Decomposition and soil organic matter Decomposition releases nutrients locked up in dead plants and animals and makes them available for use by living plants. Earthworms do this by eating organic matter and breaking it down into smaller pieces allowing bacteria and fungi to feed on it and release the nutrients.

The intestine extends over two-thirds of the worm’s body length. In the intestine, food is broken down into usable chemicals which are absorbed into the bloodstream. Leftover soil particles and undigested organic matter pass out of the worm through the rectum and anus in the form of castings, or worm poop.

Earthworms also take nutrients down through the soil profile, bringing them into closer contact with plant roots. This brings water and soluble nutrients down to plant roots. Burrowing also improves soil aeration (important for both plants and other organisms living in the soil) and enhances plant root penetration.

If you don’t recycle your used paper and instead throw it into the trash, it goes where all trash goes — to the landfill. The EPA cites landfills as the single largest source of methane emissions to the atmosphere, and has identified the decomposition of paper as among the most significant sources of landfill methane.

Recycling helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing energy consumption. This avoids greenhouse gas emissions that would result from extracting or mining virgin materials. In addition, manufacturing products from recycled materials typically requires less energy than making products from virgin materials.

Recycling is not as effective as reducing or reusing waste, since it requires the waste to be transported to a processing centre where its original raw materials are extracted – all of which generates GHG emissions. However, it does avoid the GHG emissions associated with extracting and processing virgin raw material.

Here are some simple tips to avoid the need to burn your trash:

1. Reduce. Avoid waste.
2. Re-use. Buy products that can be re-used and/or come in containers that can be re-filled.
3. Recycle. Learn about your community’s recycling programs.
4. Compost. Compost plant-based kitchen and yard waste.
5. Dispose.

Human Rights Watch found that those living near open burning reported an array of health problems consistent with the frequent and sustained inhalation of smoke from the open burning of waste. These included chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coughing, throat irritation, skin conditions, and asthma.