Dirt cheap

photo courtesy of vickihoefle.com

I know, it's been awhile, but did you really think you'd heard the last from me?  Come on, you know I love to dish the dirt!  Here's a riddle for you...

What do eggs shells, coffee grounds, cucumber skins, banana peels, apple cores, nut shells, and grass clippings have in common?

Well they make great organic "green" additions to the compost pile. Greens are rich in nitrogen, and are usually wet or moist.  Eliminating organic items from our trash and landfills, then turning them into "black gold" or gorgeous rich soil is a sustainable, dirt cheap way improve soil quality and feed your plants and/or lawn. 

Besides the free "greens" that often originate from the kitchen or yard clippings, you will need to layer in "browns" or carbon sources that provide energy, prevent compaction, and increase airflow.  Since browns are dryer, they help absorb moisture and decrease odors, which helps eliminate critters from visiting the compost pile.  So where do you get browns?  I'm willing to bet you have lots of "browns" that can also be saved from the trash.   Do you have a paper shredder?  If so, you can add the shredded paper to your compost.  How about newspapers, wood ash from your fire pit, dryer lint, or sawdust?  And everyone has toilet paper tubes or cardboard egg cartons that can be ripped up and added to the compost.  And most notably at this time of year, the beautiful leaves that drift to the ground need to be raked, make a wonderful addition to your compost pile.  It always makes me shake my head when I see black plastic trash bags full of leave out at the curb.  Don't they have any space to compost?  Do they not know how?  Could they take the leaves to their DPW?  The leaves should be decomposing naturally, replenishing the soil somewhere, not taking up space in a landfill encased in plastic bags.  Browns are an important part of the composting process because they slow the composting process and feed good bacteria.

Some people favor compost bins that can be purchased for big bucks, but it's not necessary to buy a

bin.  Growing up, I remember taking the compost out to the very simply constructed "bins" made from galvanized wire fencing that was fashioned into a circle and supported by green fencing posts.  Or how about constructing a "bin" out of found or free materials such as 4-5 pallets.  Simply nail or screw them together creating a square enclosure, with or without a bottom.  There are also plenty of plans on the internet.  Or if you aren't the handy sort, you can compost  "in place" if you desire.  In the past, we've had a section within our garden that was left fallow, and we composted directly in that area.  A side perk of that method was that the following summer we had a cantaloupe plant grow, and we enjoyed the melons late in the summer!    

Although taking the compost out has never been one of the favorite chores in the household, we continue to compost even during the winter months.  Deep within the compost bin, millions of micro-and macro- organisms such as good bacteria and worms are hard at work breaking down the greens and browns.  Along with the greens and browns that you supply, air and moisture are also necessary.  In our yard, the bin stays warm and steam resulting from decomposition can often be seen in the colder months.  Even if we can get the pitchfork into the bin to cover over the latest offerings, we can place shredded paper on top, or allow it to freeze until the weather warms.  The soil that has resulted over the years is wonderful rich, organic soil that we use in our vegetable and flower gardens.  

As the saying goes, you have to eat a peck of dirt before you die, so why not give composting a try?  Eliminate huge amounts of organics and paper products from your trash, enhance your soil quality and enjoy the benefits of free, new soil, and just think ...it's dirt cheap!

Freecycle to the Rescue

Today, two older, large, color CRT (cathode ray tube) computer monitors were rescued from the dusty basement and attic by a Freecycler.  I posted the monitors on my local Freecycle board, and got a quick response, and they were picked up within 24 hours.  Earlier in the week a Freecycler posted that she was in need of a printer, and it just so happened that we've had a printer sitting around taking up space as well.  There was nothing wrong with the printer/fax/copier, it just wasn't able to handle the capacity of our busy scholars, so I jotted her a note, and she came by the same day to pick it up.  I'm psyched to free up the space and reduce clutter, find new "homes" for the unused equipment, and glad someone else will put them to use. 

If you haven't heard of Freecycle, you should check it out at http://www.freecycle.org/ and search for your local Freecycle group.  The Freecycle Network™ is made up of 5,035 groups with 8,917,299 members around the world.  Freecycling links up people that have unwanted things to give away at no cost, with people who need or want things.  I have Freecycled countless items, and it makes me feel good to share with others and reduce the environmental impact of our waste by keeping it out of  landfills and/or incinerators.  It's also a good way for those on a budget to pick up items for free, reducing their expenses.  Ultimately, Freecycling also results in decreased demands on new manufacturing processes, which results in energy savings and resource conservation.  Freecycling is a win-win in my book!


Source: http://www.freecycle.org

Egg-cellent!

It's almost time for the Easter Bunny to come hopping down the bunny trail, and this year maybe you'll have an egg-cellent environmentally friendly surprise filled with sweets in your basket! Instead of plastic eggs from China, consider buying the "first 100% renewable Easter Eggs" made in the USA by eco eggs™.  Eco eggs offers their renewable multi-colored Easter egg alternative from non-toxic corn starch instead of petroleum-based plastics.  The eggs are also compostable, and do not generate emissions and create landfill waste, yet they are durable enough to be stored for years and used again and again.  And if you need grass filler for your Easter baskets, eco eggs™  also offers eco grass that is compostable and made from non-toxic corn starch, or can be stored and reused for years.  And just think, if one or two eggs get left behind after the egg hunt it won't be a problem!  The plant-based eco-eggs will slowly and harmlessly decompose.  For more Earth-friendly Easter tips be sure to check out http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2011/04/happy-easter-2011.html 

Here's to an eco-Easter filled with fun and hoppiness :)

Eco Friendlier Bubbles!

Today when we open a pack of Wrigley's gum, we discovered that they have switched to paper wrappers.  This saves about 850 metric tons of foil from going into landfills each year, which is equal to 60 millions cans each year!  That's wicked cool that a small change, such as a tiny foil gum wrapper vs. a tiny gum wrapper, can add up to be such a major impact.  Babysteps all around and congrats to Wrigley's for making the change!  http://www.wrigley.com/global/our-commitment/global-sustainability.aspx

I'm smiling thinking that we are chewing gum that has eco-friendlier bubbles....and yes, I recycled the tiny paper wrapper as did Rosebud :)

Picking Low Lying Fruit

Low Lying Fruit

To quote my favorite green guru, Ed Begley Jr., we picked some "low lying fruit"!  No, not the edible kind, but the kind that will save energy AND money.  Our low lying fruit was the front door lights.   

Every time I'd notice the front lights were ON during the day, I'd cringe.  I knew we were wasting energy and money....ggrrrrr.  The dawn to dusk feature on the motion sensitive front lights was not working, and we ended up leaving the lights on to ensure no one got hurt walking up to the door in the dark.  But, then we'd forget to turn them off, they'd end up being on all night, and many, many times they would not get turned off at all since we don't typically go out that door. 

The electric eye had been broken for some time, and we'd attempted adding a new photo-electric eye, but that didn't work, probably because of the special wiring involved with the motion sensitive part as well as the integrated electric-eye.  We felt so frustrated and confused when the new eye didn't work that we decide to sleep on it before taking any more steps.  But out of sight, IS out of mind and time marched on, and it didn't get fixed. 

I think it was a trip to Lowes that jogged my memory about the lights, and we discussed replacing the fixture completely, and even bought one light figuring we could just replace the one, and move another from around back.  Turns out the one out back also had a busted electic eye!  Hmmm now we began to think that the integrated electric eye was doomed to break, and re-thought our original plan.  We ultimately decided that throwing the lights into the landfill and spending money on two new lamps wasn't the best option either.  

Luckily hubby, being the genius he is, was able to re-wire the existing lights to enable the new electric eye to work!  So we picked the "low lying fruit", and in this situation with a broken fixture, were able to use the two new electric eyes that we thought weren't going to work in our lights, saved the two light fixtures from the landfill, and best of all, are saving electricity DAILY!  I'm so lucky that hubby is such a handyman!!!!

Incensed about the Census - Day 19

Ok, I'm INCENSED about the Census mail we received today...let me just say that I am not against the Census. I understand that it is important to collect data to help decide the allocation of federal funding, etc. But, what I don't understand is WHY we received a letter today telling us to watch for the census in about a week!!!! WHAT?!!!!! The government wasted one sheet of paper, one envelope, postage for about 307,000,000 Americans, and let's not forget the impact of delivering all the mail. The greenhouse gases contributed by the planes and mail trucks to deliver the "pre-census letter" is a horrible shame.

The "pre-census letter" has already been recycled at my house, but what percentage of the pounds and pounds of paper will be recycled? Unfortunately, much of that paper will end up in the landfills. How much money did that mailing to tell us they would be mailing the census cost the taxpayers? There are already commercials to let everyone know that they should fill out the census and why (and don't forget those commercials cost the taxpayers money too!)

Bottom line, the letter from the Census today is WASTEFUL, contributes to pollution, and global warming, and I doubt it will make any difference in the outcome. If the government wants to have an impact, they could have a positive green impact by not wasting trees, money, resources, and preventing green house gases.