These bins, which generally come in green, are marked "yard waste only," but what exactly does that mean? A lot more than fallen leaves and lawn trimmings from your back yard can be taken away in the eco-friendly bin. The yard waste bin is actually for anything that is organic and biodegradable, materials that account for about 23 percent of US waste. The contents of the bin will not be taken to a landfill... instead they will be composted in an eco-friendly manner. So what can you throw into your yard waste bin? Most of your discarded food can be tossed into the bin, including fruit and vegetable trimmings, egg shells, and nut shells. Additionally, coffee grounds , coffee filters, tea bags, and food soiled paper plates and paper towels can be thrown in there as well. Just make sure wax or plastic coated papers don’t end up in the bin... they are not biodegradable. Find out about your local yard waste collection policies... some counties only collect the bins twice a month, and they discourage you from discarding meat and dairy products, as they have a tendency to rot. And if your yard waste collection doesn't come every week and you're worried about the smell of old food sitting in your bin for half a month, put the discarded food into a bag and keep it in your freezer until pickup day rolls around. That way you avoid the stink of rotting food while helping the environment. I'm Elizabeth Chambers. Check back here for more green news and eco-friendly tips, right here on LivingGreenChannel.Com.