A new study says that composting and recycling can dramatically reduce greenhouse gases. “Along with waste prevention, expanded recycling and composing can have the same climate protection impact as closing 21 percent of the nation’s 417 coal-burning powers plants,” said Brenda Platt of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and a coauthor of the study “Stop Trashing the Climate.” She noted that coal combustion is the largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. “Recycling is as important for climate stability as improving vehicle fuel efficiency, retrofitting lighting, planting trees and protection forests. By avoiding landfill methane emissions, composting, in particular, is a vital tactic in the battle to stop Arctic ice melting. Biodegradable materials are a liability when buried and burned, but an asset when composted.” The study was reported in BioCycle Magazine.