By simply using a few techniques, you can greatly impact our city's waste production.  Learn to Grasscycle, Compost and Mulch for a Yard Smart, Earth Wise Home.

Did you know your family could be producing as much as 2000 pounds of yard waste a year?
In a city of nearly 118,000 homes, that adds up to 150,000,000 pounds of natural resources that are potentially thrown away. We can positively impact our economy and the environment by changing our habits of raking leaves, bagging grass and throwing away yard waste. By learning simple time and money saving techniques like composting, grasscycling and mulching, we will learn the secret of turning old yard waste into “gardener’s gold.” You will have a more beautiful yard, lower water and fertilizer bills and reduce the demand for landfill space.

Grasscycling is the practice of leaving your grassclippings on the lawn when mowing. This can save time, money, and other resources such as landfill space. The clippings are mostly water and quickly decompose, returning nutrients to the soil. Grasscycling is also called mulch mowing. It does not require any fancy equipment. And the Professional Lawn Care Association of America recommends it for a beautiful and healthy yard. 
Find out more about grasscycling.

Mulching is another simple way to recycle yard wastes and improve your soil. It can be done with grass, chopped leaves and woody materials. Simply place these materials around trees and in your garden around plants. The mulch serves as a protective layer on the soil surface. Mulching is one of the most beneficial practices you can use in the garden because it conserves water and provides nutrients to the soil. Along with composting  and grasscycling, mulching is an important way to make use of green waste and help the environment.
Find out more about mulching.

Composting is nature’s way of recycling. In a natural ecosystem as leaves, branches and plants fall to the ground, soil microorganisms decompose them into a dark, nutrient-rich humus. You can duplicate this process in your own backyard and turn your unwanted leaves, twigs, grassclippings and vegetable food scraps into a useful soil amendment by com-posting.  Your composted material can be used as a soil enhancer, mulch or potting soil.
Find out more about composting

The East Baton Rouge Parish Recycling Office has a limited number of compost bins and rain barrels left over from our November 2009 sale. Click here for additional information. The Earth Machine & System Rain Barrel The bin/rain barrel must be picked up at our office, located at 805 Saint Louis St. We will accept cash or Checks, no credit cards.  Call 389-5194 first to make sure that we have some available and that someone will be here to assist you.