whole foods will not put chicken in your tupperware container because they don't want to ruin it with a sticker. They didn't even think that I was crazy when I asked. They will, however, put it in a recyclable container....now I just have to figure out what to do with the sticker...
which leads me to...I am thinking of creating a collection box for the things that I cannot figure how to dispose of. I will call it my "yeah, this is too hard" box or this pile of crap is going in the trash on Easter morning. Jesus has risen! My trash can is full!
Because it was decided on Facebook that the powder wrapper was not recyclable I decided to make homemade mac and cheese tonight. Jeez, people. I must really love Jesus. We are also having wild mushroom lasagna and brussel sprouts.
But really what I wanted to talk about in day two are the exceptions to thsi no trash rule. Because this is what people keep asking about. So, here are the exceptions that I have come up so far.
** if something is violently expelled from the body, whether human or animal, it can be cleaned up
with paper towels. I am not THAT committed to this.
** Lent cannot solve Carter's bed wetting issues, so pull ups will have to be excluded
** Hannah and her medical stuff is excluded
Now here is your part people.
Tell mewhat other exceptions that I should consider
how do I start a compost pile? Right now I have a bin in the back yard where I threw my burnt toast and a half eaten banana. :)
I LOVE that you're doing this and look forward to following you on this journey!
ReplyDeleteDefinite exception - feminine hygiene products (or does that go without saying? despite the fact that I just said it. Sorry!).
We cold compost here and have for years. As a kid my family hot composted, but I don't think you're ready for that. Cold composting is easy! Lay a base of big sticks/small logs and top with leaves, grass clippings and kitchen trash like fruit and veggie trimmings, coffee grounds, egg shells, etc. You shouldn't put fats, meat or fish or dairy products in the compost because it stinks, messes up your compost 'cycle' and attracts wild animals. Trust me when I say you don't want to come face to face with a possum, raccoon, fox, coyote, etc! I even rinse my egg shells before throwing them in the bowl for later removal which, admittedly, may be extreme. Basically, I just keep a bowl on my kitchen counter and throw stuff in it until it's full. The fun begins when the kids fight - um, I meant negotiate - over who gets to take it out to the compost pile. Rule here is that you have to turn the pile with a shovel every time you add to it unless you're adding grass clippings or leaves. This creates air movement through the pile and helps everything to break down. Cold composting is easier but it takes MUCH longer to break everything down - like a year before we can use it in our garden. Also, without the heat of true hot composting I don't think you really kill anything that may have gotten on your plants during the growing season like white mold on the tomato plants, etc. Therefore, I do NOT put the remnants of my garden plants in the compost. We burn those instead to try to eliminate those kinds of plant diseases and fungus. Composting is awesome because (besides the fun of the kids learning to compost - I'm keeping a straight face here!) the compost pile is a fabulous source of worms when Jeff and the kids go fishing and there is an incredible sense of completion when you shovel the resulting rich black soil into your garden! I'm sure that's way more than you were intending to do unless you're getting ready to plant your sweet peas, spinach and lettuces like we are! ;-) I say "Go forth and compost!"
I am all about the easy way Leslie--especially since this way means that I do not have to go out and buy anything :) ! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteCan you put shreds of a flour sack towel in a compost pile? I have some from the Prayer Stations and I am not sure what to do with it.
For the feminine hygiene product I have purchased a diva cup. Though I have been thinking that tampons are probably dissolvable in the sewer so maybe that is not an issue? Either way, I have solved that one.
The Diva Cup is the best invention since sliced bread... well, excluding the burned toast in your plastic bin.
ReplyDelete