A new initiative that the city of Plantation should implement is a composting pick up service. Currently, the city only offers a drop off station where residents would have to go out of there way to dispose of their organic waste. This extra effort could really hinder participation in composting, which is a very beneficial practice. With a pick up service, residents could leave a composting bin outside their house that could be picked a few times a month. This would help encourage more people to compost as they wouldn't have to go out of their way, making composting more accessible and convenient to residents, which would lead to higher participation and a more significant effect on the environment. I currently am doing my senior project on food waste and that involves studying the effects it has on the environment. Some effects include that food waste produces methane, which is a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming and climate change. Food waste is also a massive waste of resources when you take into consideration the water, energy, money, and labor involved in transporting, watering, and producing it. Another effect that food waste has is landfill degradation. This is when organic matter decomposes without the proper process of aeration and releases harmful chemicals and gases into the atmosphere. This can then contaminate all the surrounding soil and water, which could affect the health of nearby residents in the area, and could kill nearby plants. Aeration is a practice in gardening where you create small holes in soil to improve air, water and nutrient penetration to the roots. All these effects could be detrimental to a community like Plantation. A composting pick up service is a great solution to counter these issues. Not only does composting help improve the environment, it also provides residents with a great resource, compost, which can be used to fertilize gardens, parks and other green spaces, promoting an eco friendly city. This can also be used in schools to teach students about the benefits of composting. I am currently trying to implement a similar program in the city of Sunrise, as I strongly believe in composting and its benefits and feel Plantation should do the same. As environmental awareness increases every year, the city has a great opportunity to show innovation and leadership by enabling composting to be easy and accessible for its residents. Its a step towards a cleaner and more sustainable future, and by taking action now, Plantation can become a model city for greener practices and motivate others to do the same.