Composting 101

Compost. Black Gold! The rich, dark, nutrient dense product of kitchen scraps, newspaper, and other stuff that you can then sprinkle on your lawn, garden and plants. It's the most natural fertilizer available. It decreases the amount of trash at your curb and helps your local water works manage sewage if you don't put it all down your garbage disposal.

It's easy and here's a simple way to do it. Pick a spot in your yard that's convenient to dump your scraps in, but not right next to your door (not pretty!). You can build a little enclosure with fencing or other material or just use a trash can (one without handles is best). Add "green" items such as kitchen scraps, like coffee grounds, vegetable peelings, lettuce, etc. NEVER add bones, meat, grease, or dog/cat waste. Then add brown items like leaves, plants, shredded paper, dryer lint, etc. This will all heat up and "cook"...really, it does! You will be amazed!

You will need to add enough water (from your rain barrell) to keep it damp like a rung out sponge. You also need to turn it every week or so. If you use the garbage can method, put the tight fitting lid on it, then tip it over and roll it around a bit. Your compost should not have an odor. If it does, it might be too wet. Add brown items (like shredded newspaper) and stir it up. Leave the top off on a sunny day if it get too wet.

You can also add sawdust to your compost. In the fall, add piles of leaves and watch how quickly it all breaks down. In the summer add your grass clippings...but beware...if you add chemicals to your lawn, you now have chemicals in your compost. You can also add 10-10-10 fertilizer to your compost to speed up the process.

There is a combination of nitrogen (green), carbon (brown), and oxygen (stir) that makes the perfect cooking temperature. If the pile is not warm, then your recipe isn't working well and you need to add green or brown items.

See any worms on the ground? Toss them in the compost pile. The worms love it and they work their way around and aerate the pile just like they do in our soil, leaving their "castings" as they move.

Just remember that some things break down quickly, and others take a while. Egg shells, flower stems, nut shells, and orange peels take much longer to break down than shredded paper, leaves, vegetables peels, and grass clippings. You can use a screen to sift the not-quite-turned items out to use the really good stuff.

Your houseplants will look incredible, your tomato plants will love it, and sprinkling it all over your yard will help to aerate and fertilize it for a beautiful green lawn.

Thanks for all the emails! If you have a topic you would like to know more about, or you have something to share, please let me know!

The Scoop on Recycling

Many people may bemoan the fact that they have to walk through a foot of snow to take out the extra recycling bin or make their way out to the compost bin...and, I will concede that it does take a little more effort to do the environmentally responsible thing but Americans are doing it more and more, day by day. What follows are some incredible statistics to see the growth, and to see how much we need to improve.

Americans haul away 82 million TONS of trash to recycling centers each year. This is just 32% of what we throw out. What is the most recycled item? Aluminum cans! A million and a half cans are discarded and we recycle 45% of those. Each can is worth 3 cents. That's a lot of aluminum processing that is used for things like roofs, tin foil, etc. Have you seen the new recycled aluminum foil at the store?

We generate about a million tons of glass and bottles, but only recycle 25% of that. Glass never, ever breaks down. Once it's in the landfill it stays forever. Beautiful kitchen countertops and recycled drinking glasses are being manufactured now, so don't throw out that pickle jar!

Plastic soda bottles generate almost a million tons of waste. We only recycle 31% of that. There are some beautiful rugs, furniture and cutting boards made out of this type of plastic. Flatten those Diet Coke bottles and get them to the recycle center!

We do much better with our newspapers, discarding 12 million tons and recycling 88% of that. Pretty good! Keep putting your paper of all kinds in that recycle bin. Highly efficient home cellulose insulation and kitchen countertops are now made from paper pulp.

Would you pay for a grocery bag each time you buy groceries? Watch out because that is in our future! There are pilot programs in several different states to reduce the number of plastic bags in this country, so don't forget your reusable bags at the grocery. Whenever you shop, someday, you will have to buy bags each time.

Keep the questions coming and turn out those lights! ;>

Green Resources

I would like to pass along several local resources for recycling, reusing and environmentally responsible building and home supplies.

A terrific store has recently opened on Columbia Pkwy in the Tusculum neighborhood called Greener Stock. They carry items such as bamboo and cork flooring, recycled glass and paper countertops, recycled denim insulation, energy efficient lighting, etc. They also offer all kinds of "green" consulting services such as salvage sourcing, construction waste manageent and LEED consulting.

For more household green items and gifts, check out Park and Vine on Vine Street downtown. This store was the first of its kind in the area and has been blazing a green trail with events, classes and a huge variety of merchandise. They show up around town frequently and at Findlay Market. Check them out for a listing of events and classes on everything from composting to organic gardening.

More and more mainstream stores are adding environmentally friendly goods to their shelves. Paper products, cleaning products, stainless steel water bottles, organically grown pesticide free foods, wool and recycled plastic rugs, etc. Lowes is now carrying corn gluten (a natural weed blocker) and Walmart has rain barrels and compost bins.

Speaking of weeds, there are two pesticide and chemical free lawn care companies in town. Pure Lawn on the East side and Planet Green in Clifton. These companies use natural methods and products that are much better for your children, pets and the environment, specifically our groundwater.

It's Easy Being Green!

Many people have asked me lately what to do at home to "be Green" so I thought I would share some of the things we do at my house to reduce waste, recycle and conserve water and energy (reducing our carbon footprint). All of these changes have been pretty easy to implement so I encourage you to pick a few to start with and add more as time goes by.

Besides curbside recycling with 2 bins, we save our newspapers for the ABITIBI bin in our neighborhood. You might have seen these large dumpster looking bins that collect newspapers for recycling and give back to non-profit agencies and schools in the process. Did you know that recycling 1 ton of paper will save 17 trees and 3000 gallons of water?

Most weeks we have only one small bag of trash to take to the curb. This sure will come in handy when the city starts charging per bag and/or reduces pick up to every other week. It will happen sooner or later!

We also compost all kitchen scraps, leaves, dead plants and dryer lint among other things (never compost meat, fish, bones or dog waste). This compost "magically" turns in to the richest, most nutritious soil amendment you've ever seen. Your plants and lawn will love it!

Speaking of lawns...I stopped using ground water polluting pesticides several years ago. Only organic amendments are needed and are safer for the environment, children and dogs (and available at Lowes). I have a "rain garden" at the side of my house that catches the rainwater from my roof on one side of the house and filters it through instead of sending it out to the street sewer system.

We have beautiful native drought tolerant plants that never need any more water than what they get from the rain and downspouts, even during weeks with no rain. I have installed "rain barrels" on the other side of the house that catch rain water from the downspouts for me to use on the lawn, potted plants and keeping the compost bins moist (do NOT use roof water on vegetable gardens). As an added bonus, these measures stopped the small leak in the corner of the basement when it rains.

We use reusable bags at the grocery, of course, but also have a small basket of hand towels next to the sink instead of paper towels.

We have power strips that shut off the "phantom" power to the microwave, toaster and coffee maker, computers, etc. you can puchase special power strips that shut off the TV, but leave the satellite receiver on. Just turn the power switch off. Never leave the cell phone chargers plugged in...some use the same amount of phantom power whether charging or not!

We use CFL bulbs and LED bulbs when possible. The yard is lit with solar lights and instead of staying on all night, the porch light is motion activated.

Of course, I have a programmable thermostat, but we didn't have to turn on the furnace until Thanksgiving. An infared heater is highly efficient for any room, you need to heat. When you do turn the furnace on, be sure to keep the filter clean, especially if you have pets. A dirty filter affects the efficiency of the furnace.

The A/C can get a rest in your home too if you figure out which windows to open and blinds to pull in the heat of summer. Don't get me wrong, that A/C was on this past summer at times, but supplemented with ceiling fans that cost pennies to run.

The hot water heater is set on low which still allows for hot showers and hot water for the dishwasher. Most laundry is done in cold water. It will get your clothes clean! Of course I have been using a clothes line for years, just like my Mom always did. If you don't like the feel of your clothes, throw them in the dryer for 3 or 4 minutes to soften.

We turn the water off when brushing our teeth. Why let water run down the drain when you are busy brushing? You can also reduce water usage by placing a litre bottle filled with pebbles and rocks in your toilet tank. This will decrease the amount of water needed per flush.

Our dishes get sparkly clean and dry without the heat dry setting on the dishwasher and we run it at night when there is less community demand for energy.

Of course, we will use all "green" cleaning supplies. Mostly baking soda, vinegar, lemon, borax and peroxide. You have to really read the label to see what you are getting with all the 'green' products that have hit the market. This green designation is not regulated, so companies are appealing to the "want to be green" consumer. If you look closely though, the ingredients are still toxic and/or bad for the environment.

There's a few more things we do around the house but this gives you a good idea of where you can start. The bottom line is that the greenest products are made from natural, not maufactured ingredients that are made locally and not transported in trucks and trains that pollute the environment. That's what being "green" is all about.

If you have questions about any or all of these green efforts, just let me know! Keep those questions coming!

How many environmentalists does it take to change a light bulb?

Just one and it can make a huge difference in your energy bill!

If every American home replaced just one traditional incandescent bulb with a compact fluorescent (CFL) bulb, we would save more than 600 million dollars on annual energy bills and enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year. That's a lot of power! CFLs last ten times longer than traditional bulbs and use 75% less energy, saving you $30-$60 per bulb. How many bulbs do you have in your house? Yes, CFLs are more expensive, but well worth the upfront cost. AND, Duke energy has implemented a program to provide households with free bulbs. Call Duke to find out how to get your free CFLs.

Also maybe just as important for our Earth, this cost savings results in a reduced demand for energy and delays the need for new power plants. Especially coal burning plants that badly pollute the air.

Did you know that you can call Duke and schedule an energy audit of your home? It's free! They really want to save you money and make you a happy customer. Duke also has a voluntary program you can sign up for to monitor your energy usage. You will receive a reduced rate on your energy usage. Go to Duke's web site to learn more. http://www.duke-energy.com/

While you're waiting for your Duke audit (it takes a few days), these crisp autumn days are perfect for winterizing your home. It's easy and will save you substantial money on your energy bill. Check all your windows and doors for leaks around the edges. Use caulk on exterior window gaps and install weather stripping around your doors. You can even buy foam insulation squares for your exterior wall outlets. It's easy...just unscrew the plate, place the foam square on it and screw it back in. It really makes a difference.

You can also insulate your water pipes in the basement. These foam tubes are also available at the hardware store and are super easy to install.

Futher winterize your home by changing the direction of your ceiling fans. Warm air rises, so ceiling fans help to circulate warm air near the ceiling back down to the living area. Set the fan on reverse to turn counter clockwise. Ceiling fans cost no more to run than a light bulb.

Turning your thermostat down 1-2 degrees will result in savings as well. If you don't have a programmable thermostat, get one and install it to really start saving on energy costs. Set the thermostat to kick on before you wake up in the morning and to go back down when you leave the house. Be sure to program it for before you get home from work and before you go to bed. This really is a smart, efficient way to control the climate in your home.

Finally, be sure your furnace filter is clean and that air circulates freely through the system. A clogged furnace filter makes the furnace work harder and less efficiently, costing you money! If you have pets, change your filter more frequently.

Also, be sure your duct damper switches are set correctly. Many people ignore the ductwork and wonder why certain areas or rooms are colder than others. The duct handles should be in the open position.

For those of you interested, the humidity level in your house should be between 30 and 40 percent. The more humidity, the warmer it feels, and your skin doesn't feel so dry.

The good news is that gas energy costs are predicted to be lower this year than last. Most homeowners heating with gas will spend less money to heat their homes this year. With a little winterization effort, your costs can be even lower.

Green Gifting

All the packages are unwrapped, re-gifted, returned and the New Year celebrated. Here in the US we throw out an extra 25 million tons of trash over the holidays, largely due to packaging. It's funny that we all pay for the paper and bags and ape that will be immediately crumpled and thrown in to a garbage bag. Then we pay someone to come in a big truck and take it all to be buried in a landfill.

Here are some options for saving money and saving the earth regarding wrapping and gift giving.

• Use newspaper and magazine pages instead. Cheap, ugly and frugal right? Maybe you can start a trend! Less clean up! (or be ambitious and use your newspapers to create your own unique wrapping paper - click the link to learn how to make your own paper)


• Use the sports page for a sports fan, comics for kids, etc. By the way, do kids really care about the paper?


• Use other alterantive cloths and products. Power tools, etc, could be wrapped in a canvas tarp! (Every handy person needs a good tarp for projects!)


• You can buy new paint cans and place a gift in there. The paint can can be re-used.


• How about using new dish towels for that chef on your list?

You get the idea! Be cute and creative!

Any small changes you make will help reduce the impact on the environment and save you money!

As requested, here are some tips for re-using some common household items. Paper towel and toilet paper holders can be stuffed with dryer lint and used as fire starters in your fireplace or firepit. Who knew these little items could start a roaring fire? No need to buy wood in a bag at the store or petroleum based "fire starters."

Don't you hate unraveling Christmas lights? You can also use those paper towel rolls or wrapping paper tubes to store your Christmas lights. Cut a slit in the top and begin winding the strand of lights around the tube. This keeps your lights tidy until next year.

Re-use your old toothbrushes as cleaning brushes for small projects...they are perfect for cleaning around the base of sinks, tile and furniture stripping and refinishing.

Here's your energy savings tip for the month: keep your dryer vent clean! A clogged dryer vent is a fire hazard and needs routine cleaning. It also keeps your dryer working more efficiently. If the filter and hose are clogged with lint, the air is obstructed. Remove the filter and lint after each load and periodically check the length of the hose and where it comes out of the house. Here's a hint...remove the dryer filter and pour water on it. If that water does not drain through immediately, it needs to be scrubbed clean with a mild detergent (you can use an old toothbrush!).

Keep those comments coming! If I don't have the answer, I'll find out! In the meantime, turn out the lights!

Welcome!

Welcome to the Green Scene, your source for all things "green."

This blog will help you save money and save the earth. Did you ever wonder which is better? Paper or plastic? Cloth or disposable diapers?

What should you do with all those plastic grocery bags? Are batteries recyclable? What about composting? Are those CFL bulbs really worth it? Is your water bottle safe?

This blog will give you the answers to these common questions and help you save on your energy costs.

Let's start with saving energy in the workplace! Did you know that computer monitors use 80% of the energy consumption of a computer system? Turning off a 75 watt computer monitor for just 40 hours a week can save $5 a month. That's $60 a year! How many computer monitors do you have in your house? If you have at least 2 (the average number of computers per household in the US) or even three, then you could see significant savings by simply turning off the monitor. Turn your whole computer system off when you go on vacation or won't be using it for more than 2 days. Contrary to what some people might think, screen saver mode does not conserve energy.

We can all do little things to help conserve energy, save money and save the Earth!

If you have any questions or have a specific area that you are interested in, let me know and we will tackle that subject!