How Composting Helps the Environment Food waste is one of the largest contributors to methane emissions—a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide. When organic waste ends up in landfills, it decomposes without oxygen, producing harmful gases that accelerate climate change. But there's a simple and effective solution: hot composting. Hot composting is a natural method of breaking down organic materials like food scraps, leaves, and yard waste at high temperatures—typically between 130°