It never fails to amaze me that no matter how good my intentions, I still spend the last 4 weekends in the lead up to Christmas on the batter.  Whether it′s work related, partner related or family and friend related there always seem to be a plethora of dinners, parties or shindigs to attend. (more…)

I came accross the following year planner on the Roscommon Coco site.  It’s a great little reminder for what you need to be doing for your compost at certain times through out the year.

SPRING:
•    Empty the compost bin
•    Spread finished compost on the lawn or garden
•    Keep any fallen leaves or woody material to add to the compost bin over the summer

SUMMER:
•    Cover kitchen waste with leaves, peat moss or soil
•    Poke or stir the compost regularly

AUTUMN:
•    Harvest the finished compost
•    Empty the compost bin
•    Set some leaves aside to add over the winter
•    Start a separate collection for leaf and yard waste

WINTER:
•    Keep using the compost bin regularly
•    Add leaves after each addition of kitchen scraps

Problem:    Rotten odour is a sign that the heap is too wet or contains excessive green material.
Solution:    Turn to mix in air and add more dry browns such as leaves or straw.  If this does not work may want to relocate pile to a well-drained site.

Problem:    Composting process is too slow.
Solution:    This could be that the moisture content is not right.When building your compost heap, remember to water every 6 – 12 inches. It should resemble a wrung out sponge. Also water when turning pile.

Problem:    Amonian odour is a sign that there is excess moisture and nitrogen in the pile.
Solution:    Turn compost pile and add dry brown material such as sawdust, straw or woodchip.

Problem:    Your compost bin is attracting pests or rodents
Solution:    Make sure you bury your food scraps within the compost heap. Remove any meat scraps or fatty food scraps from the pile.

Problem:    Compost heap is damp and warn in centre only
Solution:    The pile is too small, you need to increase the compost heap in dimension (3×3x3 ft is the minimum). It may also be that during the winter your compost may need insulating – in this case an excellent low-tech approach would be to simply stack up straw bales around the outside of your bin.  Another less bulky anser is to create a carboard outer wall around your composter bin. Some second hand home insulation would also be perfect.

Problem:    I have excessive maggots are the larvae on the compost heap.
Solution:    Many of these are beneficial. If you want to minimize egg-laying by flies, keep fresh kitchen trimmings buried.

Problem:    My composter is invaded by ants.
Solution:    This is a sign that the material is far to dry.  Add water and cover the heap with straw, grass cuttings. A cloth can help to retain the moisture

Never composted before? Well don’t worry you’re in good company.

There are a lot of people out there that are green in heart but not in head.  The idea of recycling your waste and composting seems like an excellent idea in theory. But exactly how you go about setting up a good composting system, quite often seems complicated and frequently is put on the long finger as life gets in the way.

In the following paragraphs GreenMe will attempt to make composting easy and rewarding.

Why Compost?

I recently read somewhere that by adding just one decent amount of compost to your garden’s soil, you are adding as much topsoil as it would take nature a century to accumulate! Now if that is not compelling enough reason to put a little elbow grease into your composting efforts, consider the following:

Compost

• helps protect plants from diseases and insect pests
• enhances a plants ability to hold water and air – essential for their health
• warms the soil up quicker in the spring, extending your growing season!
• releases nutrients into the soil on a need basis, as opposed to soluble chemical fertilizers

Getting Started

Starting your own composting pile need not be a complicated process.

Balancing ingredients – an ideal composting pile would include a balance of three parts Brown to one part Green.  Browns refer to dry materials, such as leaves, saw dust, bark mulches, dead plants,  pine needles and other wood products.  Greens refer to wetter materials like grass cuttings and food scraps.

But don’t get too bogged down by this, you can still pile all your organic material together without worrying at all about greens and browns, and it will mature into compost.

Easy Steps

1. Set you commercial or homemade composter on the ground in an easily accessible place. Ideally your compost bin should be placed in a reasonably sunny site on bare soil.  If you have to put your compost bin on concrete, tarmac or patio slabs ensure that a layer of paper and twigs or existing compost is placed on the bottom so the worms and other creatures can colonise.
2. Add ingredients. Ideally place 4 inches of coarse material including stems, sticks etc in the bottom of the composter.  As they become available, add kitchen waste, dead plants, grass clippings and chopped leaves to the bin. Add water as often as needed to keep the material moist but not soggy (like a wrung-out sponge).
3. Rotate.  It is advisable but again not an absolute must to turn the compost.  Turning does however speed up the decomposition process and in turn the end product!  I find a pitch fork ideal for this, although you can buy composting tumbler that makes the turning a doddle. We love Jora ‘The Little Pig’ from Ecoshop in Greystones.
4. Hey Presto! You will know when the compost is ready to use when you no longer recognise the original ingredients.  Make sure you keep your compost protected from the elements until you are ready to use – you don’t want the nutrients to wash away in the rain!

And now for the important bit. I am constantly debating with my French brother in law, what should and should not be allowed in the composter.  And so together we have come up with the following guide, which,  if followed should reward you with a cracking good compost!

Good Composting Ingredients:

GREENS

Egg shells
Feathers
Flowers
Fruit and fruit peels
Hair
Seaweed
Tea leaves
Vegetables & peelings
Dead plant material  (make sure they are dead and are not likely to seed or take root)
Vegetable kitchen scraps (it is important  to  bury these in your compost pile so as not to attract animals or rodents)
Herbicide-free fresh grass clippings
Manure from horses, cattle, goats, poultry and rabbits
Green Garden Debris
Aquarium water, algae, and plants (from freshwater fish tanks only)

Browns

Dead Leaves
Tea bags
Shredded hedge cuttings
Tough fibrous plants
Coffee Grounds – Nitrogen rich nectar of the gods for your compost heap!  I am willing to bet your local coffee shop would be willing to exchange used coffee grounds for some customer loyalty in these tough times!!
Scrunched up paper
Torn up cardboard (e.g. from cereal boxes, eggboxes, toiletroll centres etc.)
Newspaper torn into strips or hand-sized pieces – layering paper ensures it does not get too water logged
Pet and human hair  (small amounts as breaks down slowly)
Egg shells
Corn Cobs
Paper
Peat Moss
Pine needles – use sparingly as they decompose very slowly
Sawdust
Straw – I prefer straw over hay, as hay can reseed and then you’re in trouble!

Do NOT Add: (most important bit!)

Meat or fish scraps
Grease, oil, cooked food scraps
Very fatty, sugary or salty foods
Chips or sawdust from treated wood
Clippings from herbicide-treated lawns
Manure from omnivorous animals (species that eat both plants and animals as their primary food source – dogs, cats, humans, etc.)
Barbeque or coal ashes

Result!

What could be more gratifying than recycling all that waste from our garden and household to enhance our lives and the world around us!  So what are you waiting for, start today and get piling!

Note:   Check out our trouble shooting section below if you are having problems with your composting.

Related articles:

Composting Trouble Shooter

Composting Year Planner

It′s that time of year, work places and homes are full of sniffles, sneezing and aches and pains.

You can give these pesky germs the slip with some eco-effective natural get-healthy, stay-healthy solutions.

′Newest research reveals certain foods can significantly alleviate symptoms, as well as boost your body′s natural defenses to help you better fend off colds and flu,′ says Jacob Teitelbaum, author of From Fatigued to Fantastic!

Here are eleven side-effect-free solutions to keep you in fighting form.

Symptom: Coughing

Feel-Better Fix: Dark Chocolate. Just a square or two of this sweet treat can curb coughing, maintains Teitelbaum. Indeed, a recent US study revealed that a natural compound in dark chocolate called theobromine was found to be more effective than codeine (an active ingredient in perscribed syrups) at suppressing persistent coughs without the side effects of drowsiness and constipation.

 Symptom: Sneezing

Feel-Better Fix: Saltwater.  Can′t stop sneezing? Consider saltwater. Researchers at the University of Michigan found this fuss-free mix was just as effective at stopping symptoms as over-the-counter cures. Want to try it? Teitelbaum suggests dissolving ¼ teaspoon of salt in one cup of lukewarm water. Then, sniff up a bit of this solution out of the palm of your hand. Gently blow your nose and repeat this process with the other nostril. You can also use a bulb syringe (available at any chemist) to gently drop in the saltwater and irrigate nasal passages. Why it works: Saltwater naturally soothes inflamed sinus tissue while flushing out symptom-causing bacteria and irritants – making it easier for your body to heal.

Symptom: Congestion
Feel-Better Fix: Onion. ′The natural sulfur content in onions effectively breaks up thick mucus and congestion,′ explains Lauren Feder doctor  and author of Natural Baby and Childcare. The best way to employ this veggie′s healing powers? Make an onion pouch. Chop off a few large pieces of any kind of onion, then stuff it into an old sock and securely tie, suggests Feder. Then, place this pouch near your nightstand or above your child′s crib before bed, and leave it overnight to clear uncomfortable congestion.

Symptom: All-over achiness
Feel-Better Fix: Hot water bottle. This is my favourite – to be honsest I don′t even need to feel bad to get my hot water bottle out!  This medicine chest-must has the ability to provide you with instant warmth whenever you need it to relax tired, achy muscles.

Symptom: Sore Throat
Feel-Better Fix: Lemon and Honey.  When your throat feels scratchy and raw, try this simple recipe. Mix one cup of hot water with the juice of one small lemon and two tablespoons of honey. These natural ingredients provide a one-two punch. ′Lemon dries up congestion while honey (which is a natural antibacterial) soothes inflamed tissue – reducing pain. Or try a hot black currant juice. Researchers at The Common Cold Centre at Cardiff University in the UK found that the traditional English remedy provides immediate relief from a sore throat and coughing.

Sidestep general ills with these science-backed immune boosters.

Shellfish: (as if we needed another reason to eat shellfish) a recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition revealed that selenium (a nutrient plentiful in oysters, lobsters, crabs and clams) increases immune cell production of flu-fighting proteins called cytokines.

Tea: Researchers from the University of Florida (another US study!!)  found tea drinkers experience 30 percent fewer colds. Why? Experts say the drink is naturally high in an amino acid called L-theanine, which prompts the body′s protective T-cells to secrete more virus-fighting compounds.

Garlic: This plucky vegetable naturally stimulates the production of infection-fighting white cells in the body – bolstering immunity.

Yogurt: ′Seventy percent of our immune cells are located in our gut,′ explains Teitelbaum. ′So this food′s potent probiotics, or ′good bacteria′ prevent cold-causing microbes from flourishing in the body,′

The Skinny on Supplements

Some products have been shown to reduce the intensity or lessen the duration of colds and flu. Below, two science-backed all-stars.

Echinacea: Studies seem conflicting but this herbal immune stimulant has been proven to enhance the body′s natural defenses to help you better fend off colds and flu, explains Teitelbaum. One note: Moms-to-be should avoid Echinacea since the herb can stimulate the uterus, causing premature labor. Additionally, since studies on the herb have all been conducted with adults, not much is known by the scientific community about the risks and benefits in children. Bottom line: Both groups should steer clear. Everyone else, says Teitelbaum, should look for Echinacea products that offer at least 1,000 milligrams and take one pill daily.

Zinc: ′This mineral plays a large role in strengthening our immune system,′ says Teitelbaum.

So there you have it, going green isn’t just the right thing to do, it also good for you!

via: sprig

Eco foodies have many Mecca’s:

There’s Ballymaloe House, the Organic Centre, Brooklodge, the Irish Seed Savers and many other stalwarts.

A relative newcomer is Castlefarm near Athy in Kildare.

At Castlefarm, Jenny and Peter Young have lots going on on their 170 acre organic dairy farm.

According to Jenny Young “As farmers and organic food producers we are delighted to be able to show people wheretheir food comes from.

“At Castlefarm we produce organic milk, eggs and vegetables and we also make our own organic cheese and seasonal preserves. The tour will include meeting some of the Castlefarm animals and learning more about the Castlefarm garden and organic farming system”.
The couple are also pioneering organic allotments, which will surely prove popular with people are economic realities (pardon the pun!) bite “so far 26 eager gardeners have signed up for the Castlefarm allotment and organic gardening courses, which are the first of their kind in the country”.

The couple are inviting people over to their holding soon – Sunday 8th of February at 2pm.
Its great for such a large and interesting organic dairy farm to be so close to Dublin, so I’d highly recommend a visit for anyone looking for something fun and food-related to do on the 8th Feb.

For more, see here: click!

With the new IKEA store opening up in Dublin on July 27th this year. GreenMe decided to have a nosey into the flatpack kings green practices and principles. If you’ve ever been to IKEA you know how easy it is to leave with a lorry load of items. So Is IKEA green? Do their corporate policies support a sustainable environment? Well!! IKEA has been actively cutting back its carbon footprint through manufacturing, suppliers, transportation, and materials among some of their actions are:

(more…)

 Modern life has become so complicated that it is often hard to know what is the right, green thing to do. For instance, which is better for the environment: tomatoes grown in Spain and transported to Ireland, or tomatoes grown here in heated greenhouses?

To tackle this complexity, researchers and companies are putting considerable effort into ‘carbon counting’ , to give us answers in the form of simple numbers.  Answers we can then use to reduce our carbon footprint.

For the last two years, I’ve been researching and compiling a new practical guide to green living, and if I learned one thing, it is that there are no easy answers.  Carbon counting is often only half the story, and if we really want to reduce our footprint, we need to look at the bigger picture.  With that in mind, I’ve drawn up 10 top tips (see below), that can help, and may even save you some time and money.

Focus only on CO2 and the ‘carbon footprint’, and the Spanish tomatoes will be ‘greener’, because the environmental cost of heating an Irish greenhouse is greater than transporting the fruits from Spain.

Perhaps a better question is to ask when is the best time to eat tomatoes?  Now, the answer becomes: in late summer, when they can be grown here without the need for heating.

Or take chicken.  It turns out that, when you do the sums, an organic chicken has a bigger carbon footprint than a conventional one, kg for kg, because organic birds take longer and need more food to reach a comparable weight.

Again, rather than focusing solely on CO2, and encouraging consumers to eat green (conventional) chicken, we need to persuade people to eat less meat, regardless of its carbon footprint.

Which brings me to my 10 green commandments.  Instead of trying to put numbers on things — numbers that will change every time some step in the process changes, forcing us to recalculate, and revise the listings — I prefer simple rules of thumb.

And that’s what I’ve tried to do in my new book, Drive like a Woman, Shop like a Man.  From the 101 tried and tested tips, here are 10 that I hope will help you to live a little more lightly over the coming year, and may even save you some valuable time and money.

1. Get free stuff – try sourcing things you need free on Dublinwaste.ie and Freecycle

2.Eat less meat. (Thou shalt not kill, unnecessarily!)

3. Use off-peak electricity – reduce peak demand, spread the load, and we won’t need to build so many new power plants.

4. Get an SUV! ( A superior urban vehicle — with just two wheels)

5. Eat some of your garden. Forget Spain, grow your own tomatoes.

6. Read newspapers online — quicker, and saves on paper

7.Choose what you wear ‘carefully’ – avoid clothes that need dry cleaning, and look for organic cotton

8.Eat the seasons. Now is the season of parsnips, carrots, and winter greens.

9. Drink sustainable water. From a tap, not a truck

10. Spread the word –  if you find something useful, don’t forget to tell your friends and neighbours.

And a happy Chinese New Year to you.

Heating & cooling systems: Whether a conventional boiler or an air-conditioning system – how energy efficient is it? There are plenty of renewable energy systems now on the Irish market – with grants available through SEI. Become non-reliant on fossil fuels and do your bit for the planet.

Insulation: Floors, walls & ceiling.  It′s no good having an energy efficient heating system if the heat is lost through the roof. Ensure you have adequate insulation to help reduce your heating bills & the energy resources you use.

Energy efficient appliances: Appliances more than 10 years old could be using far more electricity than you think.  Although it′s great to repair and use a product for as long as possible, new energy efficient appliances can save you money & reduce your carbon emissions.

Electricity:  We′re all bound by our need for electricity, in the modern world we can′t live easily without it.  The home uses a vast amount of energy for construction, occupancy, maintenance and disposal.  Do your best to be aware of what you use and try to limit or adapt it.  Consider renewable energy systems, energy efficient appliances & lighting, and make the most of natural daylight and solar heat gain.

Plug sockets:  Don′t just switch them off, TAKE THEM OUT! Your TV, DVD/CD player, PC, printer, fax, radio, rechargers, heaters, extension leads, portable lights, kettle¦ All of these use electricity even when the item is switched off.

Standby mode: The No 1 home carbon crime – anything with a standby mode, red LED light, remote control will still use electricity. Sometimes using the same amount as when the item is in use.  That means shutting down your PC at night!

Gadgets: The convenience or laziness of electrical gadgets.  What do you really need and what could be done manually? Electrical: dictionaries, bike lights, tooth brushes, shavers, knives, cooking aids, whisks etc.

Recharging: Make your energy use smarter with solar powered rechargers for your mobile phone, digital camera, MP3 player etc.

A Low energy, high fibre diet may be the key to solving much of our Global warming problem! 

Cattle-rearing generates more global warming greenhouse gases than transportation, according to a new United Nations report released on Thursday. “Livestock” are one of the most significant contributors to today’s most serious environmental problems,” senior UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) official Henning Steinfeld was quoted by the Ghana News Agency as saying on Thursday.

Sean O′Leary, chairman of the IFA′s (Irish Farmers′ Association) Climate Change Working Group said they are committed to looking at ways to reducing agriculture′s impact on the planet.

The IFA is currently looking at adding a high cholesterol oil to the feed they give to cows.  Such a simple and cost effective measure could reduce flatulence to such a degree as to reduce methane emissions by up to 20%!

Elsewhere reports in www.iol.co.za reported that in Berlin; German scientists have developed a pill that stops cattle breaking wind.  Scientists at the University of Hohenheim in Germany say they have now tested a pill which in combination with a special diet and strict feeding times should make cattle less harmful to the climate. The pill, which is still being tested, breaks down the methane in the cows′ stomachs, and also has health benefits for the cattle.  Winfried Drocher, head of the faculty for animal nutrition at the university, said: ′It will make this energy available for the cows′ metabolism. The cattle can use the methane to produce glucose instead of just passing it out and it will enable them to produce more milk.′

This is really good news for any meat eaters.  The whole meat eating issue is a bit of an elephant in the room for most of us trying to live a greener life. Check out our recent tip on becoming flexitarian or the choke the chops tip which was gives options for reducing the meat content in our diet!!

There may be a sacrifice free, no guilt option for us carnivores yet!!

image courtesy of : FreeFoto.com