Green Products

One of the keys to composting is aeration. The bacteria need oxygen to carry out the aerobic respiration that creates rich compost. One way to aerate your compost is with a pitchfork or a compost turning tool. If you keep your compost in a tumbler, however, all you have to do is turn the container. Since most compost barrels can be expensive, you may be interested in building your own for much less money and an hour of your time. But, I have found, that though many want to make their own compost, a lot of them do not even know which ones you should use to create a rich compost that can give you the many benefits of making your own. Here is a list of things you may use and then go ahead and freely compost away. Remember, home composters like tumbler composters are NOT garbage bins.

• table scraps
• fruit and vegetable scraps
• crushed egg shells
• shredded leaves (for faster breakdown)
• thin layers of grass clippings
• disease-free garden plants ONLY
• lawn and garden weeds that have not gone to seed
• shrub prunings (please be reminded that wood prunings break down slowly)
• straw and hay (without seeds)
• green comfrey leaves (excellent activators!)
• flowers and cuttings (make sure you chop up long ones)
• seaweed and kelp (rinse first)
• wood ash (only from clean materials and only sprinkly lightly)
• chicken manure (another excellent activator!)
• coffeee grounds and filters
• tea leaves
• paper and cardboard (avoid using glossy papaer and colored ink)
• chopped up corn cobs
• natural dryer lint
• sawdust in layers to avoid clumping
• wood chips (sparingly!)

There seems to be no debate as to the usefulness of installing solar energy panels. This is especially true in the case of residential solar panels. These have, in fact, become quite easy to find. They can be bought securely online and from a huge variety of retailers. Be sure to plan on shopping around before committing to a particular brand. Quality and prices tend to vary widely.

Be particular about details regarding installation. It is important to install your solar panel in a place that is exposed to direct sunlight. There are web based resources that will help in properly setting up the panels. They help by tracking the position of the sun over the course of one year. Positioning the panels directly under noontime sun can be most advantageous.

My kids’ school is on a green drive since the start of the school year. The new principal is impressively effective! I am glad to see waste segregation being enforced more strictly these days. I heard teachers are also encouraging students to buy writing materials made out of recycled paper.

Last week, I ate at their cafeteria after meeting with my 10-year-old’s class adviser. I discovered that they are now using sugarcane biodegradable trays. One of the staff said these trays are fully biodegradable and break down within 45 days once thrown in a landfill. Now that is making good use of resources!