News & Tips - Trash Talk

Articles on the Environment | Congratulations Monterey!

Recycling Links

RECYCLE: Recycle your plastic containers, glass bottles, aluminum and tin cans, as well as paper products such as cardboard, newspaper, computer paper, magazines, box packaging (like cereal boxes), and junk mail, etc...  Metal and plastic containers should be empty of all contents.  You don't need to wash them, but clean and empty containers are appreciated by the workers who sort them.  Purchase or use a product made from recycled materials.

REUSE: Reuse items such as plastic bags, clothes, paper bags, etc...  You can reuse plastic and paper bags at the grocery store and some stores will give you a discount on your groceries.  Reuse clothes by donating them to the Goodwill, Salvation Army, or you can use them as cleaning rags.  Use the blank side of a used piece of paper for scratch paper.  Instead of tossing something out, figure out how to get another use of it.  Honor the resources already extracted.

REDUCE: Avoid using up some resources today.  For example, take your coffee mug to the cafeteria instead of using a single-use paper cup.  90% of the environmental impact occurs in resource extraction, manufacturing and transportation to make a product; throwing it away later causes only 10% of the impact.

ZERO WASTE: If you follow all the steps above, you might have achieved zero waste.

Additional tips

Comments?  Questions?  Call MCDS at 831.372.7977

Trash Talk – Hooray! The Holidays!

They’re fun, they’re exciting, they’re a time to meet and talk with your loved ones. Are you hearing a “BUT” in there? No, I’m not the bearer of bad news BUT I do want to encourage you to prevent generating as much waste as possible. How? You ask? Simple:

1. Buy an artificial tree. Use it year after year after year and get a bunch of pine smelling candles. You don’t have to light them, just have them around and it will smell like Christmas trees in your home. They make some excellent artificial trees. Real trees are wonderful BUT the fuel and air pollution generated in getting them to the sale lots and then to your homes and then transporting them to be recycled and then the mulching of them…makes them a great candidate to reduce waste.
2. Use paper bags for wrapping paper. You can individually decorate them using last year’s Christmas card pictures, have your children create artwork on them, color them, and more. Then you can easily recycle them or burn them in your fireplace.
3. Collect your Christmas cards this year and use them to make your next year cards. I personally enjoy this when people do it. They’re fun and much more personalized. Some people have made an envelope and letter with their re-used cards and they’re great.
4. Give gift certificates. This ensures that the person will actually use the stuff and not just discard it.
5. Use regular plates and cutlery as much as possible. So much trash is generated using plates (paper or plastic) once and then throw them away.
6. Put out a clearly marked “Recycling” container for bottles and cans. Make it easier on your guests to dispose of their recycling AND trash. It’s a great way to monitor what you are generating and try to eliminate generating as much trash next year.
7. Take a bus, walk or bicycle to shop. It saves gas and it’s fun and you definitely won’t overbuy.
8. Write down every manufacturer that over-packages their product. Email or send them a note letting them know you’re mad as heck and you’re not going to take it anymore, then tell them to cut down on their packaging and wasting valuable resources. Remember that they want you to buy their product and what you say matters to them.
9. Start a composting bin. Look at www.monterey.org/recycle/composting.html  and compost. It’s cold now and the worms will be slow in eating so start our slowly, allow the worms to meet and greet and nestle in to begin working.

See, was that so tough? No. Like our friends at Nike say: Just Do It! You’ll make a WORLD of difference.

Trash Talk – Rain Water! How Can You Profit From It?

Rainwater collection is the age-old method of using rainwater to do such things as water your gardens, your compost bins or clean your cars, as examples. Why do it? Simply stated, it’s free, it’s available, and it’s a wasted resource when it is allowed to flow down our storm drains.
   Check out this website: www.rainbarrelguide.com/  The following excerpt taken from this web states:
   “The Freshwater Facts..."
   "To illustrate how important and how limited a resource freshwater is in our world, consider the following. More than 70 percent of the Earth's surface is covered by water, but only 2.5% of this supply is considered fresh water. The rest is found in the form of salt water in the oceans. Of the fresh water that exists, most is locked up in glaciers and ice caps. Water can also be found in the form of clouds and humidity in the soil. That leaves us 3/10 of 1 percent found in the form of lakes, rivers and streams. Unfortunately, much of this small amount of freshwater is in danger of drying up through desertification or becoming so contaminated that it cannot be used for human consumption. Changing our habits of water use can help to abate this growing problem…”
   At this website, www.abundantearth.com/store/rainbarrelkits.html they state the following:
   “Rain Water Collection Made from Food-Grade Recycled Barrels!"
   "Cut your water costs, lighten the load on your sewer and municipal system, protect nearby rivers and streams, help recycle industrial food grade barrels, keep water away from your foundation, and come out with a great looking yard and garden to boot - all using the rainwater that falls on your roof. Rainwater is oxygenated, un-chlorinated and (usually) warmer than tap water, which makes the Rain Barrel Rainwater Collection System preferable for watering your plants, garden and lawn, and for adding moisture to compost…”
   To find out more, just use your search engine and type in Rainwater Collection Systems. There’s “gallons” of information out there to read. These two websites I have included give you measurement information for your use too.
   Good luck and if you choose to start a system such as this, please share the information.

Trash Talk – Change the World, Change a Light Bulb! 

How about an investment of around three dollars that may save you $38? You can't find this return on investment at the local bank, Wall Street or overseas, but you can in your local neighborhood stores.
   Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) can have a positive impact on energy consumption, greenhouse-gas emissions, global warming or our local landfill. They are more expensive than the usual light bulbs, but they last between 7 to ten years (normal light bulbs last 6 – 8 months considering a daily usage of 4 hours) and they use 75% to 80% less electricity.
   Consider this: there are around 110 million households in the United States using around 50 to 100 normal light bulbs (go ahead – count them). If every household would purchase just one of those swirled compact fluorescent light bulbs replacing a 60W light bulb, we could save enough energy to power 619,814 homes or a city of 1.5 million people. (That is also the equivalent to shutting down 2 typical power plants, or not burning 29,963 railcars of coal, or taking 1.3 million cars of the roads.) So, how about an investment of three dollars?
   For more information read the article written by Charles Fishman at www.fastcompany.com/magazine/108/open_lightbulbs.html

What inspires you to change? What inspires you to be innovative in your life? These were the questions that were asked at the annual recycling conference that was held in San Jose this year. I know many of you think that we sit around the forest hugging trees during these events, but nay! We were treated to great speakers such as Steve Wozniak http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Wozniak  and Gunter Pauli www.hypothesis.it/nobel/eng/bio/pauli.htm and www.scizerinm.org/pauliarticles.html (Wozniak is cofounder of Apple Computer and Pauli redesigns manufacturing processes into non-polluting clusters of industries.)
   So, here are some of the things they shared with us:

1. Let your children dream and use their imaginations to the fullest. They don’t need “things” they need experiences.
2. Recycling has its place but it’s the last step in the process. The steps are:
     > Rethink  > Reduce  > Reuse  > Recycle
3. Break things down into simple steps and needs. You’ll find the rewards and freedom of those decisions the most compelling reasons to change your behavior.
4. Lead by example. Ride your bike to work, take a bus, walk to the store, use cloth bags that can be reused. Your body will love the exercise, and your children will join in on the fun. Habits only take 21 days to become ingrained into your behavior.
5. Look at everything with an artistic eye. Reuse it again and again and not necessarily for its intended use.
6. Reduce waste before you even make it. As examples:  Do you need to run all those reports? Can they be sent to people electronically allowing recipients to copy only those pages they need or not copy them if they don’t need them? Are hard copies necessary when PDF files work just as well? Do you contact companies that over-package their products to complain? Your input helps them to make decisions that are popular with their customers.

Many of the speakers at the conference were from the computer industry. All of them are working towards more sustainable practices when designing and improving their products. They are committed to that goal because they know that our future depends on that. They all said the same thing:  The customers voice drives the market. If you don’t like the amount of waste that is created by the production of their products, let them know. Be aware of what goes on around you and LEAD BY EXAMPLE.
   P.S. Remember to recycle your batteries at the City Clerk's Office, Library, community centers, and Whole Foods Market.

Trash Talk – Summertime Means Thinking Ahead!
 by Solid Waste Program Manager Angela Brantley

It’s a great time of year but it’s also a time of year that produces large amounts of trash. People are away from home, producing lots of unnecessary trash and throwing away valuable recyclables. Trash is usually the last thing on your mind when you’re packing for a trip but consider the following ideas to help reduce the amount of waste you produce while picnicking, camping or visiting friends this summer:

• Use reusable cups, glasses, plates and cutlery. Put each person's name on the back of their stuff and make them responsible for washing and storing them or give each person a particular color combination of glasses, cups, plates and cutlery and turn them loose. You’ll be amazed at how little trash you produce once you’ve converted to reusable material.
• When possible, buy in larger quantities to eliminate over-packaging. Bring large Ziploc bags to make storage easier. Buying drinks in liter sizes and using reusable cups really cuts down on the amount of waste produced. Remember to bring a clear plastic bag to store all the cans and bottles in. Clear bags help you recognize at a glance that it is recycling and not trash.
• If possible, store foodstuff in large clear plastic boxes. It keeps food clean and prevents people from scrounging through bags and leaving containers open. Label the boxes to make things easier to find.
• If you are going to Lake San Antonio, please note the terrific recycling program that the recycling team from Monterey County has installed. You can place paper, such as newspaper, paper sacks, soda cartons and cans and bottles in the clearly marked containers.
• If you don’t find recycling containers at your camping sites, please find the space to bring the material back to your curbside bins. I won’t give you all the statistical information regarding the amount of time it takes for a can to disintegrate but it’s a very, very long time.

Whether at home or at work, this is the time of year to air out the closets and drawers and re-evaluate your stock.
   Work
   > Remember to reuse as much as you can, then recycle. Manila folders can be turned every which way and reused with a new label.
   > Remember to buy items that can be reused such as pens and engineering pencils.
   > Watch the amount of emails you are printing. Can the same information be transferred to a Word document and printed using less paper? The same goes for copying information from the Web. A great deal of paper is wasted by just hitting the print button. The information printed oftentimes is advertising and will be tossed in the recycle bin immediately. Use double-sided copying as your default!
   > Send in the Get Off Junk Mail card (contact me if you need one) and contact any of the catalog companies or businesses advertising for work-related courses and remove yourself from their lists. Ask for just one and send it around the office for review or interest.
   > Use your bulletin boards for relaying important office information.
   > Use a grease board for meeting agendas. Review the amount of information you are copying and distributing for meetings. Cut back whenever feasible.
   Home
   > Give your extra stuff away on www.Freecycle.org  It’s free to takers and givers!
   > Give your extra stuff to any of the thrift-type stores such as the Salvation Army, Goodwill, St. Vincent De Paul or Last Chance Mercantile.
   > Have a garage sale! It's a great way to meet your neighbors and it’s fun!
   > Buy quality, not quantity. Repair when you can.
   > Take your electronic waste to 1120 Madison Lane, Salinas (754.2500) on the second Thursday of each month. No charge.
   > Recycle your motor oil. Request a container and filter bag from your garbage hauler (in Monterey call Monterey City Disposal Service Inc. at 372.7977; in Spreckles, Gonzales, Greenfield and Soledad call Tricities Disposal at 372.7977; all other cities call Waste Management at 384-5000). Place full oil container and filter in bag on curb next to recycle bin on your service day.
   > Send in the Get Off Junk Mail card (contact me if you need one).
   > Remember to recycle your household batteries and convert to rechargeable batteries. REchargeables are REcyclable!
   Have a wonderful time cleaning and think REDUCE WASTE, REUSE WHAT YOU CAN, THEN RECYCLE!

Trash Talk – Battery Recycling & Earth Day Updates
 by Angela Brantley, Solid Waste Manager

Battery Recycling Made Easy
Plans are in the works to place collection buckets for the disposing of alkaline and rechargeable batteries at various City sites, pending approval. The proposed locations include the Monterey Public Library; City Clerk’s Office; Fire Stations Nos. 1, 2 and 3; Hilltop Park Center; Casanova Oak-Knoll Park Center; the Monterey Youth Center; and Monterey Senior Center.
   When applicable, please convert to rechargeable batteries as rechargeable batteries are recyclable, alkalines are not.
   Fluorescent bulbs from home must be taken to the Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Center at the Marina Landfill (384.5313). There is no charge. Store bulbs in a safe location and collect a few before you take them to the center.

Businesses Make Earth Day Everyday
As part of the Earth Day celebration this year, the City Council recognized several businesses that have incorporated environmental policies to reduce waste. Click here (www.monterey.org/recycle/news.html#earthday06) to view their names and awards (listed alphabetically).
   Remember, make Earth Day everyday! Reduce waste when possible. Pick up litter when you can.

Trash Talk – Make YOUR World a Priority During Earth Week
 by Angela Brantley, Solid Waste Manager

I hope you all have an absolutely fun and successful Earth Day, week and year!
   Any comments or suggestions, please contact Solid Waste Manager Angela Brantley at x5662

Trash Talk – Plastic Bags Chaos Unraveled
 by Angela Brantley, Solid Waste Manager

Many of you call asking about what to do with your plastic bags. Most supermarkets offer plastic bag recycling near their front doors (that's the good news) but there are some changes that we need to keep in mind, as explained below.
   Tips:
   1. I encourage all of you to carry cloth bags that can be reused. Remember to place them in your vehicle (or bicycle) so that you can grab them without thinking. Most stores credit you 5 cents for each of your own bags (stores include Safeway, Nob Hill, Ralph's, Albertson's, Whole Foods and more). However, even when you use your own bags, you will still magically wind up with more plastic bags than you will ever need. If you find you must use plastic bags, ask the packer to use only one bag and to fill it properly (support the sides and fill the middle) to reduce the amount of bags you bring home.
   2. REUSE any bag as much as possible before recycling.
   Changes to keep in mind:
   1. Any "stretchy" filmy plastic bag is recyclable now but only at the stores (not yet in your home/office recycling bins). At one time, we were instructed to recycle only the plastic grocery bag but that list has expanded to include filmy bags for: newspapers, vegetables, dry cleaning, all colors, paper towel/toilet paper packaging, "Ziploc," soda/water packaging, bread wrap and bubble wrap.
   2. Place bags in a bag and knot the top.
   3. Unacceptable contaminants include:
       no hard or rigid plastics
       no rigid bag handles or drawstrings
       no six-pack rings
       no woven plastic bags or tarps
       no Tyvek
       no foam plastics
       no photographic film
       no strapping or twine
       no food or liquids
       no dirt or organic matter
       no diapers or animal waste
       no receipts or other paper
       no wood, metal, glass or grit

   The cities within Monterey County will soon meet to discuss collecting "Bags in a Bag" curbside but until that time, unless your hauler has instructed you to do so, DO NOT PUT THEM IN YOUR RECYCLE BINS.
   Thanks. Any questions or comments, please contact me, Angela Brantley at x5662 or brantley@ci.monterey.ca.us

Below is an excerpt from a scheduled program on the ever-popular show on HGTV “Gardening by the Yard.” I thought it was quite fun and well explained. Hope you enjoy it. Paul James explains how to make a compost bin using a regular plastic trash can. Insulating the can isn’t incredibly important, but it sure couldn’t hurt and will speed the process along. The resulting composting material will make your plants SING.

Winter Composting by Paul James (HGTV Host – Gardening by the Yard)
www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_soil_water_mulch/article/0,1785,HGTV_3634_1435196,00.html

Heat, more than any other single factor, is what drives a compost pile and enables it to turn raw materials like leaves and grass clippings into compost. Most of the heat is actually generated within the compost pile by the microorganisms that decompose the material, but the process speeds up during the heat of summer and slows during the winter.
   To compost in the winter, you can build a special insulated compost can. The can should be located in the same general area as a typical compost pile – in full sun, away from trees whose roots can find their way into the nutrient-rich mix, near a source of water and convenient to the kitchen.
   Dig a hole as wide as the bottom of the can and at least six inches deep. Using a utility knife cut out the bottom of the can one inch from the edge so that the can will maintain its shape. Drill several one-inch holes evenly spaced around the top <sides> of the can to provide ventilation.
   Place the can in the hole and pack some dirt around it. Place four bales of hay or straw around the can and stuff leaves into the gaps. Be sure not to block the ventilation holes.
   Add the same mix of green and brown materials that you would add to a traditional compost pile:
     > Green – kitchen scraps, garden refuse, grass clippings
     > Brown – hay, straw, shredded newspaper, leaves

   Start with a six-inch layer of green materials and alternate with a six-inch layer of brown materials until the can is full. Sprinkle each layer with water and a handful of blood meal as you proceed to stimulate decomposition. Also add a little finished compost as a starter material. Shake the can gently to incorporate the starter. Keep the lid on the can to keep heat in and rain out and secure it with a strap to keep out critters such as raccoons and opossums.
   As the materials break down, you can add more, maintaining the 50/50 mix of green and brown. Check the moisture level and add water or brown material as needed.
   While even an insulated can can't compost as quickly in winter as in summer, the temperature in the can should stay above freezing and gradually "cook" the material.
   Composting is a great way to start the New Year. Reduce the waste going to the landfill and give your garden a gift that keeps on growing!
   Any questions or comments, please contact Solid Waste Program Manager Angela Brantley brantley@ci.monterey.ca.us  or Recycling Coordinator Ginger Buller buller@ci.monterey.ca.us

Trash Talk – Daily Reminders Help Reduce,
Reuse, Recycle
by Angela Brantley, Solid Waste Manager

Another month gone by, and we’ve finally received summer weather! Hooray! But now it's onto fall.
   At home: The crisp mornings are a reminder to clean closets and to find the sweaters and winter clothes that have been in storage. As you do your closet cleanings, remember to donate as much as you can to local thrift shops or have a whiz-bang garage sale and make some money. Any hazardous waste, such as rechargeable batteries, herbicides, insecticides, oil-based paints or even no longer needed water-based paints can be taken to the Household Hazardous Waste drop off site at the landfill in Marina for free. Call 384.5313 for hours of operation and details (www.mrwmd.org).
   At the office: If you are also cleaning files and desk drawers at work, remember to reuse as much of the material as possible such as manila folders, pens and other office equipment. Remind staff to control what is copied or printed. Curb your instinct to make copies of emails and distribute. Instead, forward those messages electronically as much as possible. If you want to grab the attention of your office staff, use different colored fonts.
   Re-evaluate the forms and documents that are generated within your department. If you have that, “it’s always been done that way” mantra, it is probably a good idea to re-assess. Although recycling is important, reducing waste before it is generated is high on the priority list. There is a great deal of energy used to produce items like paper, cans and bottles.
   Recycling reminder: Most communities now offer mixed recycling – collecting paper products, cans and bottles in one container. It is much easier, HOWEVER people are collecting everything in filmy plastic bags and tossing them into the recycling container. This is causing problems at the sorting facilities. Please remember, NO FILMY PLASTIC BAGS in the recycling bins. At some commercial sites, clear large bags are used to accommodate custodial processes, which is OK. The waste driver can view the container and see that there is no trash in the bags. However, because bags are used at all, it takes extra sorting. As there as three times as many residential accounts as commercial accounts, bags CANNOT be used in household recycling bins – the smaller bags wreck the sorting machines.
   At the store: Lastly, remember to use cloth bags at the stores. The stores that give you 5 cents per bag are Albertsons, Nob Hill Foods, Whole Foods and Ralph’s. These stores will also recycle the filmy plastic bags you have (although you are eliminating them by using cloth bags!).

Trash Talk – What I did on my Summer Vacation?
by Angela Brantley, Solid Waste Manager

Unlike most of you, as I traveled through Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Austria and sailed to the Island of Elba, I looked at the way they handled their trash and recycling. Ok, I did have several million cups of espresso and loads of delicious foods but they were all served on reusable dishes and silverware!
   So, how are these countries handling their waste? In a nutshell: very efficiently. I traveled as far south as Fallonica, Italy (south of Pisa) and as far north as Frankfurt, Germany and the one glaring difference to our tourist based cities is the small amount of litter found on their streets. Why is that? My answer: There are few if any fast food joints around. Their lunch times are two or three hours long and they go home and eat. When they drink coffee away from home, they sit in café’s and drink out of glass cups. Does this mean you can’t eat at your favorite take out spot? No. It does mean that it is time to be aware that the material handed out in your take-out bags is creating a litter nightmare on our highways, streets, storm drains, and Bay. Your favorite coffee shops are creating an incredible amount of litter. Most streets driven have coffee cups and lids in the gutter. What to do? Take responsibility. Make sure all the material is secured into a trash can. Use reusable cups when you can. It takes a little more effort but it only takes 21 days to create a habit (good or bad). Remember that you are one of MILLIONS in America and you can make a difference by focusing on what you generate and how you dispose of the material.
   More notables: In Switzerland, you brought your own bags for vegetables and to take home your material or you were charged 25 cents (equivalent in Swiss currency) per bag. The consumers of the four countries I visited have put a great deal of pressure on manufacturers to limit the packaging of all consumer goods. Each section in the residential and commercial areas had group dumpsters, large cardboard dumpsters and mixed plastic, glass, and aluminum containers. Some of them even offered food (organics) recycling. They were clean and organized. I saw few plastic bags floating around the gutters. I stayed at two Army bases and they also offered extensive recycling, including food scrap recycling! Again, most of these changes are created by consumer demand.
   In parting, be responsible. Look at the material you are throwing away. How can you reduce the waste generated? How can you reuse the items you have generated? Are you taking advantage of the recycling offered at work and home? Use reusable cups and bags as often as possible. Remember, Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
   Any questions, comments or recycling ideas, contact me: Angela Brantley, x 5662 or brantley@ci.monterey.ca.us

Trash Talk – Things Learned
by Angela Brantley, Solid Waste Manager

I recently attended a conference in Los Angeles at the beautifully preserved Los Angeles Biltmore Hotel. Since 1923, the hotel has remained basically the same. We were there to learn and share info about reducing waste, which includes re-thinking how you buy things. The Biltmore was a shining example of purchasing for sustainability. The interior and exterior has remained untouched and preserved and valued for its worth. What can be learned from this? Buy quality. Can the item you are purchasing be repaired and reused when the time comes for this consideration? Cost drives much of our decision making, but isn't it better to save and buy something that will last than to buy and replace often? The Biltmore was built with quality and style that has sustained its image for 82 years.
   The other thing I learned is that there is a great deal of good happening in the world. There is a group called LA Shares (www.LAShares.com), and they act as a clearing house for any and all supplies. Any nonprofit or school may contact them and request items for their needs (items are free). LA Shares links you with folks trying to donate things. It is incredible what passes through their Internet doors!
   Another group, CalMax is open to everyone and is similar, although the donator and person wanting an item work directly with each other – items might be free or there may be a charge. Many of the de-construction companies work through this system and have been quite successful in making available materials taken from de-constructed buildings.
   Another group, Driftwood Salvage Sales in Palo Alto, facilitates entire house sales (www.driftwoodsalvage.com). The entire building, structure, appliances, etc. are sold at a sort of garage sale set up. The wood and material taken from homes are valued and de-construction has become the better choice when considering remodeling or building choices in most areas. Locally, Last Chance Mercantile (384.5313) will take most of your discarded items for free and will give you a tax deduction receipt.
   Remember, buy with the idea that you would like the item to last and be repaired successfully. When remodeling or building, think in terms of donation and also consider purchasing used items that fit into your plans. Take reducing waste personally. Remember that you are one of millions in the world.

Trash Talk – Sustainable Gardening
by Angela Brantley, Solid Waste Manager

     Reprinted with permission from In My Garden
     National Gardening Association www.garden.org
     June 9, 2005, Northern California Coastal & Inland Valleys
     by Kim Haworth, San Bruno, CA

Earth = Home. This equation seems simple, but many people don't quite get it. The fact that the planet that supports us is in jeopardy from our own carelessness is another thing that many people don't understand. So many things in life are out of our control, but we can make a difference in our own environment. The new motto is "act local, think global."
   Making a small difference in your own world is easy. Using less water, cutting back on chemicals, creating habitat for wildlife and using organic methods of gardening are all things that can make a real difference.
   Small Effort With Big Payoffs
By planting things that are adapted to our climate, you will use less water. Ceonothus and fremontedendron are both beautiful, hardy and use very little H20.
   Make your garden friendly to wildlife. Habitat in the wild is disappearing at an alarming rate. Some of the most beautiful gardens are those that are bursting with wildlife. Provide shelter by leaving a weedy thicket in a forgotten corner of your garden for birds to hide in. You will be amazed at how your insect population will decrease. Another thing you can do is put out a birdbath. Everybody is grateful for a little drink now and then, even dragonflies and butterflies.
   Compost your garden debris instead of having it hauled off to the dump. Compost is the very best thing for your garden soil, and besides, the dumps are filling up faster than ever. You'll get some regular exercise by turning the pile, and you will create the most excellent product ever invented for your efforts.
   Lose your lawn. I can't emphasize this strongly enough. Lawns are greedy for water and chemicals and are passe in the landscape industry. Create a meadow in your front yard instead that will invite butterflies and bees to visit, use less water, and look better than any lawn in the neighborhood. If you absolutely have to have a lawn, at least make it a small one, surrounded by perennial beds and shrubs.
   Try using organic remedies for your common pest problems. If you have always used Malathion to control aphids on roses, try using soapy water instead. You might be surprised at the results. The roses will like it better, that I can guarantee.
   Don't plant monocultures. Plant your vegetable garden helter skelter, not in rows, and you will confuse the insect pests waiting to dine on your labor. Besides, it's fun to search for hidden cucumbers. Plant corn seed in small pockets throughout your ornamentals. You will get the same amount of corn, but you will make life very difficult for the corn ear worms that are looking for that big field of corn. Tomatoes will grow happily among your annual flowers. Your neighbors will think you have gone around the bend, but at least it will give them something to talk about. Mix and match is the secret to foiling the insect population.
   As the human population grows larger, the earth bears the burden. Make life a little easier on the old girl by "thinking small, acting large."
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