How to Make Everyday Earth Day Free Webinar Tuesday Nov. 9 th 12-1pm Presenters: Kristin Schulz, Ed...

Preview:

Citation preview

How to Make

Everyday Earth Day

Free WebinarTuesday Nov. 9th

12-1pm

Presenters: Kristin Schulz, Ed Stierli, Cheval Opp, and Jason Schwartz

Overview Energy Efficiency with Ed

Repower @ Home

Composting with Cheval

Garden Tours

Sustainability Tips for Life from Jason

B.Kind Vending

Remaining Questions & Discussion

The Green Neighborhood Challenge

Part I

Energy Efficiency with Ed

Repower @ Home

Why save energy?

It’s a smart investment It sends a powerful message It’s an extremely effective way to

reduce pollution

CO2 Emissions in the U.S.

21% of emissions from residential

buildings

Step one: Be a trendsetter

Join the challenge by taking action to save energy

in your own home

Action #1: Eliminate vampire power

• When “off,” electronics use energy to power things like remote control sensors.

• Look for the signs of energy vampires.

Slay vampires

• Three ways to stop vampire power:– Unplug– Switch off a power strip– Use a smart power strip

• Target the most potent vampires

873 POUNDSOF COAL

Action #2: Program your thermostat

• Heating and cooling = biggest part of your energy bill

• You wouldn’t leave your car running in your garage, why heat or cool an empty home?

• Beware heating and cooling myths!

• When are you not at home? – Turn your thermostat back or off during those

times.

• For every 10 degrees you lower your thermostat, you’ll save 10% on your heating and cooling bill.

Save automatically

2,000 POUNDSOF COAL

Action #3: Replace your HVAC filter

• Filters need to be changed every three months

• Old filters let dust, mold, and other allergens into your home

• Your heating and cooling system is less efficient with old filter

1. Remove your filter

2. Measure it

3. Buy a replacement

4. Slide in the new one– Make sure the arrow on the filter matches

the direction of air flow

Breathe easy 1,490 POUNDSOF COAL

Action #4: Have an energy audit & retrofit

• Find out where to begin in your home

• Maximize your savings

• Make your home more comfortable

• Make your home more valuable

• Dramatically reduce your energy waste

Get a retrofit 6,000 POUNDSOF COAL

Step two:Organize your community

• Taking action at home is the first step

• But, we need to get everyone involved!

63 Community Energy Meetings

702 Energized Participants

3377 Energy Action Commitments

What if we had teams across the nation?

Part II

Composting with Cheval

Washington Gardener Magazine

All the DIRT

on Compost

Cheval Force Opp

Garden Tours LLC

Washington Gardener Writer

04/22/23 23

Define Compost

com·post  (kmpst) n. 1. A mixture of decaying organic matter, as from leaves

and manure, used to improve soil structure and provide nutrients.

2. A composition; a mixture.tr.v. com·post·ed, com·post·ing, com·posts 1. To

fertilize with a mixture of decaying organic matter.2. To convert (vegetable matter) to compost.

[Middle English compote, from Old French, mixture, compost, from Latin compositum, mixture, from neuter past participle of compnere, to put together; see component.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

04/22/23 24

Why Compost? For your Plants

• Contains nutrients for optimum growth: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

• Nutrients are released as needed

04/22/23 25

• Organic matter binds with soil particles (sand, silt, and clay) to form crumbs.

• Increases water-holding capacity of soil

• Acts as an inoculant to your soil• Acts as a pH buffer

Grass Clippings Trivia

• Provides 25 % lawn's total fertilizer needs• A 100 lbs grass clippings

– 3-5lbsnitrogen, – ½-1lb phosphorus – 2-3lbs potassium

• Grass clippings do not contribute to thatch 75-85 percent water and decompose readily.

04/22/23 26

Why Compost? For your community

• Nationwide 20-25% of all garbage yearly (EPA)

• Reduces fertilizer, soil amendment purchases

• Lower water, garbage bills • Reduce the need for lawn

and leaf trash bags• Reduces the need for

frequent watering• Grass clippings high moisture

reduce incineration efficiency.

04/22/23 27

1. Compost size

2. Air

3. Moisture

4. Green matter

5. Brown matter

6. Fragment size

7. Heat

04/22/23 28

FEED

04/22/23 29

ME

Think of composting as the act of growing microorganisms.

How fast do you want it? Look and Smell in 2-5 days

• Initial Ratio Brown/ Green

• Particle Size• Maintenance• Moisture

• Low ratio shorter time• More surface for

microorganisms to attack

• Keep air in it• Reproduction insured

04/22/23 30

04/22/23 31

Why not a simple pile?

A Simple Pile2 months to 2 years

• Dry, shady spot near a water source

• Add brown & green materials, shredded

• Keep moist• Size

– 3 feet X 3 feet X 3 feet,– 5 feet X 5 feet X 5 feet

• Tarp to keep moisture constant

• Food wastes – Rodent proof containers– Bury at least 1 ft in pile– Use worm-boxes

04/22/23 32

Keeping it together

04/22/23 33

Build It

04/22/23 34

Buy It

What Do You Want?

Cold Composting Strengths of cold

compost – Low maintenance – Can be built over time

Weaknesses of cold compost – Takes a long time to finish – Doesn't kill pathogens or

weeds – May require filtering when

complete

Hot Composting Strengths of hot compost

– Makes compost quickly – Kills pathogens and weeds – Disposes of lots of material

Weaknesses of hot compost – Requires frequent turning – Requires attention to

brown/green ratio – Very fertile but not as

fertile as cold compost 04/22/23 36

Where to put it?

Where you will use it

• Water • Level• Drainage

Considerations• Under trees

• Against wooden structures

• Under eves

• Against house

• Highly visible

04/22/23 37

MIX Green=High Carbon + Water + Brown =High

Nitrogen

• Vegetables & Fruit

• Grass Clippings

• Fresh Manure• Young Hedge

Trimmings• Seaweed• Feathers• Plant cuttings• Hair

• Leaves• Hay & Straw• Paper &

Cardboard• Woody

Prunings• Eggshells• Coffee Grounds• Tea Bags• Corn Cobs• Sawdust

04/22/23 38

What NOT to Compost• Meat & Bones • Poultry & Fish • Fatty Food Waste • Whole Eggs • Dairy Products • Human & Pet Feces • Pernicious Weeds • Pressure Treated

Wood

• Inorganic garbage • Plastic • Metal • Glass • Ceramics • Used Cat Litter • Particle Board • Plywood • Citrus peels

04/22/23 39

When good Compost goes BAD

Nothing Happening?

• Pile too Dry

• Pile too Small

• Incorrect Mixture of Materials

• Too Little Air

Smells Foul?

• Too Wet

• Too Much Nitrogen

• Not enough Air Circulation

04/22/23 40

Make Your Compost Happy

Go Forth and

Feed Microbes04/22/23 41

Thank You

04/22/23 42

Cheval Force Opp Garden Tours LLC

gardentours@gmail.com

Part III

Sustainable Living with Jason Schwartz

B.Kind Vending – Organic & Natural Foods

Living Sustainably

Q&A

Visit our website or call:301. 754. 0430gogreen@cleancurrents.comwww.cleancurrents.com

The GNEC ProgramHelp green your community

• Green Neighborhood Challenge Oct. 2010 – April 22nd 2011

• Schools• Communities• Faith Groups• Other Organizations

• $10 per wind power sign-up towards a community environmental project

• $250 per solar system installation

• Learn how to successfully contribute towards building a greener community

What to Remember• Enrollment is EASY – can do so through our website,

takes 2 minutes (will need utility acct. #)• NO sign-up or switching fees• Continue to receive only ONE bill (from your utility)

– only change will be the electric rate you pay• No installation of equipment and no change to

dependability of power to your home• You can stay on any program currently on with your

utility (Peak Rewards, Budget Bill, etc.)• Clean Currents rates are SECURE (fixed) for 1-2

years – rather than live with variable rates that other suppliers offer

• We’ll move with you (if you move residence during contract, there are NO penalties)

• Clean Currents is an active part of your community – we live here and are working towards a greener future

Working with Clean Currents

Awards & Recognition

Winner of Washington, DC's 2009

Mayor's Environmental Excellence Award

Winner of State of Maryland Incubator

Best Green Company Award 2010

Winner of the Washington Business

Journal’s 2010 Visionary Award

Bethesda Green’s Runner-Up for

Innovative Green Business Award

Green America certified

Becoming a B Corp.