T

he City of Sunnyvale has implemented a new way for homes to become more green; food recycling bins after approving the idea last fall.

These new bins with bright yellow lids are for organic food waste, including banana peels, egg shells and seafood waste.

This is taking a giant step toward a greener future by introducing this fresh new initiative into our homes. In the past efforts, I have tried saving food scraps for composting, only to be affronted by terrible fermenting smells coming from my kitchen and backyard.

The City of Sunnyvale is aiming to remove organic food scraps from the municipal land waste area to reduce greenhouse gases from forming.

The FoodCycle bins can be attached to the inside of a normal garbage bin, allowing homeowners to build the habit of throwing food scraps into a separate bin. There are also FoodCycle bin compartments for curb waste bins, and handy counter pails to make separating food waste easier by hand. These scraps will be brought to Sustainable Organic Solutions in Santa Clara, which will process the scraps into animal feed for local farm animals after testing and sterilizing the scraps for diseases.

Some residents fear this program is taking away from normal garbage space, as well as previous composters. This program, however, helps to recycle food scraps that are otherwise difficult to break down such as dairy and meat products. Spoiled food will ferment and this method will reduce the amount of carbon emissions created in landfills.

Others are concerned about the cost of the system, which is 20 cents more than the normal garbage can systems, estimating to be $12.37 more monthly per family, according to Mercury News. However the benefits for landfills outweigh the expenses in the long run.

With these new green steps, the Silicon Valley is working towards a more sustainable future.If your home has not received a FoodCycle Bin they are still being distributed until Nov 10.