How to Compost at Home

5 Easy Steps for DIY Composting

 

September 23rd was the first official day of autumn and if you have been considering composting at home, rest assured it is a simple and extremely rewarding experience. All you need is a yard (or some outdoor land), a few supplies, and dedication to preserving the environment and keeping waste out of the landfill!

There are many different methods for how to compost at home, the below steps are geared toward the goal of making the processes as simple as possible but if you have a different method that works, we would love to hear about it! Email us your compost success stories at recyclefun@adsimail.com.

Read on for all you need to know to create a sustainable compost pile in your own backyard.

Getting Started

Although a compost pile can be created without using a bin or receptacle, you may want to consider buying one in order to keep your compost more organized, protected from animals, or even just more attractive. There are both stationary and rotating (“tumbler”) composting bins which can be purchased online or at any home improvement store in a wide range of price options.



Stationary Compost Bin  



Rotating Compost Bin (Tumbler)

 

If you do not choose to go with a bin, be sure to cover your pile. You can use plastic sheeting or even carpet scraps. Covering assures your compost retains moisture and heat, two essentials for the process. Covering also prevents the compost from being over-watered by rain.

 

 

When using the stationary bin method, locate the pile in a sunny location so that it has as much heat as possible. If it’s in the shade all day, decomposition will still happen, but it will be much slower, especially when freezing temps arrive in the fall. Compost tumblers can also take advantage of the heat generated from being placed in direct sunlight.

Steps:

1.*If you are choosing the bin method— Start your compost as a pile on bare ground. This allows worms and other beneficial organisms to aerate the compost and be transported to your garden beds; you can then move the pile into a bin of your choice.

*If you are choosing the pile method—Select an area suitable for composting.  Lay twigs or straw down first, a few inches deep. This aids drainage and helps aerate the pile.

2. Add compost materials in layers (regardless of if you are using the bin or open pile method), alternating moist and dry. Acceptable ingredients are: food scraps, tea bags, coffee grounds, etc. Dry materials are straw, leaves, grass clippings etc. Avoid meat, fish and dairy because they tend to attract pests and rodents as well as other animals.

3. Add manure if possible and/or greens such as clover, buckwheat, wheatgrass, grass clippings or any nitrogen source. This activates the compost pile and speeds the process along.

4. Keep your compost moist. Water it occasionally, or let rain do the job. The compost should be moist only, not soaked.

5. Turn your pile every few weeks. Just give the pile a quick turn with a pitchfork or shovel. Or, if you are using a rotating bin, simply spin slowly a few times to combine. This aerates the pile. Oxygen is required for the process to work, and turning "adds" oxygen.

Once your compost pile is established, add new materials by mixing them in, rather than by adding them in layers. Mixing, or turning, the compost pile is key to aerating the composting materials and speeding the process to completion.

Responsible Disposal of E-Waste

Ethical Disposal of  a Growing Segment of Our  Waste Stream

 

E-waste has been defined as “discarded electrical or electronic devices, and/or used electronics which are destined for reuse, resale, salvage, recycling or disposal” but is more easily defined as “anything with a battery or a cord”. Some examples would be cellphones, tube-type and flat panel televisions, computer monitors, laptops, pads, printers, radios, microwave ovens and DVD players- just to name a few.

It’s likely that everyone reading this has dealt with e-waste in one way or another. Perhaps one of your electronic devices has broken, you have gotten a newer version and have no need for the old, or maybe you kept your original model as long as you possibly could but it finally became too obsolete or dated to use with current technology.
 

Current Technology: New is Already Old

Due to competitive technology and our information savy, “newest and best” driven society, even brand new technology is out of date within a few months leading us to upgrade and change out our electronic devices more often than ever before. It is estimated that 20 to 50 million metric tons of electronic devices are discarded each year. 

E-waste is a dangerous material to dispose of improperly and irresponsibly due to toxic heavy metals such as mercury and lead and corrosive chemicals. These substances can cause serious damage when they are disposed of in the trash and subsequently end up in the landfill. When this happens, chemicals can seep (or leach) into surrounding groundwater causing serious harm to individuals, as well as the environment. 

E-waste is also not acceptable in your traditional, Single Stream recycling. Lithium ion batteries which are located in many electronic devices can cause dangerous truck fires, while mercury-containing devices have the opportunity to break and cause a hazardous waste 'release'. 

 

 

The safest and most responsible disposal for your e-waste is at a designated e-waste drop off location. To find these locations simply search "nearby e-waste drop off locations". You may also contact your local landfill, which may have designated e-waste collection days established for you to drop off your items for proper disposal. Smaller items like cellphones can also be recycled at e-waste drop off bins located within electronic stores like Best Buy. 

 

 

 

The Most Ethical Choice

There are many options for disposal, but make sure to do your research to ensure the location you choose for your e-waste collection is reputable and certified. 

Be aware that there are less than reputable vendors who will strip e-waste of their most valuable commodities, and then dump the remains illegally and unethically. These remains are often  deposited in developing countries or destitute areas of the world. Here, residents with no other means of income will often work for pennies-a-day disassembling, melting or burning your e-waste thus ingesting harmful chemicals and causing others to live in uninhabitable conditions. 

 

Even those who do not work directly with the e-waste materials, are forced to ingest high levels of toxins, causing irreversible physical harm, illness and even death to local residents and their children. The toxins from the e-waste also poison their drinking water and seep into their soil causing future generations to suffer the effects as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Those who do not witness this activity occurring, such as yourself, are affected by illegal dumping as well. Toxins from the heaps of mismanaged e-waste will inevitably leak into  our waterways and ultimately end up in our oceans. It is no mystery that many of the fish that we ingest contain abnormally high amounts of mercury. 

Oftentimes, a good indicator that your drop off location is legitimate is that there will be a cost associated with the pickup/disposal of your e-waste. Although some drop off locations are free, be particularly wary of e-waste collectors who offer to pay YOU for your e-waste. This can be a red flag as the disposal of e-waste does cost money to carry out correctly and ethically. Certified e-waste collection and disposal may not always be a free service but it is a responsible service.

The two most trusted e-waste certification programs are R2: Responsible Recycling© Certification, and E-Stewards Certification. Both programs are recognized by the EPA and are run by guidelines designed to promote and assess responsible practices for electronics recyclers. For more information, please visit EPA Website on Certification Standards. Make sure your current provider adheres to these standards to ensure that your e-waste is disposed of in the correct manner; responsibly and ethically for both the environment and humanity.

 

As always, Thank You for reading.  

Gettin' Down & Dirty with Diapers

Removing a Major Contaminant from Recycling Centers

 

Prepare for our yuckiest, stinkiest article yet! This month's eNewsletter is not for the faint of heart!

 

Did you know that thousands of diapers are found at recycling centers across the country every single day? This month we will discuss why diapers are most certainly NOT a Single Stream recyclable item, and give you some alternative options for diapers if you find yourself guilty of tossing these into the recycle bin. 

NO diapers in the recycling bin!

Above all, we need your help spreading the word about diapers. Even if you aren't guilty of improperly disposing these items, but you know someone who is putting them in with their recycling, please, forward them this article or simply let them know:

"As inconvenient as it is: Diapers (dirty OR clean) are just NOT Single Stream Recyclable."

 

                    Why & What You CAN Do:

 Unfortunately, there is no such thing as an eco-friendly single-use diaper; it is impossible to reclaim the paper used to make them and currently, there are no readily available or accessible technologies to recycle the materials used to manufacture diapers.

There are alternatives to single-use, disposable diapers of course. Compostable diapers are available (for a slightly higher cost), and the good ol' cloth diapers are always an option. Nevertheless, many people find washing them while raising an infant to be too much trouble.

 

Compostable Diapers

 

Cloth Diapers

 

There are also ways to compost certain parts of the filling in single-use, disposable diapers but the process is a messy one. This option may sound gross to some, but it is possible and practical. If you are interested, just bear in mind that you will need a backyard compost pile with material (other than diaper filling) already breaking down for this method to be effective. Be sure to do your research with this technique as there are many steps that must be taken to do it correctly. The best place to start is with an internet search for "composting diapers at home".
 

 

Although these methods are all options, the vast majority of diapers are tossed in with the trash, and at this point in time- that's the only option. Don't fall into the "wishful recycling" trap and toss your diapers into the recycling "just in case".

Improperly disposing of contaminants (like diapers) in your recycling causes problems at recycling processing facilities like The American Recycling Center. Correctly recycled materials (like paper, plastics etc.) become contaminated and their quality becomes damaged, making them more difficult or impossible to be remade into new products.

There are many reclaiming and recycling techniques for diapers currently being formulated, but at this time they are not yet fully developed or widely accessible. For now, the best place for single use, disposable diapers is in the garbage.

We understand that no one wants stinky diapers hanging around in the house more than a couple of days but it is important to remind you that your recycling bin/cart is to be used solely for the collection of accepted recyclables and nothing else.

Placing a trash-filled recycling bin/cart out to be picked up simply because you want to get rid of those diapers a day earlier is an unacceptable practice.

 

Remember: Disposable Diapers remain Trash, NOT Recycling.  Pass it on.
 

Revisitng How to Retire an American Flag: 2015

This Independence Day we would like to revisit a popular post about how to properly dispose of a well loved American Flag.

 

The 4th of July is right around the corner, and as we look forward to barbecues and fireworks, we will no doubt be producing more trash and recycling.

 

But when we think of items that we regularly throw away or recycle, the American Flag doesn’t often come to mind. That’s because we hang them proudly and the thought of throwing them in the garbage bin (or even the recycling bin) would feel unpatriotic. But many of us know it is far worse to hang a tattered or damaged flag then to dispose of it-properly.

 

But what if you find yourself and your flag in that situation? What IS the proper and respectful way to dispose of an American Flag?

First, let’s define what an official American flag is:

The U.S. Flag consists of a blue rectangle bearing 50 white stars (representing each state)  and 13 alternating red and white stripes (representing the 13 original colonies).

 

This is common knowledge to most of us, but we just wanted to assure you that the following disposal methods are only required for official American Flags. (Flag patterned bandanas and board shorts need not apply, even in July).

Read on for some important (and surprising) facts about how to retire Old Glory when it is faded, tattered or torn.

There are many ways to properly dispose of an American flag, including:
 

Ceremonial Flag Burning

Before you gasp at the thought (as I did before I read on in my research on this topic) According to Wikipedia, this method of burning is in no way haphazard or unpatriotic, rather it requires a specific ceremony, where the flag is folded (correctly,) laid on a bonfire and burned patriotically; while being saluted, or having someone at the burning ceremony recite the Pledge of Allegiance or sing the National Anthem.

 

 

 

 

This process is used mainly for individuals retiring their personal flags, at home. But what if you don’t feel comfortable burning your flag on your own? What if you don’t know how to properly fold a flag? (You can find that out here by the way) Or more logically…what if you simply can’t build a fire on your property? Another option is…

 

Flag Burial

 

To bury the flag, begin by finding a dignified wooden box - it should be of good quality and construction, as this box will serve as the flag's vessel as it is interred in the ground.

 

Fold the flag correctly and respectfully, place it in the box and then bury it in the ground.

 

You may even consider giving a your flag short "funeral". Give a speech on the importance of the flag then stand at attention as the flag is lowered into the ground. Observe a moment of silence as the flag is buried. You may even choose to mark the burial location with a small, patriotic marker.

 

Flag Shredding

You may also shred your flag. Shredding an American flag may seem violent but the US Army's Heraldry institute assures that shredding is an acceptable disposal method, provided it is done with reverence.

Use a sharp scissors to slowly and accurately separate the thirteen stripes, leaving the blue star-spangled field intact.

 

After the flag is cut into pieces, place it in a respectful receptacle and bury it following the above procedures or ceremoniously burn the pieces one by one, starting with the stripes and ending with the blue field.

 

 

Flag Recycling
 

When the code for American Flag disposal was written, almost all flags were made of cloth or other natural fabrics. But today many flags are made from nylon, polyester, or artificial materials.

 

When burned, these modern materials produce toxic fumes that are harmful to the environment and your health. Be sure to check the material of your flag before you make the choice between burning or recycling.

Many Non Profit and Private organizations have been formed to recycle flags. Contact a group like American Flag Recycling or contact your local landfill or recycling processor for more information.

 

Give your  Flag to a Qualified Organization
 

Specific United States government organizations offer services to conduct the ceremony to properly dispose of flags for no charge, upon request.

The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Boy and Girl Scouts of America and the US Military all provide this service. If you don't have access to any of these organizations, contact your city hall or local government.

 

 

A Great Local Option

Here in Prince William County, we now have a convenient and respectful option for disposing of (or recycling) our flags.

On June 14th (Flag Day) of last year, the new American Flag Collection Center officially opened at the Prince William County Landfill, allowing residents to dispose of their retired American Flags the right way.

The center is a combined effort of the Boy Scouts of America Occoquan and Bull Run Districts, the Prince William County Solid Waste Division and Keep Prince William Beautiful.

Flags that are dropped off at the center will be picked up by Boy Scout troops and given to organizations such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion, for disposal. These organizations are experienced in flag disposal and flag retirement ceremonies.

Boy Scouts are at the collection center every second and fourth Saturday of the month from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. They instruct and aid visitors who want to drop off their flags in person, and on the proper way to fold their flags for retirement (and disposal). They also answer questions about the history and care of American Flags.

 

Recyclable, nylon flags will be sent to groups that specialize in recycling American flags where they will be ceremonially decommissioned then recycled through a process that converts the flag back into virgin grade nylon material to be used to make a new, recycled American flag!

The collection center is open during normal landfill hours and flags can be dropped off at no cost.

If you are interested in funding this important program by making a donation, visit the Keep Prince William Beautiful website, (www.kpwb.org) and note that the donation is for the Flag Collection Center.

 

I hope you all have a safe and happy July 4th, and as always...

Thanks for Reading!

The Zero Waste Bar-B-Que Challenge

10 Tips for How to Host a Zero Waste BBQ or Outdoor Party

 

If you are trying to be more environmentally responsible and are concerned about your personal impact on the environment, hosting backyard parties and bar-b-ques can be a nightmare when you consider the laundry list of waste they produce: paper plates, plastic cups and leftovers that go bad before they can be eaten.

But it IS possible to make your next family cookout or backyard dinner party an eco-friendly, or zero-waste affair!

 

Even if you can only apply some of these tips to "green-ify" your event, you will be helping to reduce the environmental impact from your party more than you know.

Check out our list of 10 tips and tricks for hosting a great (and green) summer bash!

Are you up for the challenge???? 

 

**We want to see your party!!!**
Send pictures of your fresh ideas and your own 'Zero Waste BBQ Challenge Party' to recyclefun@adsimail.com throughout the summer! We'd love to see your success!

 

Preparation:

 

 

1.  Use Waste-Free Party Invitations

When planning a zero-waste outdoor party, avoiding paper invites is best, as sending them through the mail makes for the usage of more fuel and a bigger carbon footprint for your gathering. Not to mention, it eliminates the need for paper waste altogether.

E-mailed invitations are the way to go to these days, so don't hesitate to invite guests via email or even social media to eliminate unnecessary waste.

If e-mail and Facebook are too impersonal for your event, try invites printed on plantable seed cards that are made from recycled materials. This adds the extra summertime touch of allowing guests to plant the invitation after adding the party to their calendar!

 

2.  Avoid Packaged Foods

Buy and serve fresh foods to your guests. After all, fresh fare on the grill is part of the joy of outdoor entertaining.

Food packaging can add to the accumulation of waste at your intended 'waste-free party'. If you have no choice but to purchase packaged foods, make sure the packaging is recyclable.

Try shopping for your menu at the local farmers market, and don't forget your reusable bag!

 

 

 

 

3. Avoid Bottled Water/Beverages

Instead of purchasing water in disposable bottles, serve water infused with lemons, oranges, limes or cucumbers in a large re-usable glass drink dispenser. 

These are attractive, affordable and easy to find. Try browsing Walmart or Target!

Your guests will love the look and taste of the water flavored with summery fruits or vegetables!

If you intend to serve adult beverages, you can also serve pre-made simple cocktails, "hard lemonade", sangria and even wine in these dispensers- fun for guests and green for you!

 

Decoration:

 

4.  Try Renting Your Supplies

Here are just some examples of party supplies you can rent from most party rental companies:

•  Tables and Chairs
•  Tablecloths and napkins
•  Drink dispensers
•  Cold beverage containers
•  Plates, bowls, drinking glasses and coffee cups
•  Dining and serving utensils

Or you can...

 

5.  Use Compostable Utensils and Plates

These plates, bowls, cups (and more) can be placed directly into your backyard compost bin, or local composting location after the party, which makes cleanup a breeze and ensures that your party will send less waste to your local landfill.  

6.  Use a Cloth Tablecloth &  Re-Usable Decorations

This may seem like a small point but it can make all the difference in the atmosphere! There's something about a tablecloth that makes any dinner look stylish and beautiful. Try jelly jars or old wine bottles as flower vases for the table.

Get creative for a breezy and eclectic summer vibe!  

 

Party Time:

 

7.  Metal skewers are useful and versatile

Use these grilling staples for vegetables and meat. You won't have to soak them ahead of time or deal with splinters in your food. Use little metal skewers instead of toothpicks to serve finger foods then simply wash and reuse.

 

8. Use the Two Bin System

Place a Single Stream Recycling receptacle next to every trash can at your party. Odds are if you give your guests the option to recycle next to the trash, they will properly choose the correct container for disposal of their waste.

9.  Remind Guests of your Zero Waste Plan
 

Telling everyone about the "Zero Waste BBQ Challenge" you are trying out at the event will make your guests feel involved and challenged themselves!  

Don't be surprised if they are eager to help and even offer some suggestions on how to stay green.

 

10.  Send leftovers home with your guests (*in reusable mason jars)

You will be reducing waste and they will be happy to have seconds for later. If you can't convince them (unlikely!) be sure to compost any leftover food scraps.