Teignbridge councillor Gordon Hook has masterminded a welcome initiative by inviting residents and community groups to give their views on the introduction of the green waste pilot scheme.
The district authority's executive portfolio holder for the environment wants letters forwarded to the editor of the Advertiser.
'I promise to provide a response to every letter either publicly next week in the Advertiser, or privately to the contact addresses of the letter writers,' he said.
The new green waste collection system is due to be introduced by the council on July 7, will run for three months and then be reviewed.
Explaining it was a vital policy and critically important that the scheme succeeded, Cllr Hook said that currently about 25 per cent of the waste put into holes was garden waste.
'Devon is rapidly running out of these holes, and alternatives need to be found. Simply dumping vast quantities of garden waste into landfill sites is both short-sighted and environmentally damaging.
'Once in the ground it degrades and produces vast quantities of methane gas, which is particularly damaging to the environment,' he said.
The encouragement of home or community composting was the number one option.
Cllr Hook explained that he had inherited a system that gave no realistic choice to residents – either they composted waste at home or took the garden waste to the tip.
'For the elderly, infirm, car-less, etc, this was not an option. This caused considerable worry and consternation among adversely affected groups,' he said, stressing this was why it was being treated as a priority and the new scheme was being offered as a positive, alternative choice.
'The question will be asked: "why not a free service, after all we pay a big enough council tax."
'I have some sympathy with that view, and would like all our services to be free. That is unrealistic, and this optional service is based on the principle of pay to use.
'Those living in gardenless properties or those who choose to home-compost should surely not subsidise those availing themselves of the service,' he added.
Large bags will be sold at a number of outlets (all council buildings/participating shops etc) at 50p each or five for £2. They will be collected on a four-weekly rota during the normal collection. Cost of the collection service is included in the purchase price.
Cllr Hook said: 'I sincerely hope that residents will not only see and appreciate the critical need for this scheme, but join with me in trying to make it succeed. Its failure would be economically and environmentally devastating.'