New York City kicks off borough-wide curbside composting for the first time

Waste, not: the organic waste program being piloted in Queens will automatically provide the service to its 2.2 million residents

The issue of food waste in New York went viral some years ago, when a rodent was captured on video dragging a slice of what may have been a slice of margherita pizza down the steps of a subway station. That was how the world became acquainted with Pizza Rat. Since then, its ranks have been joined by Avocado Rat and Pretzel Rat.

But now, in at least one major part of the city, food rats may become fewer and farther between. America's largest city is launching an equally large organic waste composting program, which will turn food and plant waste from 2.2 million residents into soil for city parks and community gardens, and an energy source called biogas.