Disposal of kitchen scraps, leaves, and lawn clippings can be a problem. Kitchen scraps placed down the drain can lead to expensive grease clogs in your plumbing. Leaves and lawn clippings sent to the landfill take up valuable landfill space. Leaves, clippings and kitchen scraps can be put to much better use if composted, and compost can work miracles on our landscaping. Lawns, trees and shrubs, container gardens, flower beds, and vegetables can all benefit from the application of compost.

Composting is something of an art, but its fun and easy to learn. Help is available. Here are a few resources to help you get started.

• Boulder County's waste reduction website features links to all kinds of information about composting, including where to buy a bin or tumbler, upcoming workshops and more.
• Eco-Cycle, based in Boulder, offers step-by-step instructions on how to get started composting.
• Compost Guide is a complete online guide to composting.
• The US EPA also offers information on composting, complete with statistics and other interesting facts.

• Composting 101 is an excellent guide the home  composter.
• The Journal of Composting & Organics Recycling is the industry standard.
• Check out this great site for information on the different kinds of composting systems.