I guess it all depends on your perspective and which option you pursue. I've done exactly what you've described and not found it to be a waste of time at all --

I guess it all depends on your perspective and which option you pursue. I've done exactly what you've described and not found it to be a waste of time at all -- it can be a good way to get involved in your community. For instance, in my old neighborhood I found it very satisfying to take my waste to the community garden and participate in rotating it through the various stages of decomposition and then distributing the end result around the garden. When I was living in Manhattan, I would take compost to the Fourth Street Co-op and it was a good excuse to get exercise, buy inexpensive organic food and interact with people. (You don't need to be a member to shop there and freelance life can get lonely.)