I have had quite a few requests to provide some more detailed information on how well the wood burner works. I would like to share some temperatures with you using a AGPtek Dual Two Channel Digital Thermometer.
I have been very happy with how well this pool heater has worked for us this year. We have had such a cold summer here in Michigan this year and this heater has been one of the only reasons we have been able to enjoy the pool. Normally, the solar heater and solar cover can keep the pool comfortable but this year it has just not been adequate. I have run the wood burning heater only when needed, maybe once or twice per week at the most. We have been able to easily keep the pool temperature above 75 degrees so far this year.
The numbers and methods here are just for rough estimation of how well the heater works, this is not meant for the science books, but should hold true with a heater of similar size and efficiency.
I measured about 69 gallons per hour with a 33 degree average warm up to the water. This was with an average sized fire going as the temperature here will fluctuate as you add wood and let it burn through. I have seen it as high as 45 degrees and as low as 15 degrees, so it just depends on how much and what material you are burning.
Calculations I used: 15,000 gallon pool divided by 69 gallons per hour (filled one gallon in 52 seconds) gave me 217 hours to heat all of the water 33 degrees. Or if you reduce, it comes down to about 27 hours for 4 degree rise for the entire pool. You can also just divide 33/217 to get a coefficient that can be used to create a formula. Y = .15x where Y is the degrees you will heat 15000 gallons of water and x is the number or hours you run the heater. So if we plug in 24 hours for x we get y=3.6 degrees Fahrenheit.
Hopefully that makes sense to be used as a ROUGH estimate for calculating how much you can heat a similar sized pool.
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Why build support posts when you can use a super-strong dome?!?!
I needed to come up with a way to support and spread out some of my vine plants in the greenhouse. By removing a nut on the hubs and installing a coupling and eye bolt, it is an extremely strong point for attaching a cable system to act as a trellis.
Installing it is very simple, loop the cable through on one end and clamp it, feed it through another eye bolt on the other side of the dome, and bring it to another eye bolt to figure out the final length. On this end, I loop it through a turn buckle.
Alright, moving right along….
Then just hook the turnbuckle into the last eye bolt and tighten the cable.
All that is left to do is to tie the plants on to the cables. I also run some twine down to the grow beds so that the cucumbers can grow up it and attach to the wire. Here’s a shot of the tomato and cucumber once they have really started to grow along the line.
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Are you looking to start or expand your garden this year? Lets go down the check list of things we might need - potting soil, seed plugs, seed trays, grow lights, compost, peat, vermiculite, fertilizer, manure, pest sprays, raised bed kits, trellis, tomato cages, and on and on....... I remember the first time we decided to have a small garden in one of your flower beds. We started at the store buying seeds and dirt and all of the things we thought we would need and spent about $100. That year we barely had anything grow and forgot to have someone water while we were on vacation. Not a great first experience but we were determined to start again.
In our new home a few years ago we decided we were going to go big and year after year we are adding more and more to our garden. But we arent huge fans of spending $10 in supplies to get $5 worth of vegetables, anyone else feel like that when you are starting out? Yes, over time you get things that you can use over and over each year thus making it more and more worth while. But what about now, do we really need all of this stuff to get a garden going?
In my opinion most people (including us) spend way more than they need on gardening supplies and then are disappointed at the results their first couple of years. It does take time to get the soil just right, it takes time to learn what works best and when to plant and harvest. Gardening is not something that you can just go out and throw some seeds in the ground and have an awesome garden your first year. It takes time and in some cases a small amount of money. I have found that you have a choice in many cases, time or money.
We are expanding our gardens over time as to lessen the impact on our wallets and allow us time to develop good soil as we expand. We have also learned that while we are not going to win any awards for the prettiest seed starting operation you can get started with little to no money invested at all.
We started saving any containers with clear plastic lids last year and have saved up quite a few of them by now (probably more than we need!) These make the perfect tiny greenhouse seed starting containers. Instead of buying a heating pad and seed starting trays just use the things you already have. We have found these to be the fastest way to get your seeds started! This year in fact most of our seeds were already popping through the soil in the first 48 hours.
The next thing you need to get your seeds started is soil, there are a lot of different ideas with what works best here but again I just use what I have to get going. Last year we made a mix for our square foot gardens of our compost, vermiculite, and peat. I grabbed a bin full of this soil and brought it in as soon as it was no longer frozen. I sifted through and got out any large pieces (leafs, sticks, etc.) and then filled my containers. The only down side to using this type of soil is that you might also germinate a few blades of grass or something from last years planting so just be carful and pay attention to what sprouts. If one of these things is not like the other, pull it out.
Seeds are pretty easy to come by and dont be fooled by expiration dates on those seed packages. With proper care there is no real expiration to most seeds. Germination rates might be lower after a few years but I wouldnt worry too much about that. Look for seeds during the off season in the fall or winter. Most stores have clearance sales at this time and you can get your seeds for as much as 75% off. You can also save seeds from your plants year after year. This is a skill I have not yet mastered but will be trying some of this year.
There are many ways to save money on gardening supplies and still have great results. We are all tempted to go out and buy all the best stuff, shovels, and rototillers, etc. But that is mostly not needed. Check a garage sale this spring and you will likely find all kinds of gardening tools for dirt cheap:)
I hope that this has inspired you to get started or add on to your garden this year. Follow along for more tips and tricks this coming spring and summer and lets all try to feed our families a little more from our garden each year.
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I have been preparing for some better production in our aquaponics system. Over the past nine months I have been having a lot of fun trying new things and trying to plant just about everything I could think of; now it is time to get more serious about producing as much food as we can. We have learned a lot about spacing, which crops grow and taste best, and what we tend to use the most and will apply this going forward. We have also learned a bit more about which vegetables tend to get treated with he most chemicals during production. We want to focus this year on producing as many of those fruits and vegetables on our own between the aquaponics and our outdoor gardens. So it is out with the old and in with the new! New crops and also less varieties so that we can focus on producing and maybe even storing some of the extra.
I have also been making some adjustments to the lighting system to improve overall efficiency. I have widened the lights and also added some reflective material to the back and sides of the system to try and reflect as much of the light back as possible. I have noticed and realized that I am losing a lot of the light due to not being able to contain it in each grow bed.
I have built the last supports on the system so that I have each grow bed completely contained on all sides. This also provides a place for my "supporting growing plants without strings" system. I have previously done a video on that but updated here in this post.
The next step is to add my last fish tank and start getting ready for some tilapia or perch. I think I have found a good supplier of tilapia that is much cheaper than what I have seen thus far so that may help make my decision about which fish to purchase.
To purchase the emergency blankets to use as reflective material please use this link - http://amzn.to/12TnJYO
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How to Build Your Own Aquaponics System? Read Reviews
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5 Issues You must Take Into Consideration When Developing an Aquaponic System
Setting up an aquaponic system, even though very an simple activity, demands some standard expertise of aquaponics. In case you have decided to install such a technique within your property, then you possibly know what this is and how it could assist you to. Nevertheless, there could nevertheless be factors which can interest or enable you to. Below you will discover 5 crucial things which you should know in order to acquire spectacular results.
Location
The location where you place your aquaponic method is hugely important for the way in which the plants and the fish will develop. In order to get fantastic outcomes you should ensure that the temperature from the area is not too higher, nor too low, that there is adequate light for the plants to prepare their food and that no wind or intense climate conditions will attain them. Also, make certain that no harming chemical substances can get inside the water as this signifies death for each your fish as well as your plants.
Oxygenizing the water
The happier your fish are, the far better your method will operate! For this reason you need to oxygenize the water every day and be sure your fish have each of the "comfort" they require.
Choosing your fish accordingly
The aquaponic program performs effectively with almost all varieties of fish. However, you will find states in which youre not permitted to grow whatever kind of fish you want, so youll desire to see what types of fish you are allowed to possess prior to beginning your aquaponic program as you usually do not want any problems using the law.
Placing the pots
In order to make the harvest a lot simpler, you ought to location the pots or the entire method at your waits level. This way you may not must bend over, generating the every day care routine a significantly less difficult activity.
Adding additives
There are instances in which your fish might not supply all the nutrients required for the plants. If the quantity is decrease than what the plants need, then you definitely will have to supply them with all the respective substances. In most instances you are going to ought to add iron, calcium carbonate or potassium carbonate.
Aquaponics is definitely an easy activity which will offer you with all the required vegetables and fish in a short amount of time. Just comply with the suggestions talked about above and also you may have wonderful achievement inside your attempt to develop organic meals inside your home.
Hydroponic Fertilizers, Ideal Mix For Lush Development
Within a hydroponic technique, plants are grown with out soil hence the nutrients, growth medium and fertilizers utilised ought to also be according to the plant s requirements. A lot of people tend to work with ordinary soil garden fertilizer to develop hydroponic plants. But this could only damage your crop and reduce the yield drastically because the chemicals will not be inside the proper proportion. You can obtain commercial hydroponic fertilizers which are either organic or chemical primarily based. On the other hand, it is possible to also prepare your own personal mix at home and use this for the crops. This can help in making certain which you are giving the best to your plants without acquiring some thing from outdoors whose which are not trustworthy.
Plants need specific trace elements for their normal and lush development. Within a soil garden, these nutrients are obtainable within the soil and so absent in a fertilizer mix. Only a number of nutrients like sulfur, magnesium and calcium will likely be common in both the type of fertilizers. Right here is the mix for any typical and excellent hydroponic fertilizer which you could use for the crops. It is possible to prepare this fertilizer at residence itself by combining the following chemical compounds within the given percentages.
22% Potash is combined with 10% nitrogen, 8% phosphoric acid, 1% magnesium, 5% calcium, .05% boron, 2% sulphur, 0.2% iron, .05% copper, .05% molybdenum, .05% manganese, .05% zinc and make it up to 100% with inert compounds. Several of those components are frequent to these discovered within a soil garden fertilizer like potassium and phosphate but some other folks are trace elements that are only present in hydroponic fertilizers. It truly is ideal should you prepare the fertilizer in bulk in case you are doing this at home. You can also add or remove compounds to suit the growth in the plants that you simply have inside your hydroponic garden.
Given that the nutrient medium is quite critical in hydroponics, making use of the wrong or incompatible kind of fertilizer can damage your crop and also stop its lush development. Plants also become susceptible to fungus, rot along with other pests which cause substantial destruction. Crops grown grow to be deficient in these important nutrients which in turn influence humans or animals eating it. Nowadays, it is possible to also locate commercial organic hydroponic fertilizers which are even far better than the chemical ones. These make certain that the plants grown will not be only healthier but also complete of nutritional goodness. So ensure which you use only the correct form of fertilizer for the hydroponic program.
What do you do when one of your chickens starts to get picked on? In every flock of chickens there is a pecking order and sometimes the weaker smaller birds will start to get bullied, mean old chickens. We have not had any issues with this until just recently when we started noticing a lot of feathers scattered around the run and coop.
I started to investigate a few days ago and witnessed one of the larger chickens chasing the smallest one around and literally pull its feathers right out! Not just one at a time but bunches at once. I hoped that it would just lay low and heal up and all would be well in the SSL flock. I could not have been more wrong, by the next day there were more feathers and more bald spots on the hen.
I was starting to get concerned especially since it is winter here in Michigan and temps were dropping into the teens at night. Each day I would check on the hen and see that it had bunkered down in one of the nesting boxes; basically hiding from the rest of the chickens. I tried to feed it some scraps of food and gave it water.
Last night I went out to put the chickens in for the night and I opened the box to check on it and noticed blood all over the tail and wings. It was time to do something to help this little egg producer.
After some research and based off of what I have seen once the flock draws blood they will not stop until the hen is dead. There is something about the look or smell of blood to them that makes it irresistible and they will actually eat the chicken alive basically. Now, I know what some of your are thinking, take it to get slaughtered or put it out of its misery. Well, no, not going to happen here. Number one I live with 4 girls in this house and if I wanted to continue to sleep inside I dont think that is an option. Number 2, the meat is no good at this age and this chicken still has a year or two of egg production left so I want to save our investment. And, oh yeah, I dont like to see the little runt chicken suffering!
At this point the only thing you can do is separate the chicken from the flock in some way. In our case, the easiest thing to do is to bring it inside our basement or garage and let it heal up. I had and old dog crate that will work just perfectly. Since our garage is a mess right now the basement seems like the logical choice.
Is it weird that I now have a pet chicken in the house? The answer is, yes! But, it is nice to be able to go down and collect an egg without having to go out in the cold so there is that to think about. Maybe I should move the coop inside too! Dont tell my wife that I said that or seriously, it will happen.
I will give an update on this little hen down the road after a full recovery. My only further concern is will it happen again? I may have to separate the bullying chickens for awhile when I reintroduce this one but either way I will take you along and let you know how it turns out. Good luck to all you chicken owners out there and as always let me know if I can help anyone out there in anyway. Have a good one!
The US Botanical Gardens Titan Arum on July 21, 2013
The Titan Arum is called the Corpse Flower because of its intensely pungent scent when it blooms, which it does for a single day once after several years. For over a week weve been watching for the Titan Arum at the US Botanical Garden to bloom. Then Sunday happened and in the press of family stuff we forgot to check.
Apparently the Titan Arum did its stinky Corpse Flower thing Sunday night. By Monday morning the stench was gone, leaving only a humongous flower (still pretty danged impressive). Folks at my household hope to view the amazing bloom Tuesday morning, assuming it survives the night.
From the description currently up at the US Botanical Garden website:
The titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum), also known as the corpse flower or stinky plant, is blooming at the United States Botanic Garden Conservatory! Once fully open, it may remain in bloom for 24 to 48 hours, and then it will collapse quickly.
The magic of the titan arum comes from its great size - it is reputed to have the largest known unbranched inflorescence in the plant kingdom. Referred to as the corpse flower or stinky plant, its putrid smell is most potent during peak bloom at night into the early morning. The odor is often compared to the stench of rotting flesh. The inflorescence also generates heat, which allows the stench to travel further. This combination of heat and smell efficiently attracts pollinators, such as dung and carrion beetles, from across long distances.
The titan arum does not have an annual blooming cycle. The time between flowering is unpredictable, which can span from a few years to a few decades. The plant requires very special conditions, including warm day and night temperatures and high humidity, making Botanic Gardens well suited to support this strange plant outside of its natural range.
This plant is native to the tropical rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia, and was first discovered in 1878. Public viewing of this unique plant has occurred a limited number of times in the United States. The U.S. Botanic Garden last displayed a blooming titan arum in 2007.
The chickens are almost four months old now. They have been healthy, and seem to be very happy. The automatic waterer and feeder in the coop have been working out great, so great in fact, we took a four-day vacation last week and didnt have to ask a neighbor to feed them.
ISA Brown chickens are known for their high egg production, approximately 300 eggs per year per chicken. Because we were told they wouldnt start laying until they are around six months old, we never check their nest boxes. Last night, Todd and I walked out to the coop to close them in for the night. Todd opened the nest box lid for the first time in awhile and discovered 14 eggs! We were shocked! The girls came screaming out of the house they were so excited.
They do seem to have faces only a mother could love. And this one appears to have cataracts already or something. But we do love them and are very grateful for the eggs they are now providing.
We hope this encourages anyone out there contemplating raising chickens in a subdivision, or small backyard. If we can do it, anyone can.
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Still sleepy but couldnt wait to check for eggs this morning.
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This post has been shared at: The HomeAcre Hop, Simple Lives Thursday, The Backyard Farming Connection Hop, Front Porch Friday
We have had numerous problems with our YouTube videos being blocked in several countries. We created an account on Vimeo that should work. (www.vimeo.com/web4deb). The majority of our videos can still be found on YouTube at www.youtube.com/web4deb. Thanks!
Just follow the tips mentioned above and you will have great success in your attempt to grow organic food in your home.Join us
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Why Is definitely an Aquaponic Method Much better than a Hydroponic One
Hydroponic gardens are already extremely common among men and women of all ages. They require little space, are easy to look after and give satisfactory final results. Even so, because you will need to provide the water with necessary nutrients, which are most of the times chemical, the taste of the crops just isnt really the ones people count on. Also, individuals trying to switch to organic products have a difficult time in coping with the chemical additions from the hydroponically-grown vegetables. Luckily, a new kind of gardening is available. It truly is known as the aquaponic program and can assist you to develop organic meals in your property.
The aquaponic program is a mixture in between the aquaculture, because it needs developing fish inside a unique fish tank and hydroponics, as it entails expanding plants with water and nutrients. You will probably wonder what function the fish play in all this company. Properly, things are really simple: the fish excrements contain ammonia which can be later decomposed in nitrites and nitrates. The latter substance is benefic for the plants, supplying them enough nutrients to develop and develop normally. Hence, there will probably be no require to provide your plants with chemical substances as theyre going to already have all the food they need to have.
This leads to the many positive aspects that the aquaponic system has over the hydroponic one. Very first, the vegetables will have a much better taste as theyre going to grow only with organic meals and at their very own peace. This will likely give them that delicious taste you enjoy a lot in veggies. Then, the method is easier, as you are going to no longer ought to feed your plants each and every and daily. Just be sure that your fish are in good shape after which let nature take its course.
Final, but not least, together with the aquaponic system you do not only develop vegetables, but you also have fish which it is possible to use for decorative purposes or you can extremely nicely cook delicious meals for you and your household.
Aquaponics is definitely an improved version on the hydroponic system. The crops are better along with the process is less difficult. In addition to which you get to consume organic meals! What more are you able to want for?
Hydroponic Program Plans - Aquaponic Options
Standard farming exactly where you need to have lots of space to grow your plants is just the thing in the previous. Now, youll be able to always grow your plants anywhere despite not possessing really the lot to spare. Indeed, this can be achievable together with the support of hydroponic method plans which you can find virtually anyplace you look these days. This method can assure that your plants can grow without having ever needing soil or none of these farming methods that most of the people discover extremely daunting.
Lots of people typically discover it difficult to come up with their own hydroponic system at house. Not simply can it be confusing for some, the majority of its steps demand quite the background to put each and every element inside the appropriate order for the whole technique to function properly. And this is exactly where hydroponic program plans are quite handy. All youll need is to follow the guidelines each step on the way and surely you may be enjoying the advantages of expanding plants at property without all the hardship there may be within a common farming or gardening atmosphere.
Readymade hydroponic systems are also really considerably accessible inside the marketplace. These systems come in kits like all of its main elements available and all theres left for you personally to accomplish is always to assemble them based on the instructions it comes with. Nonetheless, you are able to lessen your spending need to you go create your own personal system out from scratch.
One particular excellent purpose for you personally to build your personal program at house is merely because many of the vital elements of a readymade kit can also be located in your nearest supply depot. Surely youll be receiving all of your moneys worth should you decide to go look for the supplies oneself and make an effort to assemble your own system with all the aid of a guide.
Imagine obtaining a system out of pvc pipes, plastic tubs or perhaps plastic containers. Are not these components currently obtainable at your property? For this reason opting to get hydroponic program plans are way practical than receiving premade systems. Look for the very best guides these days and start building your own from scratch.
Most of you know that the domes frame is up, but heres the next video in the series about what will be hiding under the floor.
I had too much video to cram into 5 or 6 minutes so you get a double-feature today!
We’ll start with the sump tank that’s located in the center of the dome area. Plastic tanks can’t be buried directly in dirt since they expand and contract with temperature change and the weight of the dirt will eventually crush them. I surrounded the entire tank with scrap 2 by 4’s and built a brick wall around it. When the well was completed, the goal was to simply lift the tank out, remove the boards and set the tank back in the well, resulting in a space between the tank and the well wall.
I didn’t realize that the tank was slightly tapered so the bottom was larger than the top - the tank was trapped inside the well! If you watch carefully, you can see the entire well lift slightly with the tank. Some extra pondering was required…
I decided to slide each board out one at a time until enough were removed to loosen the tank. I drilled part-way through the board, inserted a bolt, wrapped a strap around it, and lifted the board until it hit against the rim of the tank. Then cut the section of board off and repeated the process until the board came out. This was a few hours wasted, but it worked!
There is a larger sump tank that is located in the shed area that also needed a well built around it. This is a cone bottom tank so I tightly strapped some 2 by 4’s as legs to it to keep it level, then set the rest of the spacer boards around it. After leveling out the area, I set some cement blocks on the ground to act as a footing for the brick work. When it was complete, a perfectly round well was surrounding the tank and we were able to pull the tank out with the excavator.
This is the baby brother excavator compared to the one that dug the foundation hole. With a slightly smaller bucket, it was able to place the dirt back into the bottom half of the hole. Bruce, the operator, was very careful and didn’t hit a single block off the wall! When the area was roughly level, he tamped the dirt into place to help prevent future settling.
While Bruce graded around the exterior of the foundation, I set the tubing for the thermal mass. There are 5 equal length perforated pipes that connect to a central manifold which will eventually be connected to a heating system. The tubing zigzags around the floor to help spread the heat evenly throughout the dome. The exhaust for each tube then vents to a different area in the dome.
Six inches of stone was placed around the tubing. This is partly to protect the tubing from larger rocks, and partly to allow some more air flow for heat distribution into the thermal mass floor.
Earlier in the project, I didn’t have time to set the anchor bolts in the foundation wall. To make sure they were placed in the correct locations, I first cut all the treated lumber sill plates to their correct lengths and labeled them. I then drilled a hole for the anchor bolt into each plate, roughly in the center of a one of the block cavities.
The entire cavity didn’t need to be filled with concrete so I filled them half way with stone first. It was a nice day so I got a helper. Her job was to vibrate the air pockets out of the concrete as I shoveled it into the cavity. I then leveled off the area and set the j-bolt into the concrete, and then set the sill plate over the area to make sure the bolt was in the correct location.
This is what happens when you don’t wear boots in a construction area!
There will be an outer ring of grow beds around the perimeter of the dome, and also a central ring. This 2 inch drain pipe will allow the beds to drain into the central sump tank. The piping is temporarily set on bricks to make sure they are sloped in the right direction.
More dirt is filled between the pipe areas and sand is filled around the pipes. This helps to protect them from stone and allows them to be fine-tuned for the proper slope.
Now that all the drain pipes are installed, the sump tank can be dropped into the well. Holes are cut through the side of the tank and the pipes are pushed through the holes. I plan on installing an elbow at the end of each drain to try and swirl the water a bit.
The large sump tank is a bit trickier to install since the cone shape needs to be properly supported. I made a quick template that was equal to the angle of the cone. Sand was then added to the bottom of the well and I used the template as a guide to shape the sand into the same angle as the cone. The tank dropped into place perfectly!
The dome will sit on a 16 inch knee wall. Although each section should match perfectly with the dome, they will be left loose until the dome is assembled so they can be adjusted. Each section is placed on a strip of foam to help prevent air from leaking between the concrete wall and the boards. They are then loosely bolted into place.
That’s it for now. Thanks for watching and don’t forget to join our Facebook page at the link below.
Ive made some excellent progress in the last month on the dome! The entire concrete block wall was built and Im now moving on to some of the heating and plumbing that will be buried under the floor. Im still hoping to have most of it built before the snow flies!
I was pleased to see that 60 Minutes in Australia did a piece on Aquaponics this Sunday. I always love seeing footage of Murrays farm, and it was cool to see the segment about the roof-top farm in Brooklyn.
On the other hand, I was a bit less enthused about the idea of growing plants in high rises using high-tech LEDs. If the business case supports it, thats great. But I dont think were there yet.
I was pleased the other day to re-read a 2005 article by Dr. Wilson Lennard, where he discussed his findings that aquaponics is almost always more productive than chemical-based hydroponics. Beyond that, deep water culture and media-based growing systems are 20% more productive than the nutrient film technique so often used in hydroponics. This is important because so many of the farm-in-a-highrise schemes are based on hydroponics, and presume ample use of electricity to achieve adequate growing conditions.
I think the secret is to start small - at the level of individual families and communities. Grand schemes that require hundreds of thousands of dollars (or even millions) in up-front investment must first be found attractive by venture capitalists. Even then, the big money involved in such endeavors can tempt the weak and immoral among us, as sad experience has demonstrated.
Still, its fun to see these topics being aired on major TV shows, rather than simply on gardening channels.
We all want to be environmentally friendly and do the right thing for our planet, dont we? But how do we know which choices will leave the smallest footprint, and which items to throw away and which items to recycle? Finding the right answers are hard and when you do, they may surprise you.
The SSL Family Dad and I love to watch Ted Talks. If you havent heard of Ted, click here. Ted talks are available on all different topics but we seem to migrate to those dealing with sustainability and farming. One talk we watched earlier this year really changed the game for us, and I just love it when that happens. I love it when information just hits you over the head and changes the way you look at life forever.
This talk is so powerful, I think you should watch it right now and then finish reading this article because I will never do this topic the justice it deserves by trying to explain it to you myself. For those of you who are worried about burning up your data for the month like I would be, click HERE for the transcript of this talk.
And for those of you who didnt have time to watch or read it, Ill recap for you but only if you promise to watch or read it later. Its seriously THAT good.
The speaker, Leyla Acaroglu, states that "everything at some point comes from nature,and its how you use the materialthat dictates the environmental impact....what we need to do is we need to learnto do more with less."
Biodegradable materials, such as paper bags, do not decompose in a landfill the same way they would in nature. Landfills are anaerobic (meaning no oxygen) and biodegradable materials emit methane gas when they degrade. Some facilities actually capture the methane gas and use it to generate power, which is a good thing, and gives us an alternative to fossil fuels. Bottom line is, if youre going to pick the paper bag but take it home and throw it in your garbage destined for a landfill that does not generate power with its methane gas, then youre not picking the best choice for the environment. Landfills should be our last resort for items we cannot reuse or recycle.
Reduce, reuse and recycle. Sounds so "elementary", doesnt it?
So the best answer to the great paper or plastic debate is actually neither. The best option is to use reusable bags instead. But if you really need to pick one, pick paper. And reuse that paper bag, and then compost it.
Writing this article has forced me to look at everything were doing now with our waste as a result of this talk we watched, and I have to laugh because it seems that a majority of what we do here at Simple Suburban Living is centered around our trash. That surprised me, a lot. But it also reminded me that we are being good stewards of our planet by being good stewards of our garbage. Here comes Luke 16:10 again, "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much." Its so true, isnt it?
Weve made some serious changes around our little homestead this year with regards to what we do with our trash. So this week, well be sharing how our family reduces the amount of our waste that ends up in a landfill.
Were calling it Garbage 101. (And dont forget to watch that video!)
This post has been shared at: Homestead Barn Hop, The Backyard Farming Connection Hop, Homestead Blog Hop
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