Taking steps to live a greener lifestyle is more important than ever. The three Rs of green living-reduce, reuse, recycle-are much more than mantra. They are a necessity. One beneficial way to meet all three Rs at once is to start a home compost pile. Having your own compost pile is an excellent green family activity.

Your everyday kitchen and food waste, when composted properly, can create a rich soil that can be used on lawns and gardens. Many of the materials that go into your compost pile are those that you are throwing away now. Food scraps, coffee grounds and coffee filters, tea bags, egg shells, garden waste, law clippings, compostable kitty litter-the number of items that can help you build your compost pile are probably greater than you realize.

To begin your project properly you will need a compost bin. Compost bins can be built or purchased. Some towns offer programs that will provide residents with the bins free of charge or at very low cost. If your town doesn't offer incentives, look for composting bins at your local hardware or home improvement stores. You can also buy them online.

Alternatively, if you are a do-it-yourselfer, you can build you own. All that is needed to build your own compost bin are some wood and concrete blocks or pallets. Even an old garbage can with holes poked in the bottom can serve as a receptacle for compost. The most important thing to keep in mind when constructing a compost bin is to incorporate a way for excess moisture to escape. The best way to accomplish this is to make sure there are holes at the bottom of the bin, about half an inch in diameter. You want the holes to be small enough that small animals cannot climb into the bin, and large enough that excess water can drain out.

Placement of the bin should be somewhere shady, where it can drain properly and where it will be fairly easy to access. Remember that compost is mostly rotting plant matter. It will have an odor. Therefore, locate your compost bin far enough from the house (or from your neighbor's house) that the smell will not be bothersome.

When you start to add to your compost you should think in layers. The first level of compost should allow for air passages as well as drainage. A layer of smooth rock placed loosely on the bottom of the bin will serve this purpose perfectly.Then layer "brown" waste and "green" waste. Brown waste can consist of fallen leaves, wood chips, saw dust, pine needles, paper towels, newspaper and coffee filters. Green waste typically consists of food wastes (but not meat of animal-derived waste), fruits and vegetables, egg shells, tea bags, coffee grounds, grass clippings and weeds. An important tip: add a layer of soil on top of each layer of compost waste; it will be speed up the composting process.

One last maintenance tip for your compost pile: fluff your layers periodically using a hoe or a compost turning tool.

Every item added to your compost pile is one more item reused and recycled, and one less item for the landfill. Properly maintained, a compost pile can create a rich soil that can be used on lawns and gardens, making your thumb greener as well as your lifestyle.

Want more ideas about how to live a greener lifestyle and save money? Go to Steve Stillwater's web site at http://www.livinggreenandsavingenergy.com. Steve offers to easy-to-implement green living tips and ideas that allow you to live green and save money. Better yet, sign up for his free newsletter which gives you regular updates on green news and information you can use, and get 2 Free Bonuses just for signing up: 1) 10 Easy Ways to Save Gas and 2) 2010's Top 20 Fuel Efficient Cars. Take an easy step toward a greener lifestyle at http://www.livinggreenandsavingenergy.com.