There are exceptions. I have several items made from industrially recycled plastic. (A few plastic bags, a pullover and a restaurant two blocks from me has transparent lids for their paper takeaway containers that say they are from recycled plastic. The bags have a really bad odour tho 🤢 but if it helps the planet a bit, I’m okay with that.)

yeah, you can just let them rot. mold is a fungus eating it up. it is one factor in decomposition. there are also bacteria, insects and others eating dead leafs. fun fact: some plants need the leafs as cover to better survive the winter. decomposing plants can also become warm. the problem with garbage bags is: they don’t let air or microorganisms in, so the contents can’t rot to become soil as fast.

In my region we get a compost bin from the city. A special dump truck collects it for composting.

However, I have seen people using composters on their rooftop gardens. It kinda looked like a bbq grill, but with a big wheel on one side to flip it. That could be for you, if you have rooftop access.

Just read the Inuit traditionally are super calm with and around children, so they learn to be cool instead of having tantrums. Can’t find the post any more tho.

//edit

Article was still in my browser history: https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2019/03/13/685533353/a-playful-way-to-teach-kids-to-control-their-anger