By: Chris Dailey

It is a well known fact in the organic gardening community that red worms create some of the best compost that you can use in your garden. It is actually a very simple process which I am going to oversimplify to get to the main point. The process is that you procure a container, fill it with dirt, some kind of bedding, add water, add worms, and add organic waste and this will set you on the path to having worm created organic compost. The problem with this process is that most people that do this often have the space and the time to make this process work on a continual basis. Some very large organic farms have entire hangers dedicated to the composting process. But what if you live in an urban area? Here are a few tips on how you can make a worm bin that will work in any urban or rural indoor situation.

The first thing you will need to do is go to the store and purchase some plastic storage boxes. They do not need to be very large but they should be sturdy. If you do not have a drill, you will need to borrow one or buy one in order to make ventilation holes. Do you read the newspaper? If so then you have what you need in order to begin the composting process. And finally, aside from dirt, you are going to need some red worms. About a pound of them will do.

Two very important things are air and water. All creatures need air and water to exist and composting worms are no different. The first thing you must do is cut large holes on the bottom of each bin with a keyhole saw. If you are following this particular format, you are going to need two bins because you are going to stack them on top of each other. This gets into separating the two worm end products, which will be talked about later.

Next you need to drill ventilation holes so that the worms can get air. Remember that these holes are not going to be as large as the drainage holes that you just drilled on the bottom of each container. The holes for water drainage should be at least an inch in diameter. Ventilation holes on the other hand can be one quarter of an inch so make sure that you have enough drill bits to choose from. The number of holes should be adequate to properly ventilate and drain the entire bin.

You will need to get your daily newspaper out now. If you just raked the lawn, all the better. Used shredded newspaper and leaves, get them wet, and place them so that you have about four inches of this material on the bottom. Also, if you have ever raised any kind of bird, you will know that they need grit in order to eat their seeds. Likewise, worms also need a small amount of grit to help digest their food. You can purchase corn meal or sand or if you have some dirt available from outside, throw a handful in the mix and they will be just fine.

If you are using two containers, you will do the following: take the lid from your top container and place it on the ground. Place the second container that does not have worms, but has dirt, on four blocks on top of the lid. Pending of course that you did not drill holes in the bottom lid, this will act as a catchall for excess water that will drain out of the containers over time. This liquid is what you may have heard being called worm tea.

The container with the worms will be placed on top of this with a sheet of cardboard that is soaked on top of the organic material and worms. Finally, to conclude this journey to make a worm bin, place your remaining lid over the top of the cardboard and seal it and check on it every couple days.

Worms actually do each quite a bit of food depending upon how many you have. With about a thousand worms per pound, and with each thousand worms eating half their body weight a day, you will need to add at least half a pound of organic material to your worm composting bin every few days in order to keep them happy, full, and processing compost.

Other things to check that you will learn over time is how moist soil is, and you might also check how many worms have replicated since you began the whole process. Too many worms in one small area can cause them to die if bin conditions and food amounts are not properly maintained.

You are done. You have just created your very own worm bin and now that you know how to make a worm bin, you might think of showing a friend or even making another one and expanding on your composting endeavor. Hopefully, you may use some of the organic compost or even the worm tea that will be produced over time to fertilize any plants or garden vegetables that you decide to grow during the year.

By: Jitendra Chitnis

Ecological Balance and Sustainable Development- Jitendra Chitnis(B.E., LL.B.)

Uncertain and Changing seasons, increasing global temperature (Global Warming), Increasing water level of sea, ozone layer problem, melting down of south and North Pole, increasing level of carbon emission in the air and many such alarming and demanding situtatios are the outcomes of deteriorated ecological balnce.

Temprature of Globe is increasing in last one or two decades unlike earlier eras. There are different reasons of such result in increasing Global temperature – called Global Warming and these reasons are-



Industrial Development and Pollution

Increasing vehicular pollution

Ozone depletion layer

Reducing number of forests

Reducing level of ground water

Inorganic farming and agriculture

Cutting of trees in urban and rural areas

Reducing number of animals and birds

Increasing population

Wrong goals of Economic system(Profit and Money oriented)



Though there aare different actions needed to correct these problems and achieve ecological balance but moreover it is resulting out of a person and demanding speed of life. If we can control these two things we can save earth from early death. Even controlling spped of life can control te global warming by 50% compared to current speed of deterioration.

Simpler Problem, Difficult To Solve

There are different problems which look very simple but are difficult to tackle, one of these problems is Drinking Water

Drinking Water

There is acute shortage of drinking water in major cities of the world. Other than this the water supplied is not at all drinkable.

“Some people say that there can be a third world war due to non availability of drinking water so you must have to understand the scarecity of the problem.”

Decreasing Raw Food Grains production

Due to uncertain rains and seasons many countries in the world are facing reducing level of production of food grains.

SO it is necessary to use food processing to store the raw food for longer periods using natural, semi-natural and un-natural preservatives.

Control of Carbon Emission

Western and European countries have understood the impact of carbon emissions and present level of carbon in the air and they are trying to control carbon emission in many different ways except one, vehicular pollution.

Comparing western countries with Asian and Developing countries where the economic growth is faster today or in nearer future, due to the availability of money in hand people are going for cars, vehicles at an increasing number and that too when it is not required for their family for daily usage. Many purchase it as status symbol. And since they have car they go for outing in a car every week.

It is better to use public transport to use public transport.

Reducing Number of Vehicles

Reducing industrial pollution.

Sustainable Development

The development has to be there, but it must be sustainable, means we will have science and technology for easy life, but the development will sustain longer than today’s approach.

It means that we must control use of chemicals, nuclear radiations and carbon emissions in such a way that the effect of these things will be slower or negligible.

How to achieve sustainable development

The way to achieve it is simple. We must use natural means as far as possible. Renewable energy resources must be used.

USE solar Power

Solar power is available from sun rays. Sun Rays are available in almost 70% of globe and can be used as electrical and heating energy for water, food, cooking.

Rain Water Harvesting

Rain water can be stored and filtered for use of washing and plantation.

Vehicle Fuel

Solar energy, water or Hydrogen as a fuel. Use  of battery as avehicle energy.

Industrial Fuel

White Coal (Coal made from grass and wood).

Solar energy for water heating and low power electricity.

Bio Gas for heating.

Bio Diesel Generators for Industrial Electricity.

PLASTIC

Use as minimum plastic as possible.

Solid Waste

Towns cities are facing very big problem of solid waste. It is almost impossible to manage the quantity of solid waste. The waste ground provided by the government are insufficient as population of the cities and towns keeps on growing.

Organic farming an agriculture

We must use natural maethods to increase production in farming and agriculture.

Earth worm composts are very good for farming and agriculture.

Reducing use of wood

Wood should be used as minimum as possible.

Find Alternative for Cement as Construction Material

Cement as a construction material produces more heat and hence is not advisable material for construction. One good alternative is Ciporex.

Economy Should change

Profit and Money being the motive of the present economy it is causing trouble for the world. We must have economy which will have values embedded. Rewards for good work, rewards for honesty.

Conclusions

The damage due to manmade material is not repairable by money or other manmade material at least today.

If today we are not able to control nature by science and technology, do you think, we can do so in future?

If we are not able to generate nature with the help of science and technology we must try to protect is honestly.

Everything that is born is going to die, but let it be at least a natural death.

By: Casey Coke

There is no need to let kitchen waste go to waste! Gardeners can spend lots of money buying good soil or compost to make the garden grow. There is, however, no need to do that if you eat at home more than once a week! Composting kitchen waste solves several problems simultaneously by converting kitchen scraps that would otherwise be thrown away into rich, organic soil for the garden. Incorporating compost into the soil helps keep the soil alive and life-sustaining. Creating your own compost saves money and helps the environment.

Composting 101 There are a few things that every new composter needs to know: · Kitchen compost can include any vegetable matter or paper. Do not add oils, meats or fats to your kitchen compost, as it will cause your compost to smell and attract animals. Additionally, you need certain conditions of heat and bacterial activity to properly compost these materials. · Shred your scraps or tear them up into the smallest pieces possible. This will help the scraps break down faster. · Compost operations need green and brown materials. Kitchen waste falls into the category of green materials. In addition to the kitchen waste, you will need to add dried shredded leaves or other brown matter. · One of the most efficient ways to compost kitchen waste is to use worms. Vermicomposting can be done outside or under the sink, depending upon the space available and the winter climates. (Worms cannot sustain chilling temperatures.)

Kitchen Composting Many successful gardeners make all of their compost in the kitchen! You can compost in the space under your kitchen sink, especially if you employ worms to help. This is how you build an under the sink worm bin: 1. Get a Tupperware or a small trash can and poke holes in the top for air. 2. In a separate container, soak a mix of grass clippings and dry shredded leaves overnight. 3. Put about two inches of gravel in the bottom of the container and fill with water up to ½ inches below the rock line. 4. Drain the grass/leaves mix and place it in the container. Let it sit for 48 hours. Once the temperature has stabilized to 100 degrees or lower for at least 24 hours, you can add the worms. 5. Let the worms become acquainted with their new space for about a week. At that point, you can begin adding food for the worms. 6. One pound of worms can consume about one pound of kitchen scraps per day. After about two months, you can remove some of the composted material and continue to add food.

Composting Kitchen Scraps Outside

If you have plenty of space outside in a part sun/part shade area, consider a compost pile to compost your kitchen waste outside in the garden. You can decide whether you want to maintain a hot compost pile or a cold compost pile. Hot compost cooks faster, but you do have to turn it and monitor it. With cold compost, you can employ worms to help break down your kitchen scraps. With either type of pile you will need a combination of green materials and brown materials to start your pile. If you are composting cold and not using a container, build a bottom framework of larger twigs and materials. Alternate layers of green materials (kitchen scraps and freshly cut grass) and brown materials (shredded leaves and straw). You can continue to add layers to the pile, occasionally building in a layer of sticks. The layer made of sticks allows oxygen into the pile that helps the bacteria and other soil organisms that will eventually break down the kitchen waste in the pile. Composting kitchen waste is a simple and rewarding way to recycle your green kitchen scraps and have rich, fertile soil for your garden.

By: Amy Nutt

Your big day is over. Everything went wonderfully. You looked beautiful, your groom was handsome, the flowers looked and smelled great, and the food was as tasty as you imagined it would be. You just have one little problem. What should you do with all of those once-gorgeous flowers? Rather than throw them in the trash, consider these options to help you “give back” a little from your wedding day.

Use Centerpieces as Gifts

One way to honor those who helped make your wedding a special day is to give them a bouquet, perhaps a centerpiece, as a gift. Everyone loves fresh flowers, and with the right care those flowers will stay beautiful for a week or two after your wedding. The people that helped make your special day such a success can relive the beauty of your wedding every time they look at your beautiful flowers.

Before you gift flowers, however, make sure they are a gift that can be enjoyed. A massive centerpiece may not be appreciated by someone living in a small apartment. Also, some of your guests may have allergies that will be irritated by a gift of flowers. However, many of your helpers will be able to enjoy your flowers, making them an ideal gift.

Preserve Your Bouquet

You can have your wedding bouquet freeze dried to preserve it after your wedding day. Be sure you have this professionally done, as it takes special equipment to remove all of the moisture from your bouquet and preserve its shape and beauty. Once it is preserved, you can have it mounted to display in your new home. As long as you do not touch the bouquet, it should stay beautiful for several years. Imagine being able to show your children your wedding bouquet one day!

Having your wedding bouquet preserved is kind of expensive. If you have spent your entire budget on your wedding, you could request this as a gift from one of your parents or a close friend. When they ask you what they could give you to help you start off your married life, you could explain that you would like to preserve your bouquet. You also could use some of your monetary gifts to pay for this memory.

Start a Compost Heap

Composting is probably not on your mind on your wedding day, but if you intend to have a garden in your new home, your wedding flowers are the perfect way to start your compost heap. You can designate someone to collect the flowers after the party and take them to your home where the compost area is set up.

Keep in mind that a wedding bouquet or centerpiece is not entirely organic. There are wires, ribbon, Styrofoam, and other items in the bouquet. You will need to have someone remove these items and throw the flowers and leaves into the compost heap.

Once the flowers are in the compost heap, they can remain untouched until you return from your honeymoon. Then, you can add your kitchen waste and gardening waste to the compost heap as you begin your new life together. Soon you will have healthy compost that you can add to the soil of your next garden. Whether you want to grow food or plant flowers, compost, created with your wedding flowers, will help the plants grow big and stay healthy.

These options are much better than simply tossing the flowers in the trash. You paid a good amount for your wedding flowers. By gifting them, preserving them, or using them as compost, you can get even more benefit from the investment. Not only that, but you are also keeping more stuff out of the landfills, helping you to protect the environment as you clean up from your wedding.

a face in the crowd asked:


how to compost?

things like left-over food, fruit and vegetable peelings, coffee grounds.

thanks!