Are You For Reel?

I haven't posted since April? Really! Why didn't anyone tell me!

Just kidding. I knew. As it turns out, I'm not a very good blogger. I'll make a bunch of posts all in one week then run out of stuff to talk about, or time to write, for a couple months. I just need a nudge now and then... so don't be afraid to nudge me.

I took my last break from blogging as a result of heart ache. I attempted to buy a house and the loan fell through (as I feared it would) the day I was supposed to close. So, I took a two month break to get over my heartache and save up enough cushion in my account to try again. Now, I'm so happy that first house fell through. I closed on my current house in July and have spent every free evening and weekend making it my own. I haven't had the opportunity to do any major eco changes, but they are all in the works. First I had to update the safety side of the house (home security system, install a fence, install smoke detectors and CO2 detectors, fix the security light, install hand railings on all the stairs, install privacy blinds in all the windows), then some of the cosmetic fixes (weatherproof the deck, decorate the inside of the house) and financial fixes (find a roommate, await the arrival of my Tax Credit). I have however done some small eco preparations like replacing the weather stripping around my doors and I purchased a Push Reel Lawn Mower.

Pros & Cons of a Push Reel Mower:

Pros

1. They are better for the environment because they do not require the use of electricity or gasoline to power the mower blade, just honest to goodness (wo)man power.
2. There is no threat of damaging the blade on a rock or stick, thus no expensive fixes or tune ups required.
3. They cost less than a gas powered or electric mower from the start (about $90) and have minimal to no maintenance costs throughout the life of the mower (all you need is a blade sharpener kit, but even that purchase can wait a couple years).
4. Small size and light weight allows for easy storage and transportation.
5. There's no threat of running out of gas in the middle of the job (which ALWAYS seemed to happen to me).
6. No noise. The sound from this mower is comparable to a heavy fan. My new neighbor kids argued with me that this was not a lawn mower because it didn't make any sound, to which I replied "well, it's cutting the grass isn't it?"
7. Conversation piece. I've had so many neighbors come over to talk to me about my mower either because they a) "haven't seen one of this in years" or b) "have never seen one of these in their life". Safe to say, my new neighborhood is very demographically diverse.

Cons & Solutions

1. The blade will get caught on just about anything, including pine cones and small sticks. Your solutions? Pick up sticks and cones before you mow, or just toss them out of the way as you approach them. It's not like a regular mower where you have to turn it off, move the item, then start it again. With a push reel you literally just start pushing again to get the blades going.
   
2. Up hills can suck. That is, if you don't like the work out. The mower is not self propelling, like many gas powered mowers, so you use more strength pushing the mower up hill. On the bright side, it's that much easier pushing the mower downhill. Your solutions? Try mowing side to side along the hill rather than up and down the hill. When I want a good work out, I'll walk down the hills with the mower and run up them. Keep in mind however that the hill in my backyard is not very steep, so running up it isn't that bad.
   
3. The mower does not cut along the edges. If the mower itself from outside of wheel to outside of wheel is 16 inches, the length of the blade is actually more like 12 inches. If you try to mow along the side of the house, there will be about 2 inches of grass that does not get cut. Your solution? Place 2 inches worth of wood chips along the sides of your house, fence lines, etc. this way the mower wheel will roll over the wood chips and the edge of the grass will begin about where the blade begins. Plus your landscaping will look nice and trim that way.
4. Can't let the grass get too long. This is true with most mowers, but especially true with push reel mowers. If you let the grass grow without a trim for more than a week, the blades of the mower will simply push the grass over flat, rather than cutting it. At that point, the only solution is to bring in a different mower. Your solutions? Get off your butt and cut the grass once a week!
   
5. Takes too long to mow the yard. My yard has 3/4 acres to mow, and it takes me about 2 hours to mow (including water breaks and snack breaks and playing with the dog). However, the faster you push the mower, the faster the blade spins and the faster you get done. Because the mower is so light weight, you can literally jog around the yard with the mower (the only downside is when it gets stuck... so be sure to walk around and pick up sticks and pine cones before attempting this jog). Here is another possible solution:

I don't know who this person is. I snagged this picture from The Fun Times Guide site while searching for additional pros/cons that I may not have yet encountered on my own.

That's all for now on the topic of Push Reel Mowers. Something else I wanted to mention is Engage Green starting up again. We took a break to revise the mission of Engage Green and this time around it will be much more interactive. Our first new topic is Winterizing Your Home and will be hosted at 5th & Main Condos on Tuesday, September 1st from 6-8pm. We'll discuss ways to prepare your home for the winter, including calking windows and doors, weather stripping, and insulation.

Anxious

This week is the busiest week for Team Green, and any organization supporting an environmental cause... it's Earth Day week. In fact, all of April is Earth Month and for the past six weeks Nashville has been bombarded by green gadgets and gimmicks. It is a shame that the community really only comes together once a year to celebrate the Earth. All woes aside, Nashville Earth Day Festival is this Saturday and, amongst others, Team Green has been running around trying to make this the best Earth Day event Nashville has ever seen.

Meanwhile, I've been running around trying to close on my new house. I guess I should call it my new house, since I'm honestly afraid the loan won't go through. Because of the housing market fall, terrorism, bail outs, and dirty money all across the United States, honest people like me are being scrutinized and turned down on honest investments. Wish me luck. I'll post again when a final say on my status as homeowner is determined for me. Lame.

The Beautiful Truth

I watched a very interesting documentary with my roommates the other night, call The Beautiful Truth. It covers the research done by a teenage boy who looks deeper into the disappointments of cancer cures and a simple, beautiful truth that so many of us ignore. The food we eat impacts our immune system, so by subscribing to an all natural, organic diet, we empower ourselves to cure our own cancers. The documentary also discusses the presence of mercury in amalgam dental fillings and the real impact of fluoride on our health. Not everyone will agree with everything in the documentary, but it will with out a doubt get you thinking.

The primary focus of the documentary is the Gerson Therapy:

A natural treatment developed by Dr. Max Gerson in the 1920’s that uses organic foods, juicing, coffee enemas, detoxification and natural supplements to activate the body’s ability to heal itself. Over the past 60 years, thousands of people have used the Gerson Therapy to recover from so-called “incurable” diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and arthritis.

A word of warning however: the narrator's voice is on the side of story teller creepy. You'll know what I mean. Eventually you get used to it, so don't let his voice discourage you from welcoming the content.

In Your System

It's such a shame that so many people missed out on last night's Engage Green. We still had a decent crowd, with about 15 in attendance, but nothing to compare to last month's 40 count. All three presenters did a great job covering their topic and providing wonderful research tips about CSAs in general. I want to give a huge thank you to Jennifer & Tim, Tana, and Sizwe.

Our first presenter was Sizwe with Earth Matters. He discussed permaculture and the importance of engaging in a culture that can be sustainable by living off the land and giving back to the land. His Community Garden collects leaves from all around Nashville and creates art piles to compost. To enrich the compost with nitrogen, they also collect old coffee grounds from Starbucks and other food scraps to mix in with the decaying leaves. This compost can be picked up for FREE to add to your soil at home. The only thing they ask is that the compost be used to grow food, not flowers and shrubs.

Our second presenter was Tana with Eaton's Creek Organics. She is the farmer for a certified organic farm here in Davidson county (near Joelton). She focused on the history of CSA programs in the United States and abroud. Did you know that the food we eat travels an average of 1500 miles before it arrives at our dinner table? That's just an average. Some of our food travels more than 3000 miles. Think of the reduction in your carbon footprint when you choose to purchase your food from only 15 miles away.

Our third presenter was Tim with Avalon-Acres. Below is an outline of the presentation he gave:

What is a CSA?

• Community, corporate, or congregation Supported Agriculture
• Subscription based farming in which members share in the harvest, for good or bad
• Regular deliveries for 26 weeks
• Members receive assistance in preparing food (recipes, ideas, new foods to try)
• The members build a connectedness with the local land, weather, and other members

Why buy local?

• Livestock: Animals are outside on pastures, with no hormones or antibiotics because they are treated humanely. Did you know that commercially raised animals require antibiotics because the stress of living in confined space makes them susceptible to diseases? Did you know that those antibiotics get into our systems and the systems of the other animals and creates a resistance to those antibiotics, which makes it more difficult to cure ailments?
• Produce: Bio dynamic and diverse, sustainable growing methods are encouraged while the use of unnatural fertilizers and pesticides are discouraged. Many CSAs also work in conjunction with other local farms to build the variety of produce and meats offered.
• Food is picked ripe: When you purchase a tomato from the grocery store and throw it on the ground, it will likely bounce. Tomatoes should not bounce, they should splatter! Commercially farmed produce is picked premature and is artificially ripened after traveling across the nation to your town.
• Local Supporting Local: More money from a CSA goes directly to the farmer ($0.55 compared to $0.09 at grocery stores), and in turn the farmer uses that money to support other local businesses as they buy supplies and other living expenses.
• Knowledge: You have the ability to speak directly with the farmer about who grows the food, how the food and meat is grown and packaged, and where the food comes from. You also become aware of how you are intricately connected to this planet... you notice the development of rain clouds in time of drought, and how the seasonal changes affect the types of food that can be produced.
  
• Health: You eat much healthier food with a greater variety of food choices in season.
• Preservation: Heirloom and Heritage varieties of plants and animals are preserved. By purchasing a Heritage variety turkey from a CSA, you help encourage the reproduction and spreading of a dying species.
• Connection to the Community: Tim started to tear up he as spoke of one of his members. They told him, "My favorite day is Wednesday (drop off day) because I get to sit on the patio with my daughter and shuck peas before dinner. Because of you my family is closer than it ever was before."

At the end of the presentation, everyone who attended was given a FREE dozen organic eggs, courtesy of Avalon-Acres. Growing season has started and many CSAs around Tennessee begin deliveries by the end of April, early May. Don't miss out on your chance to enroll in a CSA. In the Local Table Magazine you can find a very extensive list of local CSAs along with a chart of what food is naturally in season when.

CSA is the Way

I brainstormed some ideas to water seal my worm composting bin. Beeswax seems like the best option, but is probably pretty expensive. Olive oil is also a good option that may turn out to be expensive. I think I may go with canola oil or vegetable oil. Unfortunately, it keeps raining so I haven't had a chance to test it out on the bin yet.

Tonight is Engage Green: Community Supported Agriculture. I'm pretty excited about this one. I've been wanting to enroll in a CSA program for the past year, but I learned about it too late in the game and enrollment had already filled up. From what I understand, each week you get a box of fresh produce from the farm (and eggs or meat if you selected those packages). However, each box is filled based on what produce was most recently picked, so each week you get a different selection. Sometimes you'll end up with a bunch of corn, and the next week a bunch of peppers, and the next week a bunch of egg plant, so you need to become creative in how you cook your meals. Otherwise, you'll get sick of corn... or peppers... or egg plants! I embrace the challenge. My crockpot might become my new best friend this year. Another thing is that a bushel, or even a half bushel, of produce is actually a very large amount for one person. You may need to pitch in with your roommate, friends, or co-workers to split up the produce, and the cost.

Tonight we have Eaton's Creek Organics, Avelon Acres, and Earth Matters presenting on different CSA program types. Eaton Creek Organics will focus on the benefits of organic practices, Avelon Acres will present on the benefits of supporting local farms, and Earth Matters will present on community gardens and how to really engage in the cultivation of the food you eat. To find out more about tonight's Engage Green, visit TeamGreenOnline.com!

Coffee Stains

After all my hours of hard labor last year building a worm bin for my worm composting, the roomies and I decided it just wasn't up to par. It sat low to the ground, was made out of chemical soaked plywood and, well, I'm not a carpenter. So, Jim and I built a new bin that is raised, with storage space below, hinged doors to keep the compose shaded for the worms, and screened windows (or skylights as Shane puts it) to allow some rain water and fresh air in. I really wanted to stain it, but the guys were against the idea. "That compost is going into the garden, too feed the plants you'll eat from," they said. Most stains have strong chemicals and preservatives in them, which can be absorbed by plants and grown into the food you eat.

Then my brilliant sister came up with a plan, "Coffee stains everything else, maybe it'll stain wood." Sure enough, we filled a bowl with pre-ground dark coffee roast (that none of us liked), ran some water through the coffee maker to heat it up (PS. it's a great way to heat water quickly for tea and hot cocoa), poured the hot water in the bowl, stirred it and allowed the grounds to seep. Then I took an old wash cloth, soaked it in the bowl, and squeezed the fresh brewed coffee on the wood. I also made some swirls in the wet coffee puddles on top of the wood for effect. After a few hours of letting it soak, the wood bin now has a nice honey mocha stain to it... and smells like coffee. Not to mention, I saved about $15 by not buying stain. If I want to weather proof it, I can probably rub some beeswax or coconut oil over it. I'll need to look into those options some more...

I broke my camera on the last caving trip with Team Green, so I can't show a picture now. But if I ever do take a picture of the new bin, I'll be sure to post it.

Always Moving & No Time to Move

Things are going well so far with the inspections on my future home. Unfortunately the "working fireplace" actually does not work and requires $3000 of repairs (which the sellers will not pay for) , and the "newer roof and HVAC" are not newer (in fact they are about 10 years old).

Words of advice: Take any home description with a grain (or big bag) of salt. They'll say anything to sell the house. GET A HOME INSPECTION!!!

Fortunately the sellers are willing to do shingle repairs on the roof, fix the flashing around the chimney, fix the leak in the kitchen and bathroom sinks, add some necessary components to the water heater, and possibly flush the plumbing to help speed up the drainage. With the $8000 tax credit, I plan to reinvest $3000 into the fireplace (I really really REALLY want a working fireplace!), put some in the bank to cover any deductibles on (...cross my fingers) future home insurance claims, and anything left over will go towards updating my kitchen and bathroom.

Remember to have a financial plan and some back up cash to cover any and all deductibles you may need to pay (car, medical, home, etc). I never really thought about that stuff until I talked to a life insurance counselor. She recommended getting a high interest money market account just for your deductibles. I just might take her up on it.

I really don't have any green tips today, just a bunch of random things on my mind. Pretty much all of my blogs will be home related until after I move in. Team Green has me so busy with upcoming events... even after I close on the house in a few weeks, I still won't have time to move in for another month! It's not so bad. It just means I can save up on my electric and water bill by not getting them activated until the week before I move. If you want to join me on some trips, I'll be at Earth Day festival (April 18), Chattooga White Water Weekend (April 24-26), Percy Priest Lake Cleanup (May 2), Intro to Sailing (May 9), Ocoee White Water Weekend (May 16-17), and THEN I'll have a weekend off to move!

PS. I'm looking for a roommate for my new house. If you or anyone you know may be interested, check out Craigslist Housing and search "Eco Friendly." You'll probably stumble upon my roommate posting.

Government Green for Going Green

On top of the $8000 tax credit for purchasing a home in 2009, additional tax credits are also available for energy efficient home repairs. Get a tax credit of 30%, up to $1500, for windows & doors, insulation, roofs, HVAC, non-solar water heaters, and biomass stoves. Some items have no upper limit (30% of cost regardless). These items include:

• Geothermal heat pumps
• Solar Panels
• Solar water heaters
• Small wind energy systems
• Fuel cells

These tax credits have been enhanced by the latest stimulus package by extending the deadline to 2010, allowing an upper limit of $1500 rather than $500, raising the tax credit amount from 10% to 30%, applying to installation costs, and removing the $200 cap on windows. You can learn more about these great opportunities for renovations and home buying options at EnergyStar.gov.

Note: The $1500 tax credit cap is for combined cost of repairs done in 2009 and 2010; it is not $1500 per year.

Earth Our

I don't know how many times I have seen this video, but I cry (or at least try to hide from crying) every single time. I'm not a highly emotional person, but one thing that will bring me to tears is an unexpected act of human kindness. This video is about Earth Hour, a global movement to promote the awareness of climate change and our impact on the environment. One undeniable impact we have is from the electricity we use, no matter how it is generated. Check out the video below and participate with all of Nashville on March 28th from 8:30pm to 9:30pm by shutting off your lights and connecting with your community. Team Green will also be hosting a downtown Flashlight Hike!

Housing Funds

Yesterday I attended a Home Buyer Education class with the Nashville Housing Fund. Fortunately my Realtor (Marti Klecka) and Loan Counselor (Connie Eddy with Countrywide) have been great about informing me of every step in the home buying and loan processing process, so I had a heads up on a lot of the info. I still learned a ton! There are so many options out there for first time home buyers, I wanted to share a few things with you.

1. First time home buyers qualify for an $8000 tax credit to go towards either your 2008 or 2009 taxes, depending on when you buy your home in 2009. This is a tax credit, not a tax deduction. That means that $8000 is added to your tax value once taxes are complete. If you had to pay $1000 in taxes, for example, you will receive a check for $7000, or if you received money back, you will get the full $8000 in the mail. You must be a first time home buyer, purchase in 2009, and fall within a certain income range. See if you qualify!
2. First time home buyers looking to purchase in Davidson county can qualify for a $7000 Home Down Payment Assistance (not to be paid back until you refinance or sell your home). To qualify you must fall within a certain income range, the purchasing house must be your primary residence, complete home buyer education class, and your home loan must not exceed 35% of your gross income. Purchaser only needs to bring 1% down payment.
   
3. Through the same organization, Nashville Housing Fund, you can also qualify for the Home Ownernership NOW program, which is a loan for up to $8,500 towards your down payment. The amount you can borrow and the interest rate you receive is determined by your income level. This loan must be paid back with $50 per month until the full amount and interest is paid back. Similar guidelines to the Down Payment Assistance apply.
4. Many home buyers qualify for an FHA loan, which is a government insured loan that requires only a 3.5% down payment. Debt-income ratio must be less than 31% of your income, but with good or excellent credit this ratio can be increased. Ask your loan counselor to "run your clues" to see what price loan you can get.
   

My roommate wants me to share a home energy tip. Insulate your water heater! This can save 4%-9% in water heating costs.

"Unless your water heater's storage tank already has a high R-value of insulation (at least R-24), adding insulation to it can reduce standby heat losses by 25%–45%. If you don't know your water heater tank's R-value, touch it. A tank that's warm to the touch needs additional insulation. Insulating your storage water heater tank is fairly simple and inexpensive, and it will pay for itself in about a year. You can find pre-cut jackets or blankets available from around $10–$20. Choose one with an insulating value of at least R-8. Some utilities sell them at low prices, offer rebates, and even install them at a low or no cost."

More information can be found on the US Department of Energy: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy website.

Doody Duty

I have to admit. I haven't been in my yard much over the past few months. I adopted TG in September and then had a roommate move in, also with a dog, in January. It was so cold that I didn't spend much time out there, and now I have come to realize that there is a TON of doggie do-do (if you will). I researched a few options for composting dog feces and this is what I have come up with:

*Note about all below suggestions: Absolutely do not bury or use composted material anywhere near a vegetable garden or any plants that you intend to eat from, due to E. Coli in dog feces.

• Hole in the Garden Method: You can simply dig a hole somewhere in your shrubbery or flower garden to bury the feces. Make sure the hole is 4 to 6 inches deep. Cover the hole and start a new one every now and again.
• Home-made Underground Bin: Take an old trash can, drill as many holes as you can in it (sides and bottom). Make sure you have a lid. Dig a hole a little bigger than the can itself, put a layer of rocks in the bottom of the hole, wrap can in hardware cloth, then place your can in the hole. Fill in sides with rocks until the can fits tightly. Start scoopin' your poop in your composter and add a septic starter. Adding dried yard clipings, leaves or hay will also speed up the process. You can decorate the lid if you feel so compelled (see above)!
  
• Purchased Underground Bin: Here is a site I came across that does basically the same as the method above. I'm not endorsing it by any means, but it's somewhere to start in terms of your own reserach: Doggie Dooley.
• Above Ground Bin: This would be similar to the other ideas, only above ground. Combine dog feces and straw (or used natural cat litter derived from plants, as long as you remove the cat feces first). The material will need to reach high temperatures in order to kill off parasites. Temperatures of 130 - 170º F for several days are needed to destroy pathogens.

Let me know if you come up with any solutions as well. Whenever I buy my own house I'm going to implement as many green pracitices as possible (my goal is to have 0% trash disposal even)! This is definitely one that I'll try out.

March Madness

Sorry for not blogging in so long. I believe my last entry claimed that the weather "felt like mid march" and now it actually is mid march! Don't get me wrong. My life and job has not been lacking in blog-able material, but rather the opposite. So much has happened that I haven't had a spare moment to write any of it down! So here you go, I'm going to spew two months worth of events in order to catch up.

Recap on my "Financial Independence Plan:" Ok, so I got myself into a huge mess with the 1997 Nissan that was supposed to alleviate my car debt. There were so many things wrong with it that after only 2 weeks of driving it I had the seller pick it up from me to make major repairs (timing belt, brake fluid leak, check engine malfunction, antilock brakes malfunction... and the list goes on). Two months later and the guy STILL had the car. He is now making payments to me to buy it back and I have managed to put every drop of money I have into my bonneville to pay it off. As of today I currently own the title to one and 1/6th cars (the guy owes me just one more payment and the Nissan is his). I have also decided to consolidate my student loans and look into buying a house. We'll see where all that goes at a later time.

Engage Green: Team Green has hosted two Engage Green Workshops since my last post. In February we discussed Recycling: How, What & Where and in March we discussed Gardening 101: Vegetable & Herbs. Minus some technical issues, both workshops were a huge success. In fact, at the last workshop we nearly doubled our attendance!

• At the Recycling Engage Green we learned that over 90% of the items Nashvillians throw away can be recycled or reused, including paper/cardboard/magazines, plastics #1-7, tin/aluminum/steel, plastic bags, and styrofoam. Plus food items, with the exception of dairy and meats, can be composted.
  
• At the Gardening Engage Green we learned that the best way to start a vegetable garden is to use a raised bed the first year and to add compost, not manuer. Start with a small selection of plants and build up the soil quality. Once you're ready to build an in ground garden, make sure that the area gets at least 6 hours of direct sunlight. Remove all of the grass down to its roots (and shake off the dirt because that dirt is the most nutrient filled). Do not till, but rather mix up the dirt and compost by shovel or hand, and be sure to mix deep into the ground. A tiller can only reach as deep as its blades, so when the plant roots grow deeper than the tilled soil it is often difficult to break through the compacted lower layers of earth. A very helpful tip I learned was to only water for about 10 or 15 minute intervals. That is, water for 10 minutes, stop for 5, water for 10, stop for 5, water for 10. When continuous water is left on, it is not able to be absorbed by the plant roots and simply becomes run off that is used no where and builds up your water bill.

Next month's Engage Green (April 7th) is Community Supported Agriculure and will focus on how and why to support local, organic, and community farming. Hopefully each presenter will bring some of their own produce to share! We'll see though... no promises.

Team Green Events: Phew! I have done quite a bit, including Breckenridge Ski Trip, January Backpacking, January Adventure Mixer, Flag Football, North Carolina Ski Trip, Valentine's Horseback Retreat, February Backpacking, and Mammoth Wild Cave Tour. During that time, Laurel also led the Costa Rica trek. Major trips that I am gearing up to lead are Outdoor Rock Climbing: Red River Gorge (Mar 20-22), New Faces Mixer (Mar 24), Charit Creek Spring Getaway (Apr 4-5), April Backpacking (Apr 11-12), and Chatooga White Water Rafting (Apr 24-26)... Plus Laurel and our TAG members will lead Midnight Ice Skate (Mar 20) and Overnight Mountain Bike Tour (Apr 11-12), to mention a few!

Team Green Interactive Update: I have also worked on making the Team Green Myspace and Facebook cleaner looking and easier to use. Plus we created a Team Green Twitter Account. If you become a Team Green Twitter follower you can get immediate updates on when events are posted, when new spots open up on booked trips, what event we are headed to that night, and when new membership specials becomes active... right from the source!

That's all for now. I need to get back to work and make some more things happen!

Yard Composting

Tennessee has such interesting weather. Being a Michigan girl, I'm used to eight inches of snow and frozen mud, ice on the windshield every morning and extra layers. This weekend I mowed the yard in sweatpants, a light fleece, and flip flops! It felt more like mid march to me, but not as shocking as two years ago when I moved here (that year I was wearing shorts, a bikini top, and flip flops because 60 degrees was still beach weather in my mind!).

I have an acre sized yard with tons of really old trees, so it takes me nearly three hours to pick up all the limbs and twigs, then ride the mower around the whole yard. Other neighbors hire help, so their yard is clean within a half hour or so. I noticed that they bag up all of their yard scraps and carry it off to a dump somewhere, to be preserved there for all time. Did you know that nothing decomposes at the dump? Item on top of item on top of item restricts the necessary oxygen flow and sunlight needed for organisms to break down the materials. Therefore, your grass and leaves, which will decompose in less than a week if mulched in the yard instead fill up space at the dump and never make its natural cycle back into the earth.

Lawn care specialists claim that it's best for the grass to remove decomposing debri. This may be true. Your yard most likely will be greener, and the reason for this is because decomposing grass and leaves release nitrogen into the ground, which (for some reason) is not good for plant life. However, this is only temporary. Once all of the nitrogen is released, the material is broken down by worms and insects to become rich soil, which then feeds the plant life and fertilizes the ground. This is known as "yard composting."

I learned about it at the Team Green Recycling seminar during the summer, but the first time I realized it was when I moved to Tennessee. My roommate and I had mowed all of the leaves into several large piles, raked up the piles into smaller piles, then filled WHO KNOWS how many trash bags with the leaves and cut grass. It took us FOREVER! Not knowing where to put the bags, I tossed them ontop of my grandmothers former garden and sort of forgot about them. Meanwhile, my neighbor simply mowed their leaves into strip piles in their yard and by the end of the winter all of the leaves were gone and their yard looked effortlessly clean. This summer, deciding to make my own garden, I started to rip up the ground tarps that my grandmother had placed ontop of the soil to keep it from eroding and realized that all of the old leaf bags had busted open over the years and a very rich dark material was in its place. I saved probably a hundred dollars on fertilizers because the decomposing material contained more nutrients than any store bought, pesticide filled, hormone induced cow manure.

As for the branches, sticks and twigs, I pile them up near my bonfire pit and every so often invite friends over to help burn the wood. Although I may be emitting carbons into the atmosphere by burning the wood, it's far less than the methane that would be emitted from the dump. Plus the ash left over from the wood is great in the garden especially around tomato plants. So, the circle of life and death repeat itself over and over... and as an added bonus, I spend a little extra time outdoors helping it all along.