Every time we throw out a banana peel, we’re contributing to a bigger problem. Food waste makes up almost a quarter of everything in U.S. landfills, and when it decomposes without oxygen, it releases methane, making landfills the third-largest source of methane emissions in the country.

This video explores an alternative already happening in Washington, D.C. Since 2017, the city’s composting program has diverted over 11 million pounds of food waste from landfills, with a network of public smart bins — open 24/7 across the city — collecting a million pounds on their own this year alone.

To show how accessible this is in practice, the video features two George Washington University students who’ve composted from their kitchen for two years, using a smart bin right on campus. Their experience makes the case that composting isn’t complicated; it’s a small, easy habit that, multiplied across a city, adds up to real environmental impact.