At the Sonoma County Waste Management Agency, about halfway between Petaluma and Sebastopol, you can see the Permie proverbs “The problem is the solution” and “Waste = Food” put into action. I love the dump!

Central Disposal Site, from the hill across the road.

The dump is one of my favorite places to shop…that’s right, shop. That’s because there are two sub-agencies within the Central Landfill space: Recycle Town and Sonoma Compost.

Recycle Town

Recycle Town has all the usual recycling options for glass, metals, and other materials, of course. But the real jewel is the perpetual yard sale, where you’ll find all sorts of building materials and other goodies at rock-bottom prices. Find something you want? Just ask at the window for the price.

Ladders for sale at Recycle Town.

Doors at Recycle Town. Things are organized nicely, much better than the typical yard sale.

Treasures I’ve found at Recycle Town include a Singer 500a “Rocketeer” sewing machine ($9.00), a serving plate and two wooden bowls ($1.00 for all), and a 50-foot roll of wire fencing ($20) that I used to build a chicken coop…it took some effort to remove the grape vine that had grown through the fencing, but it was well worth the savings.

Sonoma Compost

Up the hill from Recycle Town is Sonoma Compost, my favorite place to go if I need a source for compost, mulch, or reclaimed lumber.

Sonoma Compost diverts organic matter headed for the landfill and creates black gold. You can buy compost and mulch at great prices by the truckload or by the bag (bring used feed bags if you have them…there’s usually a few available for free or you can buy new ones). I love going to Sonoma Compost…the place truly feels full of life, and of course, it is! It’s hilltop location has one of the best views in the county. I’ll never forget the time one of the employees walked out of the office door, took at deep breath, and exclaimed, “I love how it smells here when it rains.” She was right. And remember…we’re at the dump!

And there’s more treasure to be found here. Sonoma Compost also sells used lumber. You might have to remove some nails, but with used 2×4’s available at 20 cents per foot, it’s also a great deal.

Part of the lumber yard at Sonoma Compost.

I hope I live to see a time when we don’t need garbage pickup or landfills…when we’re living in a truly sustainable way, and composting and reuse is simply a part of our daily routines. Until then…I love our dump!