the state to reduce organic waste disposal by 75% by 2025. In other words, the state must reduce organic waste disposal by more than 20 million tons annually to meet this goal by 2025! CalRecycle and the California Air Resources Board have joined together to establish goals for local governments to reduce organic waste going to landfills. The Town of Danville has been assigned a goal of reducing .08 tons of organic waste per resident. That is equal to 3,512 tons of organic waste diverted from landfill in 2022.
Organic waste produces methane in landfills. Methane is a super pollutant creating global warming and climate change. What comprises organic waste? It is green waste, wood waste, food waste, and fibers such as paper and cardboard. How can you help reduce organic waste?
- Reduce unwanted mail by visiting www.dmachoice.org to opt out of national junk mail.
- Contact local and regional companies sending you unwanted mail and ask to be taken off their list.
- Just Mow/Don’t bag—Leave grass clippings on your lawn. The clippings will decompose, adding much needed nutrients to your lawn and lighten the waste you bring to the curb.
- Purchase products with less packaging and use reusable shopping bags.
- Compost food scraps and yard trimmings in your back yard.
- 40% of all food in America is wasted. Visit https://savethefood.com/ to find out how you can reduce the amount of food your family throws out.
Taking these steps are a great way to celebrate Earth Day every day and help steer California to a better climate. For more information on organics recycling services visit recyclesmart.org/houses/green-cart and https://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/organics.