The Landfill Seen From Space

There are two man-made structures that have been seen from space without magnification.  The first is the Great Wall of China. The second was Fresh Kills Landfill. I strive to bring you accurate information, so I want to take a second to acknowledge that this fact has been debated. There are variables, such as how low you are in Earth’s orbit, how perfect the conditions are, and who you are asking. Having said that, let’s talk about Fresh Kills. In 1948 Fresh Kills Landfill was opened as what was intended to be a temporary landfill on Staten Island.  By 1955 Fresh Kills had grown so large, so fast, that it was the largest landfill in the world and it maintained that title until it’s closing in 2001. At its peak, Fresh Kills claimed 29,000 tons of trash per day. Fresh Kills sprawls over 2,200 acres of land and is a permanent home to 150 million tons of solid waste.  In 2008, a 30-year project to turn Fresh Kills Landfill into Freshkills Park was started. Today, people who live within a one-mile radius are 12% more susceptible to birth defects and have an increased prevalence of cancer. New York has spent little money to study these health issues despite earning millions of dollars per year on the methane gas that is vented from the landfill and used for energy.  Whether or not you could see Fresh Kills Landfill from space when it was open is irrelevant in my opinion. The raw data about the landfill itself is cause enough for concern.

Weekly Weigh In 9/19/18

This week we put out our garbage bin with ONE BAG of garbage.  

How did you weigh in this week?

Grazing Acres is the Place for Me

I have fond memories of the long drive my family made once a year to pick up 100 pounds of beef each year.  That was in the 1980’s and I’m pretty sure the world was still in black and white then. Somewhere along the way my family stopped doing that yearly hunt and gather and I’m not sure why.  We switched to buying our ground beef at the grocery store like everyone else. Factory ground beef is inexpensive and is overpackaged, in my opinion. You are supposed to be able to recycle the thick plastic tray it comes in but I don’t think many people know or do that.  You still have to throw “away” the plastic on top of the package, so even if you do recycle the tray, there is waste. I decided about a year ago that I wanted to feed my family better ground beef and looked to Google to tell me what I needed. I did a little research, got distracted, and then forgot about it.  I thought about it again recently and came across a few farmers in my area that sell to the public. A few were priced well but their cows are 100% grass-fed and I was worried it could taste “gamey.” I came upon Grazing Acres and I sent them an email asking what they feed their cows and how the final product was packaged.  I prefer the taste of meat that comes from a cow that has a steady diet of junk food only. Just kidding! They told me that their cows are allowed to graze all they like and their diet is supplemented with fresh fruits and vegetables. They told me the meat is packaged by the pound in a thin plastic bag. Food really shouldn’t be packaged in plastic at all but since I’m not going to bring a bunch of mason jars direct to the butcher, I don’t have many options.  Grazing Acres offers healthy meat at a crazy good price. We took our two younger children to pick up our first order of beef. Frank (6 years old, not his real name) and Magdalene (11 years old, not her real name) stepped out of the car and were instantly horrified by smell of the farm. “Oh it smells, it smells!” They complained. They were loud and tried covering their noses with their shirts. At first I was embarrassed by their behavior but when Steve (farmer at Grazing Acres) came and laughed and said “first time at a farm I see,” I couldn’t help but laugh at them too.  I still have to throw "away" the plastic bag it comes in but it is less waste than the packaging from the store. You should check out local farms for their healthier meat and minimal packaging. It’s worth the trip just to see your kids freak out over the farm smell.

Geocaching is What Happens When Nerds go Outside

I wish I could take credit for that title but I saw it on a shirt on Amazon. Very funny and true. Geocaching is the culmination of most of the things I hate. Because I’m a princess I don’t like being outside, being in the sun, getting dirty, getting sweaty, humidity, bugs, getting wet, or touching disgusting things. I heard about geocaching years ago and thought it sounded about as awful as camping, in my opinion. I reconsidered geocaching when it was recommended in Zero Waste Home by Bea Johnson. My husband, son, and I tried it that night and it was awesome. We found two caches and loved it. There is something about exercising my mind and the thrill of the hunt that appeals to my innermost nerd. It’s something fun to do as a family that gets you outdoors and exploring. It’s exciting for the kids when we come across frogs and toads. I was caching in the woods with three of my kids when a sudden downpour caught us and it only added to the fun and excitement for them. It’s memories like this that they will treasure as adults. It’s a hobby that connects you to nature and is an excellent reminder of why we are working towards less waste in the first place. 

Composting for a New Generation: Book Review

My husband and I wanted to get serious about composting.  We had tried composting before with a Bio-Orb compost bin in the yard and an ice cream bucket in the kitchen. This was a sloppy, smelly mess and after two seasons we gave up on it. We wanted to give it another try and do it right.  I purchased this book from Amazon for $23 and read it before deciding how to get started on round two of composting. This book takes you from the microscopic intricacies of composting all the way through building larger sized yard structures.  It was perhaps a little more thorough than I needed or wanted but it was still very interesting and informative. I suggest checking it out from the library rather than purchasing but either way it will be a helpful guide for you. Now, who’s ready for a bug party?  (You’ll get it when you read the book.)

Material Girl

Madonna’s “Material Girl” was released in January of 1985.  The song brings back fond memories of riding in my parent’s maroon Buick Skylark on our way to Target.  I would be filled with excitement because I knew I’d be able to spend a lot of time in the Barbie aisle.  The Barbie aisle was especially magical because it had a large display down the entire aisle that made it look like a vaulted pink ceiling.  It was also a little girl’s paradise because the whole aisle was nothing but Barbie. There weren’t as many other options for toy dolls then. It was just Barbie.  Because it was a different time, I was able to spend most of the shopping trip in that aisle while my mother shopped. I almost never got anything during a shopping trip but it was still so much fun just to look at the Barbies and all of her clothes and furniture options.   Oh, that pink and grey Corvette! Because I almost never got anything during a regular shopping trip, it made the occasions when I did get something (birthday or Christmas) so much more enjoyable. I appreciated my things that much more and I took care of them. Well...Barbie did have several high speed crashes in her Corvette but she was wearing her seat belt and always walked away.  My brother used to take Ken’s head off and hide it in Barbie’s pink toilet but these things happen! Ken was always a good sport. I think my parents did a great job at resisting the urge to shower us with anything and everything. My brother and I learned that you don’t get everything you want and how to take care of the things you are fortunate enough to have. It doesn’t mean I don’t overindulge and spend too much or buy too much at times but I try my best.  I think people are happier and more content with less. Life is simpler with less and when you don’t have every little thing you want on a daily basis, it makes those moments of indulgence so much sweeter.

Burn Baby, Burn

What to do with those pesky things that aren’t compostable or recyclable that you don’t want to toss in the trash?  Burn them. Many people enjoy a campfire and it’s a nice easy time to toss in a few of these other category items.  If your kids are old enough to do it safely, they will enjoy tossing things into a fiery inferno of doom.  We took our younger children to Crayola Experience recently and they made different things out of wax and paper.  Since you can’t easily recycle or compost paper coated in thick globs of wax, it seems reasonable to burn it. I picked up a galvanized steel storage bin at Target for $40. It looks nice in our home and it’s a great place to toss things awaiting a fiery death. Waxy paper, Kleenex from an ill person, certain coated paper items, band-aid wrappers, dog food bags (if it isn’t plastic,) you get the idea.  I will save small boxes just for the purpose of letting my son put them in the fire. Don’t worry, we are very careful helicopter parents, he is fine. Keeping a container for these types of items is easy and it will reduce the waste you would otherwise send to the landfill.  Our favorite girl, Charlie is showcasing our new purchase for your viewing pleasure.

Zero Waste Home: Book Review

I have always recycled to varying degrees of commitment but the last couple of years I’ve felt that I need to do more.  Reading Zero Waste Home by Bea Johnson was life-changing. I think many people who want to make a change don’t know where to get started.  That’s how I was feeling and this book was everything I was looking for and more. Bea has ideas for every nook and cranny of your busy life.  She takes you room by room of your home and beyond. She has ideas for work, eating out, school, you get the idea. Some of her ideas may not work for you or may be too extreme for you. That’s okay. She still has great ideas that you can implement at your own pace. I bought this book from Amazon for just under $10 and it is worth it to own and refer back to when I need to. I use it often and my kids like to look for recipes she has in the book.  If you are interested in making some changes in your life you should read this book, I highly recommend it. You just might find that the changes are easier than you thought and also rewarding.

Compost: The Magical Portal of Poop

Compost is not dirt.  Compost is the end result of macroorganisms and microorganisms eating your waste.  In the most simplistic of terms, compost is worm, bug, and bacteria feces. You’re welcome for that undesirable knowledge. Compost is the pinnacle of fertilizers and you can make your own for free, or nearly free. Composting is important because it allows organic waste to go back to the Earth rather than sitting in a landfill for all of eternity.  I will talk more about what you can compost in another post but you should know that the possibilities are virtually endless. We use the RSI MAZE 2 Stage Compost Tumbler. It boasts a65-gallon capacity and has two compartments, as the name suggests.  You can remove the middle panel and make it a single compartment depending on your needs. We ordered it from The Home Depot and we love it. We paid around $175 and it is worth every penny. Based on the speed in which it reduces organic matter into nutrient-rich soil conditioner, I think the worms, bugs, and bacteria love it too.

Weekly Weigh In 9/12/18

This week we put out our yard waste bin, recycling bin, and nothing else!   Zero bags of trash!  

How did you weigh in this week?