While browsing around the internet today, I came across EcologyFund. It is a site dedicated to saving our planet, whose advertisers pay a certain amount per click. Click your way to reducing pollution, protecting endangered species and replenishing our rain forests. Just for signing up, they donate 500 sq ft of forest in your name.
While we still buy green and do our part to reduce waste, I think this is a great step for in the middle!
Monday, December 29, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Oprah's Compost Bin!
Oprah used the Outside Gourmet Compost Bin on her show during Earth Day!
Right now Composters is having a 30% off sale on all products from compost bins, compost tumblers, rain barrels, electric lawn mowers, pet waste compost and supplies, red worms and vermiculture supplies to raised garden beds! Definitely worth a look before the same is over.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Electric and reel lawn mowers are a worthy investment.
“Tis the season to—mow the lawn. Though we may all be glad to see the gloomy days of winter go bye-bye, we also know its time to tend to the lawn. Popular money expert David Bach offers a way to save some money - and the environment - while you mow the lawn in his new book Go Green, Live Rich. If you’re in the market for a new lawn mower, Bach says you should consider buying an electric version over a gas-powered machine. Reason being, it costs about $5 a year to use an electric mower, whereas gas-powered cutters are subject to the skyrocketing prices of fuel. Americans use 800 million gallons of gas each year on lawn mowers alone. Worst yet, 17 million gallons of gas are wasted on spillage each year. You can also help improve the air quality in your neighborhood by using an electric mower. If you spend one hour mowing your lawn with a gas machine, it’s the equivalent of having driven 100 miles! Electric lawn mowers can be found at retailers like Home Depot and range from about $150 to $450.”
Consider Electric over Gas Powered Lawn Mowers | Charles and Hudson
Check out the electric lawn mowers and reel lawn mowers at Composters!
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
When is your rainy season? Maybe you should invest in a rain barrel!
Here in the typically sunny California, our rainy season generally runs from November to March, with the heaviest being early in the year. This tends to send those with already questionable driving skills into a panic and it shows on our freeways. Those of us not smart enough to wear galoshes, have a hard time getting used to the squish squish our shoes make from walking through puddles left by our ill prepared drainage systems.
It happens every year, but there IS a way to take advantage of this change in weather, or non-change in weather, depending on where you reside. You see, as much as the rain frizzes our hair and destroys our shoes, it can be very useful to those with a green thumb or really anyone who wants to do their part in preserving this planet of ours.
This would be catching the rain draaaaainage.
Now, reusing rain water may not be as profitable as say, Texas tea… it still can put an impressive dent in your water bill, because you can use it to water your plants, lawn, whatever.
When searching for rain barrels, you have a few to choose from. There is the kind you hook up directly to your gutters. The GWS Diverter kit can get you started on that, as well as the Wood Grain Rain Barrel. There are stand alone kits for those who may not want it connected to the roof gutter or perhaps you want BOTH, there is the Rain Catcher that comes with a screen to keep the undesirables out, a hose for easy watering and a spigot. A slightly more fashionable, yet functional, option would be the Gardenware Oasis Rain Barrel, which comes in two colors to better match your decor, has a lovely form that brings to mind ancient garden design, as well as the necessary screen and spigot. It can also take the rain from your gutter or straight from the air as it falls.
Don’t forget, with standing water, comes mosquitos, so throw in a Mosquito Donut (believe me, NOT as tasty as it sounds) to keep the mosquitos to a minimum.
Choosing your vermiculture bin
Probably the easiest and most efficient worm bin that I am familiar with is the Worm Bungalow at Composters.com. Made with ease and efficiency in mind, the Worm Bungalow will house 20 lbs plus of red worms and nightcrawlers, not to mention can decompose tons of waste in a year.
It comes with a heating unit and is well insulated so that your worms can do their thing all year round. It is definitely an investment worth looking into.
It comes with a heating unit and is well insulated so that your worms can do their thing all year round. It is definitely an investment worth looking into.
Monday, December 15, 2008
25 Great Composting Tips
Composting101.com provides a great resource for someone just getting into composting or seasoned pros looking for new ideas.
Here are their top 25 composting tips:
1. Grass clippings add necessary nitrogen to a compost pile, but be sure to mix with the "brown" materials that add carbon. Both are necessary for quick decomposition and rich compost. Piles made up of just grass will compact, slow down and start to stink.
(See Composters.com, Organic Compost Maker and Ultra-Concentrated Liquid Compost Accelerator)
2. Do not compost fats, pet droppings, or animal products. They will attract pests to the pile and can spread disease.
(See, Composters Pet Waste Products for easy disposal solutions.)
3. Newspaper or plain white paper from the computer is excellent for composting - just remember to shred it first to speed up the process.
4. Got compost? When finished it should look, feel and smell like rich, dark soil. You should not be able to recognize any of the items you put in there.
5. Worms love coffee grounds!
(See, extensive collection of red worms and vermiculture supplies.)
6. If adding ashes to your compost bin, do so sparingly. They are alkaline and affect the pH of the pile. In contrast, acidic materials include pine needles and oak leaves.
7. Plants that have been treated with pesticides and/or herbicides (weeds and lawn clippings) should be avoided.
8. The microbes responsible for breaking down your compost pile need a balance of nitrogen and carbon. Nitrogen comes from green materials such as food scraps, manure, and grass clippings. Carbon comes from brown materials such as dead leaves, hay, wood chips and shredded newspaper. A ratio that contains equal portions of both and is well mixed works best.
9. Algae and seaweed make excellent additions to your compost pile. Be sure to rinse off any salts before using.
10. Finished compost is usually less than half the volume of the materials you started with, but it's much denser.
11. Keep your compost pile in a black plastic bin and in direct sunlight to continue the composting process through the winter. Hay bales can be used to further insulate the pile.
(See compost bins and accessories)
12. Wooden pallets make excellent compost bins. Start with one pallet on the ground. Drive two metal stakes into each side. Slide additional pallets over each support and you have a bin ready for compost.
(See compost corral corners)
13. Straw is an excellent source of carbon for your compost pile. However, it may contain weed seeds, so make sure the pile is "cooking" properly.
14. Compost decomposes fastest between 120 and 160 degrees F. Decomposition will occur at lower temperatures, but it takes much longer.
(See Green Johanna Hot Komposter, for composting in colder climates)
15. The perfect size for a compost pile is one that is at least 3' x 3' x 3'. It's not only a manageable size to turn, but it's ideal for retaining heat while still allowing air flow.
(See, heavy duty pitch fork for compost aeration.)
16. For faster composting keep your pile or compost bin in direct sun.
17. Don't throw away your kitchen waste in the winter - try an indoor composter.
(See kitchen scrap mini- indoor compost bins, in green plastic, stainless steele, or white porcelain.
18. Compost piles should remain damp but not too wet. As you build your compost pile, make sure that each layer is moist as it is added. The surface should also remain damp (think of a wrung out sponge), especially during the summer months.
19. Does your compost pile smell? It's probably due to a large number of anaerobic microbes, which are working hard to break down your compost, but creating a smelly situation in the process. To cut down on the anaerobic process, aerate your pile regularly, creating air spaces and limiting the anaerobic microbes while stimulating the less stinky aerobic microbes.
(See Metal Pile Turner and Aerator for additional compost bin aeration)
20. Help start a new compost pile with aged manure, cottonseed meal, alfalfa meal, blood meal, or compost starter. They are rich in nitrogen and help jump-start the microbes responsible for breaking down organic matter into compost.
21. Anything that was living at one time is great for compost bins. Think of leaves, vegetables, and grass clippings.
22. Compost piles can either be layered - thin layers of alternating greens and browns, or they can all be thrown in together and mixed well. Either way works!
23. Soak finished compost in water to "brew" compost "tea," a nutrient-rich liquid that can be used for foliar feeding or for watering plants in your garden, backyard, or houseplants.
24. Apply finished compost to your garden about 2-4 weeks before you plant, giving the compost time to integrate and stabilize within the soil. Click here for a guide to vegetable gardening.
25. For faster results, use a compost turner every two weeks to aerate your pile.
(See variety of compost tumblers to best suit your needs.)
via - Composting101.com
Here are their top 25 composting tips:
1. Grass clippings add necessary nitrogen to a compost pile, but be sure to mix with the "brown" materials that add carbon. Both are necessary for quick decomposition and rich compost. Piles made up of just grass will compact, slow down and start to stink.
(See Composters.com, Organic Compost Maker and Ultra-Concentrated Liquid Compost Accelerator)
2. Do not compost fats, pet droppings, or animal products. They will attract pests to the pile and can spread disease.
(See, Composters Pet Waste Products for easy disposal solutions.)
3. Newspaper or plain white paper from the computer is excellent for composting - just remember to shred it first to speed up the process.
4. Got compost? When finished it should look, feel and smell like rich, dark soil. You should not be able to recognize any of the items you put in there.
5. Worms love coffee grounds!
(See, extensive collection of red worms and vermiculture supplies.)
6. If adding ashes to your compost bin, do so sparingly. They are alkaline and affect the pH of the pile. In contrast, acidic materials include pine needles and oak leaves.
7. Plants that have been treated with pesticides and/or herbicides (weeds and lawn clippings) should be avoided.
8. The microbes responsible for breaking down your compost pile need a balance of nitrogen and carbon. Nitrogen comes from green materials such as food scraps, manure, and grass clippings. Carbon comes from brown materials such as dead leaves, hay, wood chips and shredded newspaper. A ratio that contains equal portions of both and is well mixed works best.
9. Algae and seaweed make excellent additions to your compost pile. Be sure to rinse off any salts before using.
10. Finished compost is usually less than half the volume of the materials you started with, but it's much denser.
11. Keep your compost pile in a black plastic bin and in direct sunlight to continue the composting process through the winter. Hay bales can be used to further insulate the pile.
(See compost bins and accessories)
12. Wooden pallets make excellent compost bins. Start with one pallet on the ground. Drive two metal stakes into each side. Slide additional pallets over each support and you have a bin ready for compost.
(See compost corral corners)
13. Straw is an excellent source of carbon for your compost pile. However, it may contain weed seeds, so make sure the pile is "cooking" properly.
14. Compost decomposes fastest between 120 and 160 degrees F. Decomposition will occur at lower temperatures, but it takes much longer.
(See Green Johanna Hot Komposter, for composting in colder climates)
15. The perfect size for a compost pile is one that is at least 3' x 3' x 3'. It's not only a manageable size to turn, but it's ideal for retaining heat while still allowing air flow.
(See, heavy duty pitch fork for compost aeration.)
16. For faster composting keep your pile or compost bin in direct sun.
17. Don't throw away your kitchen waste in the winter - try an indoor composter.
(See kitchen scrap mini- indoor compost bins, in green plastic, stainless steele, or white porcelain.
18. Compost piles should remain damp but not too wet. As you build your compost pile, make sure that each layer is moist as it is added. The surface should also remain damp (think of a wrung out sponge), especially during the summer months.
19. Does your compost pile smell? It's probably due to a large number of anaerobic microbes, which are working hard to break down your compost, but creating a smelly situation in the process. To cut down on the anaerobic process, aerate your pile regularly, creating air spaces and limiting the anaerobic microbes while stimulating the less stinky aerobic microbes.
(See Metal Pile Turner and Aerator for additional compost bin aeration)
20. Help start a new compost pile with aged manure, cottonseed meal, alfalfa meal, blood meal, or compost starter. They are rich in nitrogen and help jump-start the microbes responsible for breaking down organic matter into compost.
21. Anything that was living at one time is great for compost bins. Think of leaves, vegetables, and grass clippings.
22. Compost piles can either be layered - thin layers of alternating greens and browns, or they can all be thrown in together and mixed well. Either way works!
23. Soak finished compost in water to "brew" compost "tea," a nutrient-rich liquid that can be used for foliar feeding or for watering plants in your garden, backyard, or houseplants.
24. Apply finished compost to your garden about 2-4 weeks before you plant, giving the compost time to integrate and stabilize within the soil. Click here for a guide to vegetable gardening.
25. For faster results, use a compost turner every two weeks to aerate your pile.
(See variety of compost tumblers to best suit your needs.)
via - Composting101.com
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