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Earth day - tomorrow - can we really do something?
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<blockquote data-quote="gcvmom" data-source="post: 355036" data-attributes="member: 3444"><p>Well our town is already big on recycling. We have a black can for non-recyclable trash, a green can for recyclable paper, plastic, metal, glass, and a brown can for compostable yard waste. Usually our fullest can is the green one. Plus, we have a household hazardous waste center that collects things like alkaline batteries, paint, chemicals, flourescent lightbulbs, electronics, etc. I have a small box where I deposit things that need to go to this facility, and when it's filled, I make a trip.</p><p> </p><p>We have three compost bins in the back yard AND a worm bin. I used to put kitchen scraps (egg shells, coffee filters and grinds, fruit/veggie scraps) in the compost bin but now the worms get most of it. The egg shells we now grind and feed back to the hens. And any produce that's not rotten but a bit too off for us to eat the hens get to enjoy. They also get our stale bread scraps. Their woodshaving litter from the coop gets composted in the bins now, along with whatever grass clippings, leaves, flower deadheads, etc. We use the compost in our vegetable boxes, flower pots, flower beds, etc. We have a wood chipper/shredder that we use for larger jobs (tree prunings, brush clearing, bush trimmings, etc.) and the mulch from that either gets composted or spread around bare dirt areas to amend the soil and help reduce erosion, especially on our hillside. Occasionally we end up with way more debris than we can reasonably compost or use for other purposes, so into the brown can it goes. Our city composts those materials and then has an annual compost give-away to the community where you can bring your empty barrels and get free compost.</p><p> </p><p>Oh, and sometimes when the mood strikes me if I'm at a Starbucks, I ask them for their coffee grind discards. They give me a hefty plastic bag full of the grinds for free, and my camelias, gardenias, fuschias and other acid-loving plants get this mixed into their root zone. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p><p> </p><p>We recycle our soda cans, glass and plastic bottles to get our deposits back, too.</p><p> </p><p>We have low-flow/flush toilets. We have low-flow shower heads. Our sprinklers (we do live in a desert) are only set to go off in the dry season twice a week. Rainy season (like now) they are off completely. </p><p> </p><p>We have drought-tolerant natives or their cousins in about 70% of our landscape.</p><p> </p><p>I'm sure there's more we could be doing. I'd love to put in solar heating for our water, and solar for our electricity, but the costs are still to prohibitive. If I didn't live in a restrictive suburban area, I'd seriously consider putting up a wind turbine.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="gcvmom, post: 355036, member: 3444"] Well our town is already big on recycling. We have a black can for non-recyclable trash, a green can for recyclable paper, plastic, metal, glass, and a brown can for compostable yard waste. Usually our fullest can is the green one. Plus, we have a household hazardous waste center that collects things like alkaline batteries, paint, chemicals, flourescent lightbulbs, electronics, etc. I have a small box where I deposit things that need to go to this facility, and when it's filled, I make a trip. We have three compost bins in the back yard AND a worm bin. I used to put kitchen scraps (egg shells, coffee filters and grinds, fruit/veggie scraps) in the compost bin but now the worms get most of it. The egg shells we now grind and feed back to the hens. And any produce that's not rotten but a bit too off for us to eat the hens get to enjoy. They also get our stale bread scraps. Their woodshaving litter from the coop gets composted in the bins now, along with whatever grass clippings, leaves, flower deadheads, etc. We use the compost in our vegetable boxes, flower pots, flower beds, etc. We have a wood chipper/shredder that we use for larger jobs (tree prunings, brush clearing, bush trimmings, etc.) and the mulch from that either gets composted or spread around bare dirt areas to amend the soil and help reduce erosion, especially on our hillside. Occasionally we end up with way more debris than we can reasonably compost or use for other purposes, so into the brown can it goes. Our city composts those materials and then has an annual compost give-away to the community where you can bring your empty barrels and get free compost. Oh, and sometimes when the mood strikes me if I'm at a Starbucks, I ask them for their coffee grind discards. They give me a hefty plastic bag full of the grinds for free, and my camelias, gardenias, fuschias and other acid-loving plants get this mixed into their root zone. :) We recycle our soda cans, glass and plastic bottles to get our deposits back, too. We have low-flow/flush toilets. We have low-flow shower heads. Our sprinklers (we do live in a desert) are only set to go off in the dry season twice a week. Rainy season (like now) they are off completely. We have drought-tolerant natives or their cousins in about 70% of our landscape. I'm sure there's more we could be doing. I'd love to put in solar heating for our water, and solar for our electricity, but the costs are still to prohibitive. If I didn't live in a restrictive suburban area, I'd seriously consider putting up a wind turbine. [/QUOTE]
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