Global warming is in the headlines seemingly every day, and we’re all thinking about ways to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions — from installing solar panels on the roof to buying a hybrid for the commute.

But one of the simplest ways to fight climate change is to throw that aluminum can in the recycling bin, toss that watermelon rind into the backyard compost pile — and even replace that wooden golf tee with one made from recyclable, biodegradable material. That’s because recycling and composting are easy and efficient methods to save energy and reduce the production of greenhouse gases.

   Just look at the stats for Napa alone.In 2006, more than 100,000 tons of materials were recycled or composted at the Napa Recycling & Composting Facility. By keeping these valuable resources out of the landfill, we decreased carbon dioxide emissions by 79,044 metric tons and used 439,991 million fewer BTUs of energy. To put it in perspective, this is enough energy to power all the houses in Napa for three weeks. Additionally, these savings are the equivalent of taking 6,443 passenger cars off the road and conserving more than 3 million gallons of gasoline, helping to reduce our dependency on foreign oil.

   Napa Recycling & Waste Services also uses seven compressed natural gas collection vehicles that reduce diesel particulate emissions in Napa by 14,466 pounds per year, decreasing the city and county’s carbon footprint even further.

Recycling saves energy because of several factors. Less transportation is necessary, as virgin materials do not need to be acquired and transported long distances. The manufacturing process is often much simpler and requires less heat to melt or reprocess the materials. The best example is the aluminum can — producing a can from recycled aluminum provides an energy savings of 95 percent as compared to creating one from newly mined bauxite.

   Other examples can be found everywhere from the golf links to the picnic table. Golf tees like the ones Napa Recycling & Waste Services recently gave away in Napa are made from plastic that would otherwise occupy a landfill. Duffers should still pick up those tees after hitting the ball, but if the tees stay on the greens and get chomped by a lawnmower, they will biodegrade with no harm. Other products with similar qualities range from picnic utensils made from corn to pencils made out of old currency.

   Composting yard waste in your curbside cart or food scraps in your backyard bin also significantly decreases greenhouse gas emissions. The nutrients from these organic materials are sent back into the earth as natural soil enhancers instead of to a landfill, where they sit forever, giving off methane gas (a greenhouse gas 23 times as potent as carbon dioxide).

   Landfill operators claim to capture methane, but studies show that a significant percentage is still escaping into the atmosphere and heating the planet. The organic compost produced from Napa’s yard waste is used at many Napa Valley farms and vineyards, decreasing the need for synthetic fertilizers, conserving water, and closing the loop locally and sustainably. Napa Recycling’s compost is now officially listed by the Organic Materials Review Institute for use in organic production.

   Recycling is important, but don’t forget about the other two “R’s,” as well. Waste reduction and reuse are equally valuable tools in the global warming fight. So remember to use canvas grocery bags, contact companies to reduce junk mail, and purchase products made of recycled materials.

   Be sure to check your phone book yellow pages or log onto www.naparecycling.com for all your waste reduction, reuse and recycling tips.

Articles in this special report and in recent issues of the Napa Valley Register note that Napa and other cities in the valley  are committed to fighting global warming, but the effort can start at home, in the office and even on the front nine. Recycling is a perfect, simple way to attain measurable gains in greenhouse gas reduction. It’s easy and cheap — no additional infrastructure is needed, residents and businesses simply need to recycle and compost more, and throw less in the trash.

   (Dewey-Mattia is public education manager for Napa Recycling & Waste Services.)