Mecklenburg County’s Solid Waste Services is promoting composting as an organic gardening practice by offering discounted compost bins in a one-time sale from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 9, 2011, at the Hal Marshall County Services Center, 700 N. Tryon St., Charlotte. The products up for sale are: The Earth Machine for $47; Systern Rain Barrel for $54, The Kitchen Collector for  $7 and the Compost Turner for $15. More information on these products can be found on the Norsemen Environmental website.

Did you know about half of all household waste can be composted? Leaves, grass clippings, twigs and a variety of kitchen scraps combine over time to create a nutrient-rich, organic fertilizer. Composting reduces waste by keeping organic material out of landfills, and it can eliminate reliance on chemicals in backyard gardening.

Learn more about how to start and maintain a compost bin from Mecklenburg County’s experts, who will be selling the bins at the April 9 event, or at one of the County’s composting classes this season.

For more information on composting, organic gardening and other waste-reduction techniques, visit Solid Waste Services’ website at www.wipeoutwaste.com.