#composting

[gaylienz]

The 7 R’s of Sustainability:

Did you know that ‘recycling’ is step 6 of the 7 Rs of sustainability? The other R’s are just as important even if they are often forgotten.

Rethink- Do I really need to buy this? The point of this step is to stop and think.

Refuse- Does this product damage the environment? If so, refuse to spend your money on it. i.e. single use plastics, harsh chemicals

Reduce- How much of this do I really need? Buy less! Buy in bulk when you can as it often equals less packaging to throw out.

Reuse- Can I use this product again? Can I fix what I have so that I don’t need to buy something new? Reuse that plastic water bottle a few times. And instead of buying new, try thrift shopping, flea markets, yard sales etc.

Repurpose- Unlimited creativity! Does this item have another use? i.e. old torn clothes can be rags or plastic cups can be planters.

Recycle- Can I recycle this? Not everything can be. There are also some important steps to making sure your recycling is done properly. If unsure, look up local recycling regulations.

Rot- Can I compost this? Food waste, yard clippings, newspapers and many other items can be composted instead of being tossed in the trash. Composting is surprisingly simple and helps reduce harmful greenhouse gasses from entering the atmosphere.

What is the point of the R’s? The number one benefit of the 7 R’s are the reduction of the amount of waste sent to incinerators and landfills. The EPA website provides a lot of useful information. Other benefits that we can reap from implementing these concepts in our life are (as listed on the EPA website): • Prevents pollution caused by reducing the need to harvest new raw materials • Saves energy from not making a new product • Reduces greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change • Helps sustain the environment and natural resources for future generations • Saves money from processing our waste • Increases economic security by tapping a domestic source of materials • Helps create jobs in the recycling and manufacturing industries in the United States

https://www.northglenn.org/government/departments/public_works/trash/recycling.php https://www.nrdc.org/stories/composting-101 https://www.epa.gov/recycle https://www.northglenn.org/Recycling%20Article.pdf

[soil-is-alive]

🌱✨️ "Living Soil" Embroidered Crewnecks & Hoodies ✨️🌱

Stay cozy while supporting soil health and sustainable farming 💚💛❤️

🌟 when you sign up for email offers and updates on our website, you get a chance to win up to 50% OFF your order!

🌟 FREE SHIPPING for orders over $50!!!

[youdelight-itolerate]

I love this journey for me 🙏🏼

[victusinveritas]

How to Make a Homemade Vermicomposter

Materials Needed:

Three durable plastic totes (preferably Roughneck brand for their durability)

One lid for the totes

A cooler drain or similar item for drainage

Drill with a quarter-inch bit

Bricks or blocks for elevation

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Preparation of Totes:

Start by drilling quarter-inch holes across the bottom of two totes. These holes are crucial for allowing worms to move between layers and for drainage.

Additionally, drill holes around the upper edges of these totes to provide adequate aeration.

2. Setting Up the Drainage System:

The bottom tote will act as your drainage collector. Here, you will need to install the cooler drain. Make sure to place it on the recessed side of the tote for effective drainage.

The drilled holes will allow excess liquid, also known as ‘worm tea’, to drain out, which can be used as a nutrient-rich liquid fertilizer.

3. Assembling the Vermicomposter:

Stack the two drilled totes above the drainage tote. These will serve as the living quarters for your worms and the composting area.

The worms and compost material will go into the top tote initially.

4. Transferring the Worms:

Carefully transfer your worms into the top tote, along with their current bedding and food scraps.

As the top tote gets filled with worm castings, shift it to the middle, making the newly top tote the active composting layer.

5. Maintenance and Harvesting:

Continue adding kitchen scraps and bedding to the new top layer. The worms will migrate upwards towards the new food source, leaving behind rich compost in the lower tote.

Once a tote is full of castings and devoid of worms, it can be emptied into your garden.

Regularly check the bottom tote for worm tea and use it as a liquid fertilizer in your garden.

6. Elevating the System:

Raise the entire setup on bricks or blocks. This elevation helps in easier drainage and accessibility.

[lucybellwood]

The Australian brush turkey is famed for building what can only be referred to as a “hot compost pile” for a nest. The male of the species will accomplish this remarkable feet by gathering together a large amount of organic material, such as leaves, twigs, soil, and grasses, until they’ve built up a mound of approximately three feet in height and anywhere from thirteen to sixteen feet in width. (Notably, it is common knowledge in the composting world that at least 3×3×3 feet is the size required by a pile in order to begin to get high temperatures. Perhaps we learned from the turkeys, at some point.) Once eggs are laid (up to 24 per pile), the turkey parents will continue to add material to the pile and re-layer its ingredients, in order to maintain a perfect incubation temperature of approximately ~90°F until the eggs are ready to hatch. This can take anywhere from 60-90 days. This is, all things considered, a stupendous achievement. Some of the most qualified composters I know might struggle to succeed at such a task without at least some level of technological intervention, and here the humble turkey has become an intuitive master. 

—Cass Marketos, "The Rot"

[petula-xx]

MAY 5 - 11 2024

Only a couple of sleeps left to go!!!!!

[happigreens]

I love how my compost keeps them safe and warm.

[rubbishraven]

ideas for reducing my waste in 2025

using what I have!

reusable bags, reusable produce bags, using plastic free packaging when possible, reusing items for art or in my home, being selective when purchasing new items (will I actually use it?), eco bricking!, and composting.

[t00thpasteface]

the carrot peels are a big hit with the pillbugs!!!

[reasonsforhope]

The new 'compost obligatoire' rules came into force on 1 January 2024. Here's what they entail.

As of 1 January 2024, organic waste recycling is mandatory in France under new 'compost obligatoire' rules.

With support from the government’s Green Fund, municipalities must provide residents with ways to sort bio-waste, which includes food scraps, vegetable peels, expired food and garden waste.

Households and businesses are required to dispose of organic matter either in a dedicated small bin for home collection or at a municipal collection point. Previously, only those who generated over five tonnes of organic waste per year were required to separate it.

The waste will then be turned into biogas or compost to replace chemical fertilisers. Alternatively, it can be composted at home.

The obligation is currently on local authorities to provide an easy means for households to compost or separate organic waste.

While facilities are rolled out, there will not be fines imposed for non-compliance. It is yet to be seen whether stricter rules will be imposed in future. 

One-third of household waste is bio-waste

Organic waste from food and gardens accounts for almost one-third of household waste. When it is mixed with other rubbish, it typically ends up in landfills or incinerators, where it produces heat-trapping greenhouse gases like methane and CO2.

Food waste is responsible for about 16 per cent of the total emissions from the EU food system, according to the European Commission. Globally, food loss and waste generates around 8 per cent of all human-caused emissions annually, the UN says.

It can also contaminate packaging destined for recycling like paper, plastic and glass.

In 2018, only 34 per cent of the EU’s total bio-waste was collected, leaving 40 million tonnes of potential soil nutrients to be discarded, according to NGO Zero Waste Europe.

In France, an estimated 82 kg of compostable waste per person is thrown away each year.

Is bio-waste separation mandatory in other European countries?

Under the EU’s Waste Framework Directive, bio-waste collection is being encouraged this year, but it stops short of setting mandatory targets.

In many European countries, organic waste separation has already been implemented at the municipal level.

Milan in Italy has been running a residential food waste collection programme since 2014. Households were given dedicated bins and compostable bags to kick off the scheme.

Elsewhere, taxes or bans on incinerating bio-waste have encouraged similar schemes, with separate bins and home composting widespread in Austria, the Netherlands and Belgium.

The UK announced plans to roll out separate food waste collection in 2023. It remains voluntary for households in England, but is more strictly enforced in Wales and for business owners.

How to sort your bio-waste

Ideally, all waste - including organic matter - should be kept to a minimum.

This can be achieved through careful meal planning. Consuming, freezing or preserving food before it expires along with using every part of an ingredient also help to reduce waste. Some food waste can even be repurposed into animal feed.

Any food waste that cannot be saved or repurposed should be either composted or separated for collection. This includes uneaten food scraps, baked goods, dairy products, eggshells, fruit and vegetables and their peels, mouldy food, pet food, raw and cooked meat and fish, bones, tea and coffee grounds.

Liquids, non-food products and packaging should not be placed in bio-waste bins.

-via EuroNews.Green, January 2, 2024

[bargainorgans]

the reblog tags on some of my posts are so cute.. i love when there’s messages n stuff it’s so adorable. cute little things just can’t help yourselves <3

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Wednesday 11 December 2024

In the shelter of the compost heaps at Great Dixter, Sussex (complete with thermometer) can be found growing Malva arborea 'Variegata' (tree mallow). This is a large biennial or short lived perennial that looks impressive through the winter and has masses of purple flowers in summer in its second or third year.

Jill Raggett

[soil-is-alive]

Isopods, aka roly-polies or pill bugs, - tiny crustaceans with BIG impacts

They’re detritivores, meaning they feast on dead and decaying organic matter—like fallen leaves, wood, and even fungi. 🍂🥀🪵

Here’s why they’re vital for our soil:

🌱 Nutrient Recycling: As they munch through plant material, they break it down into smaller particles, speeding up the decomposition process. This enriches the soil with vital nutrients that plants need to thrive.

🔄 Carbon Cycling: By decomposing organic material, isopods play a key role in the carbon cycle, helping store carbon in the soil and reducing carbon loss to the atmosphere.

🌍 Soil Aeration: While burrowing and feeding, isopods loosen compacted soil, improving oxygen flow and creating a healthier environment for plant roots and microorganisms.

Found on every continent except Antarctica, isopods thrive in forests, gardens, and even urban environments. 🌟 Wherever there’s organic matter to break down, these hardworking decomposers are on the job!

So next time you see an isopod, give it some love! 🤍 They’re working hard to keep our soil alive and thriving. 🌿

[shadowcreature]

i made this infographic for a school project but please feel free to use it!! not necessary but if you would like to credit me my name is Tatum St. James :3

(note: everyone will tell you something different about weeds that have gone to seed. a good general rule is if you're doubtful about anything, just don't put it in!)

[rainbowofcrazy]

Two of my fav reads of 2024:

Grow Your Soil! by Diane Miessler

Worms Eat My Garbage, by Mary Appelhof & Joanne Olszewski

Both are great resources, with lots of easy to digest info for gardeners at any level

[balkanradfem]

Lately I've been pleased whenever I find a way to make use of something that would otherwise get thrown away; for instance, I learned that you can use scrunched-up aluminium foil to scrub pans and pots, instead of that ball of wire you can buy!

The walnuts that you can't completely clean out of shells, are a great bird snack, who can get their beaks in there. Fruit that is starting to go bad/already has gone bad, is a great food for butterflies. Any food that's starting to get rotten can be a great addition to a compost pile and a snack for any worm. Citrus peels can be used to infuse vinegar to make nice-smelling cleaning solution. Or they can be made into sugared candy! Lemon slices that make a great winter decoration, can be used as a halloween decoration later when they turn black. Any small carboard box you have can be used for organizing, and if you have a big one, you can put a wooden board on it and create a little shelf to put plants on! An old cracked aquarium can be used as a little greenhouse, or an extra shelf on top of a surface. Old newspapers and old clothing can be cut into strips or tubes, and weaved into baskets. Old paper egg cartons can be soaked, blended and then turned into paper. Any plastic container can get a hole at the bottom and grow a plant in it.

Please tell me more things that you know how to reuse that would otherwise just be thrown away! I want more of this knowledge.