Bring on the Bokashi!!

In my continued effort to be more green, I've been composting using the Bokashi method for almost two years now. Bokashi is a Japanese term that means "fermented organic matter". It is a method of intensive composting that normally uses an anaerobic (without air) inoculation process to produce the compost. Once a starter culture is made, it can be re-used. Bokashi is commonly made with only molasses, water, microorganisms called "effective microorganisms" or "EM", and wheat bran. It has traditionally been used to increase the microbial diversity and activity in soils and to supply nutrients to plants.

The Process

In home composting applications, kitchen waste is placed into a container which is sealed with an air tight lid. These scraps are then inoculated with a Bokashi EM mix. The user continues to place alternating layers of food scraps and Bokashi EM until the container is full. Once the bucket is full to capacity, the waste can be buried. Here's the REALLY COOL part that separates it from traditional composting - you can put a reasonable amount of dairy and meat products in it (yes, I said MEAT). The liquid, known as Bokashi Juice, can be used as plant food, or can be poured down the drain. This is good (I've heard) for households with septic systems.

The food waste does not break down or decompose while it's in the bucket, however. Much of it will remain and it will have a "pickled" smell. The breakdown of waste will occur after it has been transferred to the soil. Burying Bokashi compost in a garden supplies plants with a nourishing food source and conditions the soil with the microbes it has in it. Bokashi compost scraps can also be mixed into a regular/traditional compost pile instead of transferring to soil.

Getting It Started

You can find the specially-designed bins for Bokashi composting online, but it will cost you $50-75 to score one. I went the DIY route and made one out of two 2-gallon paint/storage buckets, available at most home centers ($5-10). You can also make your own Bokashi EM bran "mix", but in the interest of time I just purchased some online. So here's your list of stuff to get 'er started:

1. Two 2-gallon paint/storage buckets with lids (preferably with a rubber seal on them)

2. Bokashi mix (I would recommend starting out with at least a month's supply)

3. Drill & drill bit

4. Object to push the organic matter down into the container (i.e., a salad plate, potato masher, etc.)

5. Couple of sheets of plastic wrap

6. The organic goodies you'll be putting in your bucket

Procedure

1. Drill a series of holes (1/4" - 3/8") in the bottom of ONE of the buckets.

2. Place this bucket inside of the other bucket. The inside area between the two creates the needed space for any juice that may drain out.

3. Add a little bit of organic matter (2-3") into the bucket.

4. Shake a small amount of Bokashi (half a cup or a small handful is fine) on top of the organic matter, trying to coat most of the surfaces. If you wish to add a little bit of water, do it in the form of a spray bottle (in other words, not much).

5. Repeat this "sandwiching" process until the bucket is full.

6. Press the contents down firmly using a plate or other flat object. Remember this process works best with NO air present.

7. Take the plastic wrap/sheet and cover the top of the contents, making sure to overlap it over the edges. This is why the paint bucket with sealed lid is so effective. You need to create an almost airtight seal.

8. You're done... for now. The material will start to ferment and decompose; however, much of the final breaking-down will happen once it's been put in the ground. Keep it inside your house in a convenient, yet out-of-the-way location for at least 2-3 weeks.

9. Dig a hole in your garden bed, at least a few inches down, and dump in the material. Then cover it back up. 

I would wait at least 2-3 weeks before planting anything in that location. Trust me, your plants will LOVE it!

yourownvictorygarden

More Information & Supplies

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokashi_composting

http://bokashi.com.au/index.html

http://www.cityfarmer.org/bokashi.html

http://www.bokashicycle.com/

Bathroom Betterment

Earth Days past displayed a disturbing lack of interest or desire to change in students at school; many of them continued to lob barely used notebook paper into the trash can, or if they were feeling extra virtuous that day, would aim it a foot to the left into the recycling bin and loudly proclaim that they did their bit for the day. Though altering your habits takes some effort, it is worth it for the future of the world and does have some added personal benefits.  

 One of the easiest ways to help the Earth is by conserving water, which can be done in a variety of creative and unique ways, right from your very own bathroom. The average person uses around 120 gallons of water per day with 10-20 percent spent just on toilet flushes.  A standard toilet can use 3.5 to 7 gallons of water per flush – by not flushing afterwards, you can save just that much water. A good rule of thumb to go by to keep the situation from escalating into some disgusting swamp in your toilet bowl is “if it’s yellow let it mellow, if it’s brown flush it down.” However, if even yellow seems off-putting to you, you can add a toilet cleaner tablet that turns your water blue (chemical-free, of course) to end up with a charming shade of green. You can also perform a leak test in your toilet, placing a few drops of food coloring in the tank and waiting a few minutes. If the dye seeps into the toilet bowl, you have a leak and water is being wasted. To decrease the amount of water used in a flush, you can displace some water in the tank by placing inside a water bottle filled partly with rocks and the rest water. This can save another ten gallons or so per day.

While showering, you can place a bucket in front of you and collect extra water to hydrate your plants. Shortening your shower will also help conserve water, and another resourceful method is to do your business in the shower (liquid only, of course). Not only would you save the water flushing the toilet would use, you would be providing yourself with a lovely makeshift bidet, which happens to be very popular in Europe.

 Additional ways to preserve our supply of freshwater is to go meatless a couple of days a week or set up a rain barrel. And estimated 1800-2500 gallons of water (or 515-715 flushes) are used to produce just one pound of beef and by eliminating meat from your diet one or two days a week you can save 3-6 weeks’ worth of water. By collecting runoff water from your gutter or just leaving an open barrel to collect rain, you can create a supply of water to use to water your plants or wash your car with.

Not only will the environment and future generations appreciate your contribution to the environment, your good deeds will manifest in other ways. Lower water bills will add up to substantial savings and you can develop that warm feeling in your chest that do-gooders often experience.

ECO Teen

What do Plano Residents think about Solar Energy?

In late March of this year, Plano Senior High School (PSHS) Advanced Placement Environment Science (APES) classes participated in a homework assignment with their families to complete a survey about solar energy. The survey was completed by over 200 respondents.

The purpose of the survey was to obtain a sampling of the views of residents regarding their awareness, interests, concerns, and potential barriers to deployment of solar energy in Plano. The survey consisted of approximately 30 questions. These questions were a compilation obtained from citizen surveys performed in Houston, San Antonio, and Austin over the last few years. The results from this local survey sample were somewhat similar to the results of the other Texas cities. 

Here is a sample of some of the questions and local results:

· Which of the following concern you about the future of energy and the environment?

o top responses - increased energy prices; decreased availability of energy;

· How concerned are you about future energy prices?

o 95% responded either very concerned or somewhat concerned

· How likely are you to invest in solar power for your home or to buy a home with solar power already installed?

o 55% responded either very likely or somewhat likely

· How much of a factor is cost in purchasing and installing a solar power system?

o 95% responded either very important or important

Other responses indicated:

· 67% were not aware of existing solar rebates or tax credits

· Aside from the concern of cost, the top three reasons cited for not having pursued installation of a solar power system were:

o Lack of confidence in selecting the proper system

o Don't know where to buy it

o Don't know who would install it

The purpose of this solar energy blog posting and previous blog postings over the last few months is to increase awareness of solar energy and its potential in Plano. The sample survey completed by the group of students' families from PSHS was intended to obtain a better understanding of the current views and concerns of residents. While this survey represented only a sample of Plano residents, hopefully these initial results will help facilitate the implementation of a wider survey of local residents. The results from a wider survey could enable interested citizens groups to create action plans to communicate opportunities about the great potential over the coming years of expanding the deployment of solar energy right here in Plano.

And SPECIAL THANKS to the APES teachers and students at Plano Senior High School for their involvement in the process and participation in the survey!

Need more info about promoting the use of solar power generation in Plano? Please contact me! ptsea047@gmail.com

Plano Solar Energy Advocate

Drip Irrigation and Rain Water Harvesting

Over 95 percent of the water irrigation methods used in Texas are spray based, and of those systems, about 92 percent are not properly maintained. In North Texas, given our susceptibility to drought, the need for an alternative to landscape watering becomes more compelling. The Texas AgrLlife Research and Extension Center offers a series of classes on water conservation demonstrating how easy it is for homeowners to set up their own drip irrigation and rain water harvesting system. During a two-hour class at the extension center, located at 17360 Coit Rd., Richardson, Texas, participants learn about the different types of available commercial tubing, the proper way to lay out an irrigation system to maximize water pressure and evenly distribute water in the covered area, along with different components needed for the system such as a backflow preventer, splitter, filter, pressure regulators, tubing adapters and tubing to set up one’s own system. The class outlines the steps needed to convert an existing sprinkler system into a drip system. In addition, Texas AgriLife offers classes on rain water harvesting. Every inch of rain falling on the roof of a 2,000 square foot home collects over 1,200 gallons of water. Harvesting this water with rain barrels connected to rain gutters makes practical sense. Participants of the class learn how to make a rain barrel and properly install a rain barrel harvesting system at home. Classes in drip irrigation and rain water harvesting are held at the Texas AgriLife Extension Center through the summer and fall. Registration is online at http://dallas.tamu.edu/courses. Although we enjoyed a relatively lush spring, North Texans realize how precious water is in our community. Water management practices through drip irrigation and rain water harvesting help reduce wasting our existing water supply from lakes and reservoirs in our watershed. The Sustainability Steward

Solar Energy in Plano

By the end of 2010, there were over 40 GWp of total photovoltaic (PV) solar energy capacity installed in systems around the world - that's over 40 billion watts peak. Preliminary data at the end of 2011 indicate this number increased to over 65 GWp. Germany continues to lead the world with about 40 percent of installed solar energy capacity (over 25 GWp).

At the end of 2010, the United States had installed about 2.2 GWp (2.2 billion Wp) of PV solar. Preliminary data for 2011 indicate that we now have over 4 GWp installed, a very sizable increase in just one year. Closer to home, Texas added about 47 MWp (47 million Wp) of PV solar installations in 2011 bringing the cumulative installed capacity to about 80 MWp.

Texas exceeded its overall Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (RPS) requirement passed by the Texas Legislature by installing over 10 GW (10 billion W) of wind energy. (The original RPS passed in 1999, with an update in 2005.) However, the 2005 legislation included a target for the state to reach 5 million W of non-wind renewable energy. As solar energy continues to expand all around the world and the US, we have further opportunities in Texas to grow our use of solar energy. (See the Live Green in Plano blog posting from March 21, 2012 - Solar Energy in Texas.)

So how does this growth in solar energy around the world and the US impact residents in Plano? What’s in it for us? How much electricity is produced today in Plano from PV solar? To achieve the target of 500 MW across Texas, how much electricity should Plano be producing from PV solar to contribute our share?

At the end of 2010, it is estimated Plano had about 240,000 Wp of PV solar installed in 35 to 40 residences and businesses around the city . If we use the Texas RPS goal of 500 MW non-wind, and assume we should target this non-wind as solar, we can make some calculations to determine a few targets for Plano.

If we use population as our metric, Plano has approximately 1.06 percent of the state's population. So one percent of the 500 MW target means Plano’s target is 5.3 MWp from PV solar to contribute our share of the overall Texas RPS target. If we assume the average PV solar installation is 5,000 Wp (which is a typical size residential PV solar system across the US), then we would need approximately 1,060 of these average PV solar installations in Plano to achieve 5.3 MWp. Real estate data on the internet indicates Plano has approximately 60,000 single family homes. To achieve the target of 5.3 MWp of electricity generated from PV solar, we only need about 1.8 percent of our existing homes (1,060/60,000) to have this 5,000 Wp PV solar system installed and operational.

Where is more information about PV solar installations for your home? Generally, electricity is distributed to residents in Plano by either Oncor or CoServ. If your home is serviced by Oncor, then you can find out about solar program information from their website - takealoadofftexas.com.

Check out a few examples of solar programs offered by retail electric providers operating in Plano in the Oncor serving area by visiting their websites:

greenmountain.com

reliant.com

txu.com

If your location is serviced by CoServ, check out information about PV solar at their website - coserv.com

Need more info about promoting the use of solar power generation in Plano? Contact me! ptsea047@gmail.com

SOURCES:
1st paragraph and 2nd paragraph
REN21 Renewables 2011 Global Status Report - http://www.ren21.net/Portals/97/documents/GSR/REN21_GSR2011.pdf

U.S. Solar Market Insight: 2011 Year-in-Review Report - Executive Summary - http://www.seia.org/cs/research/SolarInsight

3rd paragraph
Texas State Energy Conservation Office - Texas Renewable Portfolio Standard - http://www.seco.cpa.state.tx.us/re_rps-portfolio.htm

Let's Not Waste Our Water!

We have been very fortunate to have had the rainfall that we did over the last few weeks, resulting in Lake Lavon rising an astonishing 5 feet in one week. We have also done a terrific job as a community in conserving our resources during the period that water restrictions have gone into effect, resulting in a decrease from 107 million gallons per day of usage in the city down to just over 46 million gallons per day since the middle of August, 2011. As a result of the recent rainfall and our conservation efforts, the City of Plano changed the Stage 3 Watering Restrictions.

Effective April 1, Plano residents are allowed to water landscapes once a week. The watering schedule is an even/odd system based upon the last digit of the service address. Under the new watering schedule, odd addresses can operate irrigation watering (such as sprinklers) on Tuesdays and even addresses can do so on Thursdays. No watering with sprinklers is allowed between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Foundations, new landscaping, first year plantings of shrubs and trees may be watered within a 10-feet radius of their trunk for up to two hours any day by a hand-held hose, a soaker hose or a dedicated zone using a low-flow irrigation system.

However, let's not lose sight of the fact that we must still do all we can to protect one of our most precious resources in North Texas. Inspect your sprinkler system to ensure that the sprinkler heads are functioning properly and are aligned where they should be. During the weeks we have rain, please turn off sprinkler systems. Repair any leaking faucets and any other signs of water leaks around the home. Reduce the amount of water consumed by using more efficient flow control methods in shower stalls and toilets. Maximize the loads of dishware and laundry in your dishwashers and washing machines, respectively.

Let's learn from the experiences over the last several months and continue to treat water as the priceless substance it truly is.

Sincerely,

The Sustainability Steward

Spread the Word

This past week, I was off from school on our spring break and I got to spend it in Hawaii. Now obviously, going to Hawaii was an amazing experience by itself, but I also learned a lot from the people of the island. My family and I went to the island of Maui, which is a windy place year round. I know of many places that are windy because of their proximity to the ocean, but never have I seen so many wind turbines placed on every area that had a high elevation. Not only that, but because of the high amount of sun that Maui receives, they have solar energy panels everywhere. I saw them on the streetlights, the houses, the stores - almost every time I turned my head, my eyes would be greeted by yet another solar panel (well I may be exaggerating just a little bit).

Upon arriving at the island, my sister and I cruised through the radio stations. Instead of hearing the normal pop music with the occasional commercial mixed in, we heard older songs and different commercials. This fact in itself may not be astounding, but what really struck me was that during every commercial break, the radio show hosts mentioned an eco-friendly tip that they encouraged their listeners to follow as well. When I heard this, I really got thinking: If the people in Hawaii can do it, then so can we!

So my challenge for all of you this week is this - share two tips with friends and family this week, and see if you can get them to follow it too! We may not be able to get our radio show hosts to do this yet, but we can share tips with the people we know and keep the challenge going! Your challenge can be face-to-face or even on social networking sites. What better way to go green than with a “green grass” roots campaign?

Until next time,
greengirl (: