Purple Cow Organics in Waunakee, Wisconsin transforms some 50,000 tons of organic waste into rich topsoil for farmers and gardeners every year. Here are some fun facts about America's growing composting industry:

1. America is home to 4,914 commercial and municipal composting operations, processing approximately 20 million tons of lawn and food waste annually.
2. In the US, 148 cities now offer curbside collection of food waste for composting.
3. Landscaping waste makes up the bulk of America's compost. 70 percent of commercial composters handle lawn trimmings exclusively.
4. Composted soil is alive with microorganisms. Every tablespoon of Purple Cow soil contains over one million beneficial organisms that produce nutrients for plants.
5. An inch of topsoil can take over 500 years to accumulate naturally; composting techniques radically accelerate the process of soil creation.
6. Erosion removes over 2 billion tons of topsoil from American farms annually. Compost can help soil absorb rainfall, slowing erosion by as much as 86 percent.