Flowers and plants beautify surroundings with their brilliance and vitality—their presence is a breath of fresh air to our homes, offices, and outdoor landscaping.  But when their vitality is lost and we must dispose of these organic works of art, it is seemingly automatic to throw them in the garbage, and in following, the landfill.  One might justify this route of recycling by noting that, despite going into the landfill, these gifts of nature are returning to the environment.  There is, however, a more environmentally friendly and beneficial route for recycling plants and flowers—composting—and one local flower shop has teamed up with a local paving company to embrace this inconspicuous, rich form of organic recycling.

Krueger Wholesale Florist of Rothschild and Olson Hardscape Paving in the Town of Wausau have combined efforts in an exemplary demonstration of the convenience and significance of composting.  Krueger averages about 30 tons of plant waste a week and, prior to November 1, 2007, this waste was sent to the local landfill, requiring three to four garbage pickups a week.  Now, with the help of Olson’s composting truck and their almost 20 acres of land dedicated to composting, this plant waste and the underlying rich nutrients it brings can be put to purposeful use.  Although neither company saves money in making this change, both recognize the impact they are making on the environmental health of Central Wisconsin. 

Your household probably won’t accumulate 30 tons of plant waste a week.  The many empty flower pots in your shed, or your well known history with “Fern” and “Lily” might lead you to believe there isn’t a role for you to play in composting.  On the contrary, the truth is that everyone can practice organic recycling in whatever capacity fits their lifestyle.  Food scraps, lawn clippings, sawdust, flowers, and plants are all contenders.  Familiarize yourself with your local community’s composting site, or even go as far as tackling a household compost of your own.  The important thing is to remember that all organic waste takes up space in the landfills of Central Wisconsin.  Composting is an easy, convenient, and environmentally beneficial alternative to preserve this landfill space.