Recycling is a key component of modern waste reduction and is the third component of the "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle" waste hierarchy.

You might want to compost if you need fertilizer for your garden or landscaping. Compost is just as good or better than commericial fertilizers. It also doesn't cost anything to create compost because it's made with the organic waste you produce.

The best way by far to lower the planet's need for water is water conservation. Using less water has a chain reaction effect by using less energy for heating water and treating sewage. Using less water, especially hot water, also saves electricity which in turn saves water because the production of electricity itself uses a good deal of water.

Ever wonder how different types of materials get recycled? Check out this list of commonly recycled materials.