Sonoma Compost and our mulch products provide important benefits for our local and regional environment.

Return Organic Materials To The Soil
In nature's grand scheme, plants die, fall to the ground, slowly decompose and are reincorporated into the top layer of soil. By replenishing the topsoil layer, nature provides the perfect environment for the next generation of young plants. By composting and reusing our yard trimmingsand food trimmings instead of burying them in a landfill, we minimize the loss of valuable organic materials and return them to the soil as nature intends.

Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Since 1993 Sonoma Compost has diverted 1,200,000 tons of organics from the landfill. Organics in a landfill produce methane which is 72 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than its natural emission of carbon dioxide. While we try to capture as much of the methane as possible from our landfill, it is estimated that we capture 75% of the methane produced. To learn more about the fate of organics in the landfill we invite you to visit COOL2012. Sonoma Compost is working hard to get all compostable organics to be diverted from our landfill by 2012.

Reduce Topsoil Loss From Erosion
Mulching heavily with our Early Vineyard Mulch or Path Mulch can dramatically reduce erosion and the loss of valuable topsoil. Grape growers with steep hillside vineyards can benefit by using our Vineyard Mulch as part of their soil preservation program.

Minimize The Use Of Toxic Chemicals
By making soils and plants healthier and more resistant to disease and insect damage, our composts can significantly reduce our dependence upon toxic chemicals on our farms or in our landscapes or gardens.

Protect Water Quality
The use of toxic chemicals in both backyard and agricultural applications results in contamination of our groundwater, creeks and rivers. By improving our soils with natural organic amendments and mulches, we take a major step toward more sustainable growing practices by reducing our reliance upon such chemicals.

Reduce Our Use Of Virgin Forest Products
By amending our soils with Sonoma Compost or using one of our mulches made from recycled materials, we can reduce our dependence on virgin forest products such as redwood or fir bark.

Reduce our Dependency on Landfills
We are proud that none of the organic waste received by Sonoma Compost is buried, or used for "alternative daily cover" at landfills. By converting this valuable resource to compost, mulch and energy we delay the time when a costly new landfill has to be sited, permitted and constructed.