Week 19 Pics

Getting a bit tight but I'm about to head down and clean so things should look better next pic session.

I fear I need to find a new bottle location to begin as stair navigation is getting a might tight.

Need to spend some time shredding for the worms as well.

And finally, I think the "garbage" box may have reached capacity.

Read More...

Summary only...

A Little CSA Primer For Ya

This is an email that my good friend Chris sent out a few weeks back. Chris is an amazing guy who truly works to make the world a better place and I really admire all he does (but have no idea how he does as much as he does). Of course it resonates a bit more specifically if you live near him in Minnesota but the concepts are universal.

Dave

Two thoughts on simple steps for saving the world this week:

If you are shareholder of a community supported agriculture (CSA) farm, call them, see if they need help recruiting members, and throw a house party to build a member-base. (If you're not a member, find a good one and join!). 

An audacious goal if there aren't CSAs or co-ops in your area: Start them. It can be done. Anna and I were charter members of one of our two food co-ops for some time before the actual ground-breaking.

Last night we threw a party for Mike Noreen, owner of Burning River CSA. We are a neighborhood drop-site for his farm, and have helped him build support for two (perhaps three) other drop-sites in town (and close to one another to help him reduce his travel expenses).

For those attending from our immediate neighborhood, the other purpose was to build more local support for our neighborhood food coop.  Mike also has a drop-site there.

Anna cooked a variety of appetizers - all featuring greens (kale, chard, cabbage). So many of our friends indicated that they simply didn't know what to do with so many greens.

In any event, we're on the journey to support Mike as he builds up to 150 members (his goal for this year).  We think we will definitely help him hit 15 members this year, possibly 20+ from these drop-sites. (Seven folks actually broke out their checkbooks and signed up during the party. We have commitments from several more, many of whom couldn't attend last night, some of whom came but sans checkbook.)

All this by way of saying we had a great time, built community, geared folks up to take more control over their food lives, helped drive support for sustainable local agriculture, and will help everyone save money, as Mike's farm shares yielded an immense amount of food for the cost through the course of last summer.

Two great ways to learn more about CSAs: Read the fabulous book, "This Common Ground - Seasons on an Organic Farm," by Scott Chaskey. Watch the documentary, "The Real Dirt on Farmer John."

Read More...

Summary only...

Trash Talking

This is an interesting articles about the Seven (New) Garbage Wonders of the World. As you may recall, a bit back they voted to decide on the new seven wonders of the world, a sort of best of the best if you will. This article lists the 7 worst of the worst, from The North Pacific Gyre to the Electronic Waste Dumps in Guyiu China, they are testament to the problems of a disposable society and are somehitng that each of us needs to confront.

Dave

Read More...

Summary only...

Take Back The Filter Campaign

This is a really great campaign that Beth over at Fake Plastic Fish spearheaded. Clorox, who now owns Brita North America, does not accept filters back for recycling and re-use while their European counterparts have been doing this since 1992. It makes no sense and in an environment where people should be heading towards filtered water and away from bottled, we need to keep the pressure on companies to be responsible for the waste involved in the filters. For more info about the campaign check here and makes sure to sign the petition as well!

Dave

Read More...

Summary only...

Day 131 - Sunday 5-11-08

Today's Haul:

• 1 cardboard box bread crumbs - recycle
• 1 styrofoam fish platter - recycle
• 1 plastic wrap from fish - disposed of due to health reasons
• 2 aa batteries - e-waste
• 1 metalicy soup bag - garbage
• 1 plastic sticker cover - garbage
• 1 plastic stamp backing -garbage
• 48 ozs paper from mail - recycle
• 1 seminar folder cover - repurposed
• 28 lbs of magazines - repurposed*

I generally keep mags around for a while and eventually get to them.  They then pile up in one corner of the living room until they have become a little pile and then I take them over to the local hospital where they have them for patients to read.  I considered not doing this this year, but then figured that they wouldn't want old mags and therefore this would be a waste (of course I'm late anyway but that's beside the point).  So I weighed them and measured the stack and at the end of the year will have a "stack" made out of some boxes to represent them.  The hospital told me they recycle the mags when they are finished which of course I can't be assured of, but I figure they go to good use right now and I will still be accountable for them.

Read More...

Summary only...

Day 130 - Saturday 5-10-08

Today's Haul:

• 2 styrofoam plates - recycle
• 1 cardboard rice mix box - recycle
• 1 mettalicy rice mix bag - garbage
• 1 torn plastic bag - recycle
• 1 beer bottle w/top - recycle
• 1 napkin - worms
• 1 local newspaper - recycle

Read More...

Summary only...

Day 129 - Friday 5/9/08

Today's Haul:

• 1 paper baking sugar bag - recycle
• 1 plastic rice cakes bag - recycle
• 1 cardboard cereal box - recycle
• 1 plastic cereal bag - recycle
• 1 cardboard butter stick box - recycle
• 1 wax butter wrapper - discarded for health reasons
• 1 chips bag - garbage
• 1 local newspaper - recycle
• 1 rubber band - repurpose
• 1 bag of coffee beans - garbage

Read More...

Summary only...