For more about the Oregon Environmental Council's pesticide program, click here . Start a compost pile. Composting yard and kitchen scraps keeps waste out of landfills, and provides a safer source of nutrients for your garden. For information on composting, look in the gardening section at a library or bookstore. Clean up animal waste in your yard and elsewhere to prevent it from washing into streams and contaminating water which others may drink or swim in.
Many stores now carry environmentally friendly products, and they can also be found in catalogs.
Only buy as much as you need when you shop for paint, strong cleaning products, pesticides and other chemicals. Leftovers can cause health and environmental hazards. If you do have leftovers of paint, pesticides or other chemicals, dispose of them safely. Dumping chemicals down the drain is not a safe option. Throwing full bottles into the garbage is dangerous as well.