Food Waste And Composting

August 26, 2019August 25, 2019 / Yen-Van Tran / Leave a comment

08.26.2019

0600

Roughly one third of the food produced in the world for human consumption every year — approximately 1.3 billion tonnes — gets lost or wasted. Food losses and waste amounts to roughly US$ 680 billion in industrialized countries and US$ 310 billion in developing countries.

Some facts from the Food and Agriculture Organization of The United Nations:

Roughly one third of the food produced in the world for human consumption every year — approximately 1.3 billion tonnes — gets lost or wasted.
Food losses and waste amounts to roughly US$ 680 billion in industrialized countries and US$ 310 billion in developing countries.
Industrialized and developing countries dissipate roughly the same quantities of food — respectively 670 and 630 million tonnes.
Fruits and vegetables, plus roots and tubers have the highest wastage rates of any food.
Global quantitative food losses and waste per year are roughly 30% for cereals, 40-50% for root crops, fruits and vegetables, 20% for oil seeds, meat and dairy plus 35% for fish.
Every year, consumers in rich countries waste almost as much food (222 million tonnes) as the entire net food production of sub-Saharan Africa (230 million tonnes).
The amount of food lost or wasted every year is equivalent to more than half of the world’s annual cereals crop (2.3 billion tonnes in 2009/2010).
Per capita waste by consumers is between 95-115 kg a year in Europe and North America, while consumers in sub-Saharan Africa, south and south-eastern Asia, each throw away only 6-11 kg a year.

Food waste is an issue I pay very much attention to. I don’t like wasting food or my money. Before my city decided to implement a city wide composting program, I used a Lifetime 65 Gallon Tumbler compost. It was really helpful since I always wanted to create my own compost and not add it to my trash.

I also tried a trench compost as well, and honestly, I really enjoyed the trench compost method. I settled on the tumbler compost method because it was easier to roll and turn the compost every other day.

A successful compost will have a ratio of 20 parts brown : 1 part green. The compost pile will need at least 4-12 weeks to create a good batch. I’ll rotate the Lifetime 65 Gallon Tumbler several revolutions weekly and if the composter is mostly filled with grass, it may need to be rotated more frequently to keep the grass from matting together. The compost is done when it becomes dark brown and has an earthy smell. It can be added directly to plants as mulch or worked into soil.

WHAT TO COMPOST:

KITCHEN SCRAPS like fruit and vegetable peelings, cores, egg shells, and coffee grounds.
LAWN CLIPPINGS can be returned directly to the lawn with a mulching blade or composted
as desired, especially if the grass clippings are too long to be left on the lawn.
LEAVES can be mowed to reduce their size which will speed up decomposition and
increase the amount which will ft in the composter.
WOOD such as branches must be chipped or shredded in pieces smaller than1 inch.
Saw dust must be resin free i.e. no particle board.
PLANTS discarded from the garden, straw and hay.
MANURES from herbivores e.g. cows, rabbits, or chickens. Excessive amounts will also increase the salt content of the compost.

WHAT NOT TO COMPOST:

Meat, bones, greases, dairy products, or bread which attract pests. Anything treated with pesticides or herbicides.
Black Walnut leaves which inhibit plant growth.
Oak leaves and pine needles which decompose slowly.
Diseased plants or weeds with seeds.
Pet or human waste.
Plastic, foil, etc.

I usually meal prep throughout the week, so I know how much I want to buy and consume. I rarely buy snacks anymore since I’ve noticed that I tend not to snack. If I’m really hungry, I might have a few nuts, to satisfy my hunger. I prefer to simply eat whole meals, when the time is right.

My weekday meals don’t vary too much, but I’ve also reduced the amount I eat, so I don’t create any extra food waste. There’s usually a day during the week, where I’ll go through my fridge and eat up all the foods that may be expiring soon as well. Most of those foods are perishable, so it’ll end up to be some sort of salad, with a bunch of different vegetables. For the fresh produce that does expire, they go into the compost bucket.

Americans waste about a pound of food per person each day, with people who have healthier diets rich in fruit and vegetables the most wasteful, research has found. The healthiest Americans are the most wasteful, because of their high consumption of fruits and vegetables, which are frequently thrown out. Fruit and vegetables require less land to grow than than other foods, such as meat, but require a large amount of water and pesticides. Because of this sad fact, I pay more attention to what I buy and the quantity I buy. This waste has an environmental toll, with the volume of discarded food equivalent to the yearly use of 30m acres of land, 780m pounds of pesticide and 4.2tn gallons of irrigated water. Rotting food also clogs up landfills and releases methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.

Composting is a great way to dump the compostable items, and if you don’t have a yard, there are smaller composts, that are also designed for apartment living as well. Composting is a more sustainable way to discard your foods scraps and it’ll will alleviate the amount of trash, taken to the landfill. If your city, or county hasn’t implemented a city wide composting system, maybe it could be an idea that could be brought to your city.

My Composting Procedure

January 12, 2017August 25, 2019 / Yen-Van Tran / Leave a comment

01.12.2017

0800

So my composting procedure is pretty simple, and here is what I use to achieve the composting pile that I desire.

First, I choose a good location for my Lifetime 65 Gallon Composter . I choose an area on level grass or dirt where drainage won’t affect pavement, where it will be convenient to access for loading and where direct sunlight will help heat up the compost.

I then will fill up my small compost bucket with kitchen scraps such as fruit and vegetable peelings, cores, egg shells, and coffee grounds. I also directly add broken leaves and broken wood branches to the Lifetime 65 Gallon Tumbler, along with the items from my bucket. At times, I’ll add in sawdust when I do work on house repairs.

A good compost will have a blend of materials. The blend will consist of brown and dry items such as dead leaves, wood materials, dried weeds, straw, hay, paper materials and green items such as grass clippings, garden remains and kitchen scraps. A successful compost will have a ratio of 20 parts brown : 1 part green.

Over time, the compost will settle. The compost pile will need at least 4-12 weeks to create a good batch. Because this style of composting is a batch process, two composters are usually recommended, so when one is “cooking,” you can continue to add compost material to the other compost bin, to start the second batch. I tend to let my compost cook so long, that I can mix it in directly with soil pretty quickly.

I’ll rotate the Lifetime 65 Gallon Tumbler several revolutions weekly and if the composter is mostly filled with grass, it may need to be rotated more frequently to keep the grass from matting together. The compost is done when it becomes dark brown and has an earthy smell. It can be added directly t plants as mulch or worked into soil.

I usually dump the compost that’s done “cooking” directly underneath the bin, then subsequently move the bin out of the way, so that I can distribute it around the yard.

Composting is my way of getting rid of my food scraps trash and it’s been working for awhile. Our soil is great and I’ll distribute the compost mixture around the yard through out the various dumping occasions. A lot of people have a misconception of compost having a strong odor, but if you keep the compost ingredients within the requirements of what is allowed, it really doesn’t smell that bad.

WHAT TO COMPOST:

KITCHEN SCRAPS like fruit and vegetable peelings, cores, egg shells, and coffee grounds.
LAWN CLIPPINGS can be returned directly to the lawn with a mulching blade or composted
as desired, especially if the grass clippings are too long to be left on the lawn.
LEAVES can be mowed to reduce their size which will speed up decomposition and
increase the amount which will ft in the composter.
WOOD such as branches must be chipped or shredded in pieces smaller than1 inch.
Saw dust must be resin free i.e. no particle board.
PLANTS discarded from the garden, straw and hay.
MANURES from herbivores e.g. cows, rabbits, or chickens. Excessive amounts will also increase the salt content of the compost.

WHAT NOT TO COMPOST:

Meat, bones, greases, dairy products, or bread which attract pests.
Anything treated with pesticides or herbicides.
Black Walnut leaves which inhibit plant growth.
Oak leaves and pine needles which decompose slowly.
Diseased plants or weeds with seeds.
Pet or human waste.
Plastic, foil, etc.

I hope this helps for those who are looking to compost and are also curious about the set up. The assembly is easy and simple and hopefully you’ll be able to get going on it soon. This composter also cut back on the amount of trash that we produced greatly.

Examine Products Closely

January 7, 2017August 12, 2018 / Yen-Van Tran / Leave a comment

01.06.2017

0800

I actually did this experiment back on August 27, 2016, but I finally decided to upload it now. I had other topics that I felt were scheduled before this post. (If you look through my Instagram account, you’ll see the date of when this image was taken and posted)

Although the craze of sustainable products has made their way around the internet, it is important to always examine your products closely and investigate the companies you invest your money in. There is plenty of companies that practice greenwashing and may not think that their consumers would investigate, but I encourage you to.

Greenwashing is a form of spin in which green Public Relations or green marketing is deceptively used to promote the perception that an organization’s products, aims or policies are environmentally friendly.

Not all claims of products being 100% natural or biodegradable are true. Take for instance my biodegradable toothbrush. I pulled it apart and found metal flakes that held the bristles in place. I also held a lighter to the bristles to see what would happen and they melted as opposed to burning.

Not all companies are bad. Not all claims are false, but check out the companies that you trust your health and your family’s health with. It is a risky game at times and blind trust has to be executed in certain situations.

The internet is big and vast and a lot of people review products. Take a look at what they say and hopefully it’ll guide you in a direction you are comfortable with.

This has been a public service announcement. Ha! yea right.

The Simple Route To Less Trash

November 1, 2016August 12, 2018 / Yen-Van Tran / Leave a comment

11.01.2016

0800

The route to the zero waste lifestyle is quite simple. As you can see from the illustration above, this route can have nine stops along the way. Even with nine stops, some of these steps can be combined with one another being as the actions follow one another quite closely. The beginning of the journey is a little difficult because you’re still unprepared to get rid of your wasteful items and you haven’t bought items to replace the functional use. To prepare for this, I do suggest you examine what you ABSOLUTELY NEED in your daily routines and then find/purchase products that will compensate easily. Here is a simple outline of how you can get started:

Simplify:
Edit your belongings. Understand your true wants and needs. This can be in a list form or simply going through each day and examining each routine you go through.
Refuse:
Refuse single-use disposable items. That’s anything you use once and then dispose of it. This can easily be done because all you really have to do is say no.
Bring your own:
Have durables to keep single-use plastics away. Items like a reusable bag, straw, tumbler and water bottle. Always bring these items items wherever you go. I’ve been stuck a few times in situations where I did not pack all of my utensils (reusable cup, fork, spoon and metal straw) because I didn’t think I’d run into situations where I would need them.
Whole Foods:
Become resourceful with food by learning to make easy & quick meals from unprocessed and unpackaged foods. I like to make simple meals from whole produce combined with food I buy from the bulk bins. I don’t like spending a lot of time cooking, so my grocery list is pretty repetitive and simple.
Compost:
Separate your food waste! From backyard to warm composting, don’t let your food scraps go to the landfill! Composting is a great way to divert your foods waste and also create better soil for your garden.
Buy Better & Repair:
Buy less, buy better. Seek multifunctional, repairable, and lasting products.If you can learn one or two stitches with a needle and thread, you’d be surprised how much longer you can extend the life of your possessions.
Recycle well:
Recycling is good, but it’s not the solution. Reduce the amount you recycle by reducing the amount you consume. This is a really good rule because although “recycling” seems like a solution, there’s still energy and resources being put into the recycling plants and not all “recyclable items” are 100% recyclable. Some items cannot be broken down and others have to be picked apart in order to extract the recyclable materials, which means the rest of the materials that made up the item will subsequently go to the landfill. The best solution here is to simply not rely on recycling alone.
Use your voice:
Kindly use your voice to express how you want products designed and recovered. Give companies businesses and manufacturers incentive to make the change! If you speak up, companies will listen. It may not feel like it or seem like it, but as a consumer, you have the choice to make each time you purchase any item. You’re voice speaks through your actions and that’s pretty loud.
Support the community:
Get to know your community. Shop local or start a community garden. You can walk, bike, bus, as a means of transportation too. I tend to shop at local stores because I don’t want to purchase items that are simple cookie cutter products. At times, yes, I will need a cookie cutter item such as a power strip or power cord, but majority of the time I don’t. Local businesses do need our support and voice to continue to let them thrive and flourish. Create a change- be the change.

Composting

July 13, 2016August 12, 2018 / Yen-Van Tran / Leave a comment

07.13.2016

0800

I have a compost at home and I love adding to it. It’s a great way of how I get rid of my food scraps without adding it to the landfill. Currently I use the Lifetime 65 gallon tumbler, which is large enough to add multiple layers of dry leaves and moist food scraps. The design allows me to rotate the pile so I won’t have to run the pile using a hand tool.

Composting is the process of breaking down or decomposing organic materials for use as an excellent soil amendment. Beneficial bacteria and fungi do their part to return this waste into a form usable once again by plants. These microbes need air, water, food, and heat to thrive. Keeping the microbes “happy” will speed up the process.

There are a few benefits of composting such as:

Saves landfill space, as well as, time and gas transporting yard waste.
Improves the soil’s ability to retain moisture, reducing watering costs.
Provides needed humus and nutrients for healthy plants.

With the Lifetime Compost Tumbler, it:

Hides the messy appearance of a compost pile, and takes less space.
Easily rotates saving time and effort of turning a pile.
Reduces smell by enclosing composting material and providing adequate air supply to maintain desired aerobic microbiological activity.
Helps to maintain proper moisture by shedding rain and shielding compost from drying winds.

First I chose a location on level grass or dirt where drainage won’t affect pavement and a location where it will be convenient to access for loading. This location also has direct sunlight will help heat up the compost, and then I started adding to create my compost pile. I added:

KITCHEN SCRAPS: like fruit and vegetable peelings, cores, eggshells, and coffee grounds.
LAWN CLIPPINGS: can be returned directly to the lawn with a mulching blade or composted as desired, especially if the grass clippings are too long to be left on the lawn.
LEAVES: can be mowed to reduce their size which will speed up decomposition and increase the amount which will fit in the composter.
WOOD: such as branches must be chipped or shredded in pieces smaller than 1 inch. Saw dust must be resin free i.e. no particle board.
PLANTS: discarded from the garden, straw and hay.
MANURES: from herbivores e.g. cows, rabbits, or chickens. Excessive amounts will also increase the salt content of the compost.

But I don’t add:

Meat, bones, greases, dairy products, or bread which attract pests.
Anything treated with pesticides or herbicides.
Black Walnut leaves which inhibit plant growth.
Oak leaves and pine needles which decompose slowly.
Diseased plants or weeds with seeds.
Pet or human waste.
Plastic, foil, etc.

Usually the compost is done when it becomes dark brown and has an earthy smell. I then add the compost directly to ornamental plants as mulch or work into soil. The composter can easily be dragged after dumping to make room for another pile. I usually dump the compost directly onto the soil underneath it and then move it around accordingly. I hope more people will consider composting as a means to get rid of your foods scraps as opposed to dumping them in the trash. Check with your local trash collection agency or recycling center, some have donation stations or pick up services for compost and/or foods scraps . Some areas will also pay you for your compost as well.

Seven Tips To Begin A Zero Waste Life

March 14, 2016July 19, 2019 / Yen-Van Tran / 3 Comments

03.14.2016

0800

When I first began this journey to live a zero waste lifestyle, although there always seemed to be a list of tasks that I would end up doing; I wish there was a list of things I needed to do in sequential order. There was a lot of backtracking as well as re-organizing when it came down to the sequence in which I should have gone about starting this journey. Because this journey also is adjusted to each person’s lifestyle, my system was not refined for a couple of months. I still wished someone could have informed me about what to do first verses my assumption that the first task was to get rid of all products packaged in plastic.

Begin by making bags from old bed sheets and extra rope/shoelace.
1. These bags can be different sizes. I made mine into 2 different sizes. Take those bags and weigh them at a store so you can record the tare weight onto each bag. If you narrow down your bags sizes, it’s easier to input the tare the weight and when you shop and you won’t be fluctuating between a variety of numbers. It will be easier on you and the cashier as well.
2. These bags will also become useful once you start cleaning out your life. Since you’ll most likely be donating or eliminating items from your life, the areas that you’re cleaning out will most likely need something to separate your items in. And these bags will also help in the beginning of your journey into bulk shopping (which takes care of that pesky task of eating to survive).
Sort out your products that are contained in plastic or wasteful packaging.
1. It’s easier to separate products by room and by use, so go slowly. Then go through and reduce the amount of products.
2. If you can’t eliminate a product completely, you know that the next tasks is to find an alternative; that alternative also needs to be a zero waste alternative. Unfortunately, that’s also one of the tricky tasks during this journey. Some people may need certain products due to medical reasons or health conditions, so these products take a little bit more time to eliminate and more research as well. Make sure you choose the best solution for yourself.
Invest in jars. I invested in Bormioli Rocco Fido jars as well as Mason jars.
1. These jars will help you organize your items that need a more sturdy container as well as assist you on your journey in bulk shopping. Food packaging is one of the most wasteful habits we have adapted to, so by investing in these jars, you’re already preparing yourself to take care of the easiest problem.
2. Also, when you start bringing these jars to the grocery store, make sure you ask the cashier to tare the weight before you fill it. For the Mason jars, I actually carve the tare weight into the lid and for the Bormioli Rocco Fido jars, I write the tare weight on the gasket rim so that the cashier can see the tare weight through the lid.
Go to the local bulk grocery stores near you and find what’s available in their bulk section.
1. Check out what they sell in their bath and body bulk section as well as the bulk food area. By doing this, you can create a list of ingredients and products that you know are available to you.
Reduce and donate
1. Although the idea of “tossing out everything” sounds simple, it really isn’t. It takes time and effort. To go from owning a lot of items that you have accumulated in your lifetime, to owning three items is not easy. It takes a lot of evaluation and re-evaluating your routines and habits to adjust to the limited amount of items you now own. The easiest way I knew how to attack this task was to simply ask “Do I need it or do I want it? If I need it, what’s an alternative to it that would not produce waste?”
2. In time, you’ll notice that perhaps items that you thought you wouldn’t be able to let go of, you can. This process of eliminating and reducing the amount of items in your life changes the way you approach possessions as well as products. It will take time, so be patient with yourself- but always strive to be completely zero waste.
Start a compost.
1. With all of the bulk items you’re going to buy, I very much suggest starting a compost. If you don’t have enough land to start a compost, look into city programs that may offer something similar. You can even search for local businesses that might be willing to take your compost or buy it.
Opt out of junk mail and use the mail pieces that do get through as scratch paper.
1. This is an easy task. I used Catalog Choice and Direct Marketing Association Choice which offer a mail preference service for consumers. Granted, the list of magazines and newsletters I have opted out of on both of my accounts are not short. I had to input quite a bit of organizations and businesses, but it’s well worth it in the end.

I hope this list helps those of you who are starting out on your own zero waste life journey. I know it wasn’t a simple and short type of list, where I only listed tasks to do in a bullet point format. I wanted to explain why I chose these seven items to anchor the beginning of the journey for zero waste newbies. Good luck to all and if you have any questions, please email me, my email is in my about section of this website. Also if you want to see what items I have purchased, please check out my store link.