This week is Climate Week, the largest annual event of its kind, which brings together leaders across industries to address the climate crisis. This year’s theme is “It’s time” and in the case of NYC, it’s time for curbside composting. Starting Oct. 6, curbside composting will be available to all Manhattanites and the Bronx and Staten Island residents. This service is already fully available to Brooklyn and Queens residents.  I have been composting for about 30 years and my family has generated about 10 pounds of compost per week. I began composting with the goal of reducing my environmental footprint and over the years, it became part of our family’s routine. Since I began composting, I have generated approximately 15,000 pounds of compost. This is the weight of eight of The Cube sculptures in Astor Place! According to the NYC Food Policy Center, 18% of all waste in New York State is food waste, all of which could be composted. The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation estimates that if these food scraps did not end up in landfills, our state would see a reduction of more than 120,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide.  Furthermore, landfills are responsible for polluting millions of gallons of water every year. It is estimated that 12% of all the greenhouse gases emitted in New York State come from the waste sector. In addition to the benefits received from reducing waste, it also improves soil health. Composting improves the functioning of plants by adding nutrients and soil biota to improve the health of the plant.  Composting also plays a critical role in addressing the climate crisis. Compost makes ecosystems more resilient to extreme weather and temperature changes, mitigating the impact of climate change. Compost not only prevents the emission of greenhouse gases from food waste sitting in a landfill, it also absorbs additional emissions from the atmosphere.  As you can see, composting makes a big difference. Here is how you can get started: Decide between community composting and curbside composting.  Curbside composting differs from community composting, which is when the contents of your composting go back into the community it originated in. Community composting is a great way to reduce your environmental footprint and I participate in community composting every week with the Lower East Side Ecology Center. Contrastingly, the city offers curbside composting, which goes to sites to be “digested” by microorganisms and turned into products like fertilizer and energy. Community composting is the gold standard but for folks who cannot make it to drop off their food scraps at a site each week, curbside composting provides a convenient and still environmentally-conscious alternative.  Make a plan & gather materials. Starting Oct. 6, curbside composting will be available to all NYC residents. Find out when your collection day is and get a compost bin by visiting nyc.gov/dsny and make a plan to ensure that it’s set out in the brown bin each week. Add it to the chore chart, set a weekly reminder on your phone, post a sticky note, whatever works.  You may also drop off your compost to NYC Smart Compost bins using the NYC Compost app. Find a bin near you at nyc.gov/dsny. If you decide to participate in community composting, you can find community composting near you through the LES Ecology Center, Big Reuse, Compost Power, BK Rot, and other organizations. Do your research to find the organization and drop-off site that’s right for you.  Educate your household on what compost is.  Food scraps, soiled napkins, and leaf and yard waste are all compostable in NYC Compost bin. This includes meat, bones, dairy, prepared foods, and greasy uncoated paper plates and pizza boxes for city composting (not community composting). Do not compost trash such as diapers, personal hygiene products, animal waste, wrappers, non-paper packaging and foam products. If you plan to do curbside composting or drop off your compost at a Smart Compost bin, I encourage you to register for an information session through DSNY, which includes an option to watch a pre-recorded session on your own schedule at the Department of Sanitation website. If you choose to do community composting, please review the guidelines set forth by the site.  Composting is a rewarding way to live more sustainably and it doesn’t have to be difficult. For this Climate Week, commit to ensuring your household does not contribute to the 3.9 billion tons of food waste ending up in New York State landfills each year. Epstein is a member of the state Assembly from Manhattan.