Yard trimmings and food scraps, both biodegradable, make up about 25 percent of the waste generated by U.S. households. Composting them can greatly reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills or incinerators.

Citizen Scientist

You don’t have to have a Ph.D. to be a steward of the land.

Rebecca Perez Rosello is a farmer showing her neighbors how to protect their soil in the mountainous areas of Puerto Rico. Because her farm is on steep slopes, Rebecca has investigated ways to keep the land fertile and prevent erosion. For example, she leaves plant clippings on the ground to protect the soil from rain and to fertilize the ground as the clippings decompose. She also plants natural grass barriers and maintains natural waterways and drainages on the farm to control currents. She’s putting what she has learned to good use, too—she has developed a manual for other farmers and was named the 1997 Farmer of the Year.