Composting is undeniably important to our environment's health, yet Milwaukee's composting ordinance might turn people off from practicing this natural way of turning yard waste into a valuable nutrient-rich soil.

First of all, the ordinance states that compost piles must be placed "no less than 20 feet from any habitable structure" which, for most people living in an urban area, would mean their compost pile had to be in the middle of their backyard.

It also says that uncooked vegetables cannot be mixed into the pile unless the composter takes a class at a local organization, like the East Side's Urban Ecology Center. Upon completion of the class, the student receives a certificate entitling him or her to compost raw vegetables as well as grass trimmings, leaves and other natural yard materials. (Cooked vegetables, meats, dairy and eggshells should never get mixed into compost piles because they attract vermin and create foul odors.)

Although this ordinance is virtually unenforced, the strict regulations and daunting class requirement may discourage people from composting.

Sharon Morrisey, consumer horticulture agent for the Milwaukee County UW-Extension, agrees that parts of the ordinance are too stringent, but overall believes the law is a necessary because it gives the city the right to crack down on people who are composting in a way that's offensive to neighbors.

"People could do just about anything and claim they were composting," she says.

Morrisey does, however, question the ordinance's requirement that compost bins must have a vented hood. She says the most efficient compost piles have varying exposures to air and water that are compromised when constantly covered.

Dennis Lukaszewski, urban agriculture coordinator for the Milwaukee County UW-Extension, also understands the need for some composting rules, but finds the ordinance making too big of a fuss.

"I don't know why we make this into art form when we just want to get the materials back in ground," says Lukaszewski.

Despite the strict, somewhat-confusing composting laws, both Morrisey and Lukaszweski encourage people to compost smartly. It's not only the best thing for the environment, it's good for your pocketbook, too. The eco-friendly practice saves money by reducing the need for bags and soil additives, saves water by helping the soil hold moisture and benefits the environment by recycling organic resources that would otherwise end up in landfills.

Plus, according to Morrisey, composted material, called humus, is particularly beneficial to Wisconsin's rich-in-clay soil because it makes it more porous and improves drainage.