In Oak Park and River Forest, we currently have Opt-In programs for composting where residents must sign up to compost through the village. Right now, less than 20% of households take advantage of this opportunity to help the earth and it would be much more beneficial if more people took part in it. When food waste and other items that can be composted are sent to landfills, they can create methane because there isn't access to oxygen. When these materials are turned into compost, they can provide great nutrition for the soil and reduce methane admissions. One person sends 1,600 pounds of trash to the landfill each year, but about half of that can be composted. If everyone in Oak Park and River Forest composted we could save over 50 million pounds of trash from landfills each year!

Students from the environmental group It's Our Future through Seven Generations Ahead are trying to bring this issue to the village boards of both these towns. We are planning to speak at village board meetings in the spring to show them that this issue is valued by members of the OP/RF area. Please sign this as a letter of support!

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