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TIPS:
• Get informed about the environmental
impacts of the products you buy - alternatives
are coming on the market everyday.
• Don't buy more than you can use.
• Choose products with less packaging.
• Choose products with recyclable or reusable
packaging such as paper, glass, metal cans.
• Buy products in bulk to save on packaging.
Many health food stores have bulk bins. where
they sell everything from grains to cereal to
cleaning products.
• Buy concentrated products and refills.
• Carry reusable shopping bags, cloth bags
or boxes to carry groceries home.
• Avoid disposable items as possible, for
example 'one-use' cameras or disposable napkins.
• Avoid purchasing items packaged in plastic
#3, PVC/vinyl.
REDUCE Paper Waste
TIPS: • Replace paper napkins with cloth napkins.
• Replace paper towels with a set of cloth
towels/napkins and just wash and reuse.
• Purchase bleach-free toilet paper that
is made from the highest post-consumer waste content
you can find.
• When printing documents, consider once-used
paper and/or bleach-free.
• Make note pads from once-used paper.
• Leave messages for family members/roommates
on a reusable message board.
Don't Throw, COMPOST!
Did you know that about
25% of your trash is compostable?
Lawn clippings, shrub and tree
trimming, leaves, and food (except for dairy products,
meats, and grease) are organic food just waiting
to be returned to the soil.
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So
instead of sending your green waste and food
to the landfill and end its usefulness, recycle
the natural way, by COMPOSTING! |
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There are several ways to begin.
_First, you may purchase a composting bin, make
your own, or designate an open area in your yard
for a compost pile.
_A food scrap container located in the kitchen
should be small enough to empty often to avoid
unnecessary odors.
Compost
Needs Four Essential Ingredients:
Nitrogen
(greens)
Any green organics such as houseplant or
flower trimmings, lawn clippings (if you
aren't grass cycling), contain nitrogen.
All vegetable and fruit scraps are also
in the nitrogen group.
Carbon
(browns)
Brown (dry) grass and leaves, paper and
cardboard (shredded or in small pieces),
plus bread and grains.
Oxygen
(air)
The bin or pile must be turned occasionally
to allow air to circulate through the mixture.
Water
(moisture)
Keep your compost mixture moist but not
dripping wet.
For the Mix:
• Apply equal amounts of browns and
greens, water to keep moist, and turn occasionally.
• Make sure to avoid food items that
contain grease and oils, any meat or dairy
products, and fish to avoid odors and rodents.
Red Worms:
• Throw in a few red worms to hasten
the composting process along.
• Those red wigglers love the warm
environment, multiply quickly, make wonderful
compost, and provide great bait for fishing.
Time to Wait:
• After about 2-4 months, a rich,
dark soil will replace the garden and food
scraps.
Congratulations!
• With a little effort and lots of
organics, you have made your own compost
and reduced your trash by approximately
25 percent! |
For more information about composting,
check out these web pages:
US
Environmental Protection Agency:
Wastes - Resource Conservation - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
- Composting
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