h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Some might argue that the small amount of fumes and ash produced by one family's burning garbage is less harmful to the environment than the bulky physical waste that sits in landfills rotting and taking hundreds of years to deteriorate. Of course, what's better for one may be worse for many... =)

And, of course, if the farm's sufficiently far off the beaten track, you can trade off the pollution from burning the trash against the pollution from a huge deisel garbage truck detouring to pick it up...