Filed under: Food + Health, Waste + Recycling | Tags: chemical-free, compost, fertilizer, food waste, landfill, life-cycle, natural fertilizer, organic waste, trash, vermicompost, waste, worm, worms
My kitchen trashcan stinks. Fruit and vegetable cores, the food that collects on my floor during haphazard meal prep, dinner leftovers too meager to warrant space in the fridge—they mix and mingle with their discarded packaging, together again. What stinks the most is that it all has energy and nutrients it’s ready to share. Instead of fulfilling any real purpose, however, it ends up in my little white wastebasket.
There is an alternative and it comes in the form of our wiggly, slimy worm friends. Vermicomposting, or worm composting, is a way to compost kitchen scraps quickly and effectively, and can be done inside of your home.
When worms get a hold of kitchen scraps, a highly complex chain of chemical, biochemical and biological interactions and reactions occur. The result is nutrient-rich excrement that is a valuable fertilizer. The worms provide an element that ordinary composting cannot. Worm mucous slows the release of nutrients so they won’t wash away when watering. Your Tylenol comes in time-release capsules, and your fertilizer can, too. The worms are also good little trash compactors, reducing waste volume as much as 60 percent.
While recycling nutrients may be as nature intended, I won’t tell you that inviting a pound of worms into your humble home will feel entirely natural. The set-up includes a worm composting bin of some kind. You can order one online or build your own.
I’m not one to trade one stinky problem for another, so the good news is that the worm bin is practically odor-free. The worms actually eat the odor-causing bacteria (not the food). After digesting the material, the worms produce the nutrient-packed end product, or castings. Although it is just a fancy word for poop, castings smell very much like soil or store-bought fertilizer. Little is known about just what makes worm digestion so fortifying.
Because the worms feast on the bacteria, fungi and protozoans that naturally decompose waste, the process is quicker than ordinary composting and the end product is more sterile. However, vermicomposting can be used in addition to, not as a replacement for backyard composting.
It’s kind of a heart-warming (-worming? Too much?) fairy tale: Rumplestilskin spins straw into gold, worms make trash into useful fertilizer. Even if your garden consists of a single houseplant, it beats sending the food scraps to a landfill, where they can’t breakdown and will live inorganically ever after. For more information on vermicomposting, including how-to’s and troubleshooting, visit BeSmart.org.
Sonya English
Check out my Podcast featuring an interview with Recycling Specialist Cassandra Ford about her Can O Worms vermicomposter.
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Filed under: Food + Health | Tags: Daniel Dermitzel, farmer's markets in Kansas City, kansas city center for urban agriculture
Visiting local farmer’s markets in Kansas City is a pastime that many people enjoy. What’s not to like? Buying fresh food from local farmers is cheap and it’s fun to see all of the various goods for sale.
This picture was taken at the City Market in downtown Kansas City. Picture courtesy of Google.
However, have you ever wondered what kinds of farms the food comes from? Well, there’s a good chance you could be eating produce that was grown at the Kansas City Center for Urban Agriculture or KCCUA.
This program was founded by Daniel Dermitzel, a German who came to Kansas City after working as a television news producer in Los Angeles. After working the O.J. Simpson trial in L.A., Daniel realized he needed a career change and that is when he first became interested in farming. According to the KCCUA Web site, Daniel is interested in increasing the productivity of his farm with advanced technology.
After speaking with Daniel, I learned about community supported agriculture, which is when a group of people invests in a farm, and then shares the produce in the end. By doing this, everyone shares in both the benefits and risks associated with farming. If instead you choose to buy food at the grocery store, the farmer carries the risk alone. And when the farmer has a bad season, prices skyrocket and everyone has to pay.
Source: Notes from field trip on 3.7.08
In conclusion, buying food from local farmers in Kansas City is a great idea. Not only are you helping out your neighbor, you can also feel good about eating fresh, locally grown products. If you are more interested in learning about the KCCUA, they have paid and unpaid apprenticeships, as well as volunteer programs. Just visit their Web site to get more information.
Lindsay Crupper
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Filed under: Food + Health | Tags: growing population of cities, urban agriculture, victory gardens
A topic that has come under discussion recently is urban agriculture. The Web site Collective Roots defines urban agriculture as “the production of food within the boundaries of a city. Urban agriculture can be a pot of herbs grown on a balcony, backyard gardening, rooftop gardening, greenhouses, market and community gardens, edible landscaping, and even beekeeping.”
In today’s world with the constantly increasing food and gas prices, urban agriculture sounds like a great idea!
According to the Collective Roots Web site, the idea of urban agriculture is not a new one. During World War II, it was common for Americans to grow victory gardens in support of the troops. The idea was for people to eat their own crops so that more agricultural goods could be sent to the soldiers abroad.
And since WWII, as city populations have increased, so has the amount of city farming. According to the Web site City Farms: Journey to Forever, “it was estimated in 1993 that city farms were contributing 15% to world food production and it was expected to grow to 33% by 2005.”
Regarding population increases, the City Farms Web site also says that, “Cities cover only 2% of the Earth’s surface but consume 75% of its resources. Cities are black holes, they’re swallowing our planet. But, more and more, they’re turning green.”
An example of an urban farm in busy West Chicago. Picture courtesy of newfarm.org.
In conclusion, urban agriculture is a great solution. As the world’s population continues to grow and more people move into cities, we have a huge opportunity to take advantage of. Why not feed more people in a more economical and environmentally friendly way? People will save money by not having to pay for the transportation of food and local farmers would thrive because they could sell their goods to their own neighbors. Overall, this is a win-win situation for everyone.
Lindsay Crupper
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Filed under: Food + Health, Local Events + Action, Society + Media | Tags: downtown Lawrence, Farm to School, Farmers, farmers’ market, gardening, Kansas, KU, Lawrence, Lawrencian, local food, nutrition, Rolling Prairie Farmers Alliance, sustainability, sustainable food
“Poor Sachiko. You have to eat McDonald and pizza everyday.”
I’m a student from Japan. Before I left Japan, many of my friends mentioned fast food and felt sorry about an unhealthy and tasteless diet I’d go through.
Now, I can say they’re not right, at least in Lawrence. I like to go to downtown restaurants that serve a variety of food around the world. I love to cook using fresh ingredients from the downtown farmers’ market. After coming to Lawrence, I’m converted to a supporter of local food, too.
Photo Credit: Farmers’ Market in Downtown Lawrence Lawrence farmers’ market is open on Saturday morning and Tuesday and Thursday evening.
The farmers’ market, a community garden and restaurants that specialize in regional ingredients, Lawrence offers great venues for local food. The benefits of local food vary from taste to health, to the environment and local economy.
To be a prouder Lawrencian, how can we support local food and build a more sustainable food network in Lawrence?
Search Lawrence Sustainability Network and Local Harvest: They tell us farms and restaurants that specialize in regional ingredients.
Support local farmers through a subscription service: Small-scale local firms are vulnerable to risks such as bad weather and pests. Daniel Dermitzel, farmer and associate director of Kansas City Center for Urban Agriculture, said we can help local formers by sharing those risks and subscribing to Community Supported Agriculture. Under the subscription service, organized farmers collect a fixed fee from customers and provide products periodically. The amount of share depends on the performance of those farmers. Rolling Prairie Farmers Alliance is available for the Lawrence area.
Volunteer for the Lawrence farmers’ market: It’s a great way to share your passion with customers and vendors.
In the long run, we should create more opportunities for farmers to sell their products.
Open the farmers’ market in winter: Although not many products are available during the winter season, opening the markets would help stabilize farmers’ income and satisfy customers’ demands. The Christian Science Monitor reports winter indoor markets that have become popular in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa.
Create a local food kiosk on the KU campus: The kiosk could sell fruits, snacks and meals made of locally grown ingredients. It can be promotional, too.
Start a Farm-to-School program in Lawrence public schools: Farm to School is a program which schools provide meals using locally produced foods. Schools also provide learning opportunities, such as farming, gardening and studying about nutrition. This program would enable local farmers to sell their products and raise students’ awareness of food and health.
Your participation wanted! And don’t miss Lawrence farmers’ market! It opens on Saturday morning and Tuesday and Thursday evening from mid April to November.
By Sachiko Miyakawa
Filed under: Food + Health | Tags: farmers’ market, Kansas City, kansas city center for urban agriculture, local food, organic food, sustainable food, underground farming, urban agriculture, Urban Agriculture Conference, urban farming, vertical farm
Photo Credits: Sachiko Miyakawa These are inside the green house of the farm.
The farm is a certified organic farm in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Daniel Dermitzel operates the firm. He also serves as the associate director of Kansas City Center for Urban Agriculture to promote fresh and healthy food in the city.
Along with the increasing awareness of food safety and environmentalism, urban agriculture like Dermitzel’s farm is gaining attention across the country. Urban agriculture is the practice of raising food locally, especially within or around cities. It reduces consumption of fossil fuels and pollution from shipping and provides fresh vegetables, fruits and meat to city residents. According to the Urban Agriculture Conference,urban agriculture supports food security, provides employment and income to cities, and offers a learning experience for school children. Also, products are often sold in farmers’ markets, encouraging communications between consumers and producers. Urban agriculture activates community.
But not all cities can afford land for farming. In some places, landowners can make more money lending the land for other businesses. Increasing efficiency and profits of farms is necessary to develop urban agriculture.
BBC reports scientists at Columbia University proposed a future of urban agriculture in New York City. The “vertical farm,” a 30-story skyscraper with glass walls would feature farms for varieties of crops and livestock. Energy would come from a solar panel and fuel made from the farm’s waste would provide energy. Wastewater would be recycled in the complex.
TreeHugger features an underground farming in downtown Tokyo. Although the farm’s purpose is rather a display and experiment, the underground farming is an example of unlimited possibilities for the future of urban agriculture.
By Sachiko Miyakawa
Filed under: Justice + Outreach, Nature + Travel | Tags: cattails, environmental destruction, industrialization, swamps, wetlands
As a child, I lived next to a swamp. It was a place of foreboding, where rumor had it that if particles of the spongy heads of cattails, or bulrushes as they were more commonly known got in your eyes, you’d go blind.
Writing this article, it has just occurred to me how naïve I was in believing that by draining the swamp in preference for a low-cost housing scheme, it would be a viable alternative to the prospect of dozens of kids walking around with white sticks and guide dogs. With hindsight, I’ve come to appreciate the value of preserving fragile ecosystems, at a time when they face a growing threat through industrialization, population explosion and pollution. I now know that a swamp is not just an ominous wasteland, but a wetland, that contrary to belief, cattails have strong medicinal properties, are edible and have many other uses, quite apart from their valuable role in supporting an abundance of wildlife.
It’s estimated that more than one-third of the United States’ threatened and endangered species live only in wetlands like this. Spring Swamp by Ray Devlin.
Around the globe, man’s impact on the land has meant that over 50 percent of the world’s wetlands have been lost, and if only 10 percent are protected according to UNESCO estimates, it means most are in danger of becoming extinct, and with it our priceless natural heritage. When will it all stop? When every bit of earth is occupied by a building, a golf course or a mine? When we try to rediscover our past and a voice rings out:
“Ladies and gentlemen, in this part of the museum we have the prehistoric creatures … and moving along to the 17th century, you have the famous dodo bird, to most recent times with the now extinct white pelican, the great egret, hippopotamus, alligator, osprey … .”
By then, it would have been too late – a world gone blind to the destruction of its precious resources.
-Denzyl
Filed under: Justice + Outreach, Local Events + Action | Tags: Haskell-Baker Wetlands, Native American, South Lawrence Trafficway, wetlands
Strolling along the boardwalk in the Haskell-Baker Wetlands, I wondered whether the elegant, furry heads of the cattails possess some mystical sway that makes people blind.
As a child, rumor in the suburb had it that if you played with cattails in the neighboring swamp you’d go blind. Years later, the swamp was drained and a low-income housing complex erected. I doubt anyone lost their eyesight, but could it be that perhaps the plants have instead become a metaphor for ignorance of environmental degradation, that their mere presence works prospective developers into a frenzy. Cattails today, a housing development tomorrow, a multiple lane highway the next.
Walking through the wetland, I don’t see a single animal, except for a small turtle, but I know that billions of microscopic algae lurk beneath the surface of water, that the habitats of birds, insects and plants depends on this ecosystem for their survival, and that to an extent so do we, as wetlands store water that would otherwise flood low-lying areas
Wetlands sustain diverse wildlife, but face growing threats. Picture by Alan Neal
Building the South Lawrence Trafficway will surely endanger all that. For all the convenience it poses in easing traffic congestion, destroying an endangered ecosystem is not the way to go and certainly one viable option is a roadway that bypasses the wetland. Native Americans also make a case on cultural and religious grounds as to why the wetlands should remain as they are.
I’ve overcome my naivety about the cattail and it’s time for some to stop being blinded by the folly of development and the promises of easier urban living and learn to appreciate that which provides an abundance of life.
-Denzyl
Filed under: Justice + Outreach, Local Events + Action | Tags: Baker, Conservation, cultures, ecosystems, Haskell, war, wetlands
Filed under: Waste + Recycling | Tags: "reduce, landfills, paper, recycle, reuse, trash
In 1960, the United States produced 88 million tons of trash a year. Today, we are producing 245 million. Where it is ending up? You guessed it, landfills.
It’s pretty obvious to most that we are a nation full of material things. As Americans, all we want is more more more – but what happened to the recycling bandwagon that emerged in the 90’s and the thoughts of “going green?” Despite the new green trends and efforts to improve sustainability, the trash is still piling up in landfills, and garbage does not lie folks. We are still throwing away perfectly good materials that could either be, you guessed it: Re-used or Rec-ycled.
Here’s another disturbing fact for you. In 1960, when no one had the option to recycle, each person only generated 2.7 pounds of waste per day. Today, although Americans recycle more than ever, we also generate a disturbingly high amount of waste: 4.5 pounds per day.
Landfill limo.
Photo: *Raffella, Flickr
So, what exactly is in our landfills? According to the EPA, it separates our waste into two categories: product-related wastes and non-product wastes. Product-related wastes are all the durable goods we use (appliances, furniture, books – anything that lasts over five years), non-durable goods (newspapers, disposable diapers – anything that lasts less than five years), and packaging. The non-product waste materials are food scraps, yard trimmings and miscellaneous waste.
Paper accounts for the biggest portion of waste ending up in our landfills, at around forty percent. The two runners-up are construction waste and yard trimmings.
The question of when our landfills are going to fill up is one that is under debate. Georgia currently has a landfill that is almost at capacity, and Europe has a couple that have less than ten years left. No matter what people are saying, it is inevitable.
We need to start practicing what we were taught in kindergarten folks-reduce, reuse, and most importantly, recycle. Otherwise, instead of hearing about landfills, we will all be living in one.
-Sarah Nelson
Filed under: Society + Media | Tags: climate change, green movement, personal growth, plastic water bottles, university of kansas sustainability
Well, I say, it’s started.
Coming into the Media & Environment class, for me, was like putting a fish out of water. I knew nothing, and I didn’t intend on claiming any of the knowledge or experience I now have. I knew it would give me something, a new eye, a new ground, a new idea, but I didn’t know that I would now have ambition and fervor for the green movement and environmental media. I even observe journalists and media that I utilize daily and see what they have their hands in, eco-wise.
Okay, so maybe I realized that this ‘green revolution’ was something that has actually been intact for quite some time now, but the current demand for greener lifestyles, more eco-friendly healthy societies, and a wide-angle focus on climate change and the environment can hit home with us all. It’s the little steps that eventually cause the big ones. I had such a struggle understanding my part in all of this. How does refusing to buy water in a plastic bottle actually change how many are produced and how many are still purchased? It’s hard to think of the green movement in that way. But, what I learned is that the collective movement and strength is made of every individual. It has to start somewhere.
My media and environment class was eye-opening and life-changing. I feel like I walk around with green-colored glasses on, noting that every decision I make has a lasting impact on myself, my peers, my environment.
J500 gave me . . .
A starting ground. A basis for growth. Something to be proud of. A network of passionate journalists. Connection with national media. A new perspective.
–Danae DeShazer
