What do I do with my lawn clippings?

Every weekend I see my neighbors working in their yards in an attempt to make them pretty. Planting flowers that will bloom in the weeks to come, digging up the weeds that grow in all the places we don't want them and mowing the lawn. More and more people have purchased mulching lawn mowers, but many still catch the clippings in a bag and then the question is what to do with the clippings. This is where I see the garbage can come into play. Mow and catch the grass, empty the bag into the can, let the garbage man haul it to the dump. This method takes up precious room in the landfill. Mulching or composting the clippings is a better way to dispose of them. When you mulch, the grass is "thrown" below the surface of the grass and will decompose quickly while releasing nutrients into the lawn. Keep in mind that about 80 percent of grass is water. Some might say grass clippings cause thatch, actually, over watering and fertilizing do. Mulching allows one to water less and it reduces yard waste by 20 to 40 percent. If you don't have a mulching mower, use a rake to thin out the clippings and they will decompose on their own.
Composting is not difficult, but will take a little time. A good mixture of greens (grass, vegetable peels, etc.) and browns (wood chips, leaves and broken up sticks) make for a healthy compost pile. Make layers of green and brown, this allows air inside the pile and it will decompose faster. If need be, turn or aerate the pile using a pitch fork or aerating tool. If you work your pile on a regular basis, you will have compost you can use in your garden and flower beds.
So, here's the bottom line. Put your grass clippings to work for you instead of putting the garbage man to work!