| How to Recycle Biodegradable Waste Posted: 27 Feb 2022 12:00 AM PST Biodegradable waste is animal or plant matter that breaks down naturally with exposure to microorganisms, heat, and oxygen. Recycling biodegradable waste into a nutrient-rich, usable material is often called composting. The material created through composting can later be added to soil. Since it is not always convenient to compost your own organic waste at home, public services and private organizations are now making it easier than ever for urban and suburban residents to recycle their biodegradable materials. [Edit]Collecting Biodegradable Materials - Gather organic food waste and scraps. Collecting compostable material requires little additional work—you simply place organic items, such as food waste and scraps in a collection container separate from your trash can. While you may purchase a designated indoor compost bin, many people collect their food scraps and waste in repurposed plastic food containers, trash cans, or compostable bags. After preparing or eating meals, place your food scraps into a compost collection bin.
- Acceptable items include table scraps, fruit, vegetables, and eggshells. These items are considered "green" waste as opposed to "brown" waste.
- If you are participating in a public or private program, only place approved compostable materials in your bin.
- If you are composting in your backyard, do not save meat and fish products for your compost pile—these items attract rodents and pests.
- Store your collection bin under the kitchen sink, on the kitchen counter, in your fridge, or in your freezer.[1]
- Collect green manure. If you are composting in your backyard, your pile should include about 50% green waste or manure. These items, which introduce nitrogen into your pile, serve as a catalyst to the compost process. Table scraps and food waste are just two forms of green manure. Other green waste items include:
- Grass clippings
- Clover
- Buckwheat
- Wheatgrass
- Coffee Grounds
- Tea leaves or tea bags
- Store these items in an outdoor yard waste bin.[2]
- Set aside brown waste for your compost pile. Brown waste should make up the other 50% of your compost pile. The brown waste adds carbon to your compost pile. You may find brown waste items both inside your home and outside in your yard. These items include:
- Shredded newspaper
- Shredded paper
- Shredded brown paper bags
- Dead branches
- Twigs
- Leaves
- Straw
- Untreated sawdust[3]
[Edit]Participating in a City Composting Plan - Contact your city's waste management facilities. Cities across Europe and the United States have committed to reducing or eliminating their residents' waste. In an effort to achieve this goal, these cities have established curbside composting programs. For more information on your community's public program or to determine if your city provides this service, call your city's waste management facilities of visit its website.
- Inquire about the cost of the service.
- Ask if the city provides indoor and curbside collection bins.
- Ask how frequently the city picks up compostable material. Do they collect it twice a week, once a week, every two weeks, etc.?[4]
- Sign-up for your city's composting program. When you contact your city's waste management facilities or search its website, inquire about or look for instructions on signing-up for the service. Every city's sign-up process will be slightly different. To join the program, you may need to fill out an online form or send in a paper copy of the contract.[5]
- Before opting into the city program, renters, especially those in apartments, should contact their landlords.
- If your building already participates in the city's program, your landlord may be obligated to provide you with all of the necessary equipment and information. They may also be required to provide tenants with a central composting location.[6]
- If your complex is not currently involved in the municipal composting program, head up the initiative to join the composting movement.
- Receive a composting starter kit and guidelines. Once you have joined the program, your local municipality may provide you with the equipment and educational resources you need to start composting. The equipment provided may include an indoor collection bin, an outdoor bin, and/or compostable bags. The city may also provide you with a set of instructions, a list of approved biodegradable materials, and a list of unaccepted organic materials.
- The indoor collection bin is typically intended for your kitchen. Many people store this bin under the kitchen sink or on their kitchen counter. Line your inside bin with a compostable bag, newspaper, or a brown paper bag to keep it clean. If you are concerned about the smell or mess, you may also freeze or fridge all of your compostable food materials.[7]
- The outdoor collection bin is emptied by city workers. If you live in an apartment building, you may be required to share this outdoor collection bin with other residents.
- If the city does not provide an indoor composting bin, you can find composting containers at many kitchen supply stores or purchase one online. You can also use takeout containers, food containers, pails with lids, or lined trash cans with lids.
- Read the guidelines for your city's composting program. Make note of the correct procedures and your city's approved compostable materials.[8]
- Collect your compostable materials throughout the week and place them outside on collection. Throughout the week, place your organic materials into your indoor compost bin. You can also collect biodegradable materials in your home office, bathrooms, and bedrooms. When your biodegradable collection bins are full, add the contents to your outdoor compost bin. On your a designated compost pick-up day, leave your outdoor bin at the curb each week. Once the bin is emptied, bring it in from the curb.
- Your city may have specific requirements regarding the placement of the pin.
- If you live in an area that receives a lot of snow, you may have to shovel a path from the street to your bin.
- Officials may contact you if you fail to comply with the city's procedures and rules.[9]
[Edit]Composting Your Biodegradable Waste at Home - Select a composting container. In order to compost in your backyard, you need to build or purchase a composting container. This container should be placed in a shady location that is near a source of water. Types of containers include:
- Homemade Containers: Construct your own round or square composting container out of fence posts and wire mesh siding, fence posts and lattice, or brick and wood. Build a structure that is at least three feet wide and three feet deep.[10]
- Compost Bins: This product, also known as a compost digester, is enclosed on the top and sides. Its open bottom sits directly on the ground. While these bins are small and inexpensive, it is difficult to turn the compost pile inside of them.
- Compost Tumblers: These rotating composting containers are the most effective and mobile bins on the market. The rotating drum makes it easy to turn and aerate the compost. The drum also serves as insulation, which keeps the composting materials at the ideal temperature year round. The center paddle helps to aerate the compost and prevents the materials from clumping.[11]
- Layer your organic materials inside the container. Begin your compost pile in late spring or summer when it is hot and slightly damp. Organic materials must be placed thoughtfully and carefully in the compost pile. A well laid out compost pile will promote drainage and aeration while deterring clumping and rotting. Place your biodegradable materials in thin, even layers.
- Place brown waste, specifically twigs and straw, on the bottom of the pile to encourage drainage. This layer should be a few inches thick.
- Add alternating layers of moist and dry green and brown waste. Keep this layers thin to avoid clumping. Moist items include food scraps, food waste, coffee grounds, and tea bags. Dry items include straw, twigs, leaves, and untreated sawdust.[12]
- Maintain a moist, covered, and well turned compost pile. In order for the microorganisms to breakdown the green and brown waste into compost, the pile must remain moist, warm, and well aerated. Monitor your pile frequently.
- Your compost should maintain the moisture of a damp sponge. If it is too dry, add water to the pile with a hose or let the rain water it naturally. If it is too wet, your organic materials may rot instead of compost.
- Your compost pile should retain an interior temperature between 135° to 160° F. You can monitor the temperature with a thermometer. Covering your compost pile with a lid, carpet squares, wood, or a tarp will help regulate the temperature of the pile.[13]
- In order for the compost process to work, your pile must have a sufficient amount of air. Add oxygen to your pile by turning it every two to four weeks. You can turn the pile with a pitchfork or rotate your compost tumbler.[14]
- Add green manure and bury new materials ten inches down and turn the compost. When your compost pile is well developed, you can introduce new green waste and green manure to the compost. These products add nitrogen to the pile. The nitrogen serves as a catalyst for the composting process.
- Use a pitchfork to add and mix in green manure to your pile. Acceptable green manure items include grass clippings, buckwheat, wheatgrass, and clover.
- Bury new vegetable, fruit, and food scraps at least ten inches below the top of the pile.[15]
- Add the finished compost to your garden. Once the material at the bottom of your pile is a rich dark brown, the compost is ready for use. This can take anywhere from two months to two years.
- Open up your composting container and empty its contents onto the ground.
- Add the compost to your garden, vegetable patch, or orchard.[16]
[Edit]Exploring Alternative Methods of Recycling Your Biodegradable Materials - Subscribing to a private composting service. If your city does not offer a public composting service, search for a private composting business in your area. Select a business and a plan that is within your price range, meets your needs, and fits into your schedule. Once you sign-up for the service, the business will typically provide you with a composting bin or bags.
- Many services will take the full bin and leave you with a sanitized bin.
- If you do not produce much food waste, find a service that will pick up your compostable materials every two weeks or once a month.
- If you are interested in using compost in your yard, select a service that provides you with compost for free or at a discounted rate.[17]
- Bring your compostable materials to a composting collection site. Instead of paying for a public or private composting service, bring your organic materials to a designated biodegradable waste drop off site. These sites may be operated by the city, private organizations, or nonprofits. Before bringing your materials to one of these locations, make sure all of the items in your compost bin or bags adhere to the site's standards.
- Find these drop off sites through a quick internet search.
- Instead of paying for your city's composting service, you may be allowed to bring biodegradable materials to a drop-off site yourself.[18]
- Donate your organic materials to local farmers or community gardens. Giving your biodegradable materials away is an excellent ways to support the farmers and systems that produce food for your community. Contact farmers and community gardens in your area to see if they accept organic donations.
- This is a great option for business and restaurants looking to cut costs while giving back to the community.
- Some farmers and gardens may already have drop off boxes for composting donations.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Compost bin
- Compost guidelines
- Countertop compost container
- Rake
- Hose
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary - ↑ http://sfenvironment.org/zero-waste/overview/zero-waste-faq, http://minneapolismn.gov/solid-waste/organics/WCMS1P-140932, http://eartheasy.com/grow_compost.html
- ↑ http://eartheasy.com/grow_compost.html, http://www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home
- ↑ http://eartheasy.com/grow_compost.html, http://www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home
- ↑ http://sfenvironment.org/zero-waste/overview/zero-waste-faq, http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/solid-waste/organics/index.htm
- ↑ http://minneapolismn.gov/solid-waste/organics/WCMSP-171641, http://sfenvironment.org/article/recycling-and-composting/recycling-and-composting-in-san-francisco
- ↑ http://sfenvironment.org/article/recycling-and-composting/recycling-and-composting-in-san-francisco
- ↑ http://minneapolismn.gov/solid-waste/organics/WCMS1P-140932, http://sfenvironment.org/solution/now-that-singleuse-plastic-bags-are-banned-what-should-i-use-to-line-my-bins
- ↑ http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/solid-waste/organics/index.htm, http://sfenvironment.org/zero-waste/overview/zero-waste-faq
- ↑ http://sfenvironment.org/article/recycling-and-composting/recycling-and-composting-in-san-francisco, http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/solid-waste/organics/index.htm
- ↑ http://www.bhg.com/gardening/yard/compost/gardeners-gumbo/
- ↑ http://eartheasy.com/grow_compost.html
- ↑ http://www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home, http://eartheasy.com/grow_compost.html, http://www.bhg.com/gardening/yard/compost/gardeners-gumbo/
- ↑ http://whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/compost/fundamentals/needs_temperature.htm
- ↑ http://www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home, http://eartheasy.com/grow_compost.html, http://www.bhg.com/gardening/yard/compost/gardeners-gumbo/
- ↑ http://www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home, http://eartheasy.com/grow_compost.html, http://www.bhg.com/gardening/yard/compost/gardeners-gumbo/
- ↑ http://www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home, http://eartheasy.com/grow_compost.html
- ↑ https://compostnow.org/composting/
- ↑ http://sfenvironment.org/zero-waste/overview/zero-waste-faq, http://sfenvironment.org/article/recycling-and-composting/recycling-and-composting-in-san-francisco
|
| How to Caramelize Garlic Posted: 26 Feb 2022 04:00 PM PST If you love the taste of garlic, there's one thing that you may like even more -- caramelized garlic. Cooking the garlic slowly brings out its natural sugars, so it takes on a sweet, rich flavor that's delicious in sauces, soups, marinades, and even spread on crackers. Best of all, you can caramelize garlic on your stove top, in your oven, or in your slow cooker, and even smoke it on the BBQ or in a smoker, which means you can enjoy it whenever you want. [Edit]Ingredients Sauteed Caramelized Garlic - 5 to 6 garlic cloves
- Olive oil
Roasted Caramelized Garlic - 1 or more heads of garlic
- 1 to 2 teaspoons (5 to 10 ml) olive oil
Slow Cooker Caramelized Garlic - 4 heads garlic, halved horizontally
- 2 tablespoons (15 ml) olive oil
- Salt
- 4 sprigs thyme
[Edit]Sauteeing Garlic to Caramelize It - Smash and peel the garlic cloves. Take 5 to 6 cloves of garlic, and pound the side of a chef's knife blade against them to smash them. Once the cloves are smashed, remove their skins and discard. Set the garlic aside for a moment.[1]
- When you're selecting your garlic, try to find cloves that are as large and thick as possible.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Place a large skillet on the stove, and add approximately ¼ inch (.63 cm) of olive oil to it. Turn the burner to medium, and allow the oil to heat for 3 to 5 minutes.[2]
- You can reduce the oil to ⅛ inch if you prefer. However, keep in mind that by caramelizing the garlic in it, you'll infuse the oil with the flavor so you can use it for pasta, salad dressings, and other dishes.
- Cook the garlic in the oil until it's golden. When the oil has heated for several minutes, place the smashed garlic cloves in the skillet. Lower the heat to medium-low, and allow the garlic to cook until the edges have a golden color, which should take approximately 2 to 6 minutes.[3]
- If the garlic looks like it's turning brown, turn the heat down to low.
- Remove the garlic from the pan, and use or store it. When the garlic has caramelized, use a slotted spoon to remove it from the skillet. If you plan to use it right away, separate it from the oil. However, if you plan to store the garlic for later use, it's a good idea to leave it in the oil because the oil will help preserve it.[4]
- The garlic will keep for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.
- If you're separating the oil and garlic but want to save the oil for future use, pour it in a glass jar and store in the refrigerator.
[Edit]Roasting Garlic to Caramelize It - Preheat the oven. To ensure that your oven is hot enough to caramelize the garlic, it's important to preheat it. Set the temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius), and make sure that the oven rack is set in the middle position.[5]
- Keep an eye on the oven so you know when it's fully preheated. Many models will beep or flash an indicator light to let you know that it's reached the desired temperature.
- Peel and trim the garlic. Leave the head of garlic intact, but peel away the outer papery layers from the bulb. Use a sharp knife to carefully trim away approximately ¼ inch (.63 cm) from the top of the head so the tops of the individual cloves are visible.[6]
- When you're peeling and trimming the garlic head, make sure that all the cloves remain connected to one another. You don't want them to come loose.
- Drizzle the garlic with the oil. Once the garlic is peeled and trimmed, place it on a piece of foil. Next, drizzle approximately 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil over it to cover all of it.[7]
- When you're pouring the oil over the garlic, make sure that it sinks down into and between the individual cloves.
- Bake the garlic. Wrap the foil up over the garlic head, and place it on the middle rack of the oven to bake. After 40 minutes, unwrap it and check the garlic. The individual cloves be a deep golden color and soft when pierced with a knife. If the garlic isn't fully caramelized yet, let it keep baking but check on it in 10 minute intervals until it's done.[8]
- The exact roasting time necessary to caramelize the garlic will depend on its size, age, and variety.
- When you check on the garlic, be sure to use an oven mitt or pot holder because the foil will be very hot.
- Allow the garlic to cool, and serve or store. When the garlic has finished baking, remove it from the oven, unwrap it, and allow it to cool for approximately five minutes. To remove the garlic from the paper, push on the bottom of the clove. You can use the caramelized garlic right away or store it in the refrigerator for later use.[9]
- The garlic will last up to two weeks in the refrigerator. If you freeze it, it can last up to three months.
[Edit]Caramelizing Garlic in a Slow Cooker - Season the garlic. Take four heads of garlic that have been cut in half horizontally, and place them on a piece of foil. Drizzle 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil over the garlic halves, and sprinkle a pinch of a salt over them.
- You can omit the salt if you're trying to limit sodium in your diet.
- Seal the garlic in foil with thyme. Once the garlic halves are covered with the oil and salt, put them back together to form a full head. Tuck four sprigs of thyme among them, and fold the foil up around the garlic to create a sealed pouch.
- If you aren't a fan of thyme, you can substitute rosemary or omit the herbs entirely.
- Cook the garlic in the slow cooker until caramelized. Place the foil pouch with the garlic inside your slow cooker. Turn the heat setting to low, and allow the garlic to cook until it is caramelized, which should take approximately six hours.
- Try mixing caramelized garlic into any sauce, soup, or casserole recipe in place of raw garlic for a sweeter, richer flavor.
- Caramelized garlic is delicious spread on crackers or toasted bread.
- You can mix caramelized garlic into a marinade for your favorite meat.
- Caramelized garlic makes a tasty topping for burgers, sandwiches, and pizzas.
- Boost the flavor of side dishes such as mashed potatoes or sautéed vegetables by mixing in some caramelized garlic.
[Edit]Things You'll Need Sauteed Caramelized Garlic - A knife
- A large skillet
- A slotted spoon
Roasted Caramelized Garlic - A knife
- Foil
- Oven mitts or pot holders
Slow Cooker Caramelized Garlic Smoked Garlic - A BBQ or Smoker
- Wood Chips
- A knife
- Tin Foil
- Olive Oil
- Tongs
[Edit]References |
| How to Make a Tower Garden Posted: 26 Feb 2022 08:00 AM PST Tower gardens are a great way to make every inch of your land count. if you have a small living space, you can grow herbs, flowers, and other plants in a tower garden. Use a bucket or terracotta pot to make the tower garden's base, then heighten the tower with wire mesh. Plant a variety of seeds or seedlings to diversify your garden, and take routine care of it for thriving, healthy plants. [Edit]Building Your Tower - Fill a bucket or terracotta pot halfway with stones. You can gather small stones from around your yard or purchase them from a local plant nursery. Continue adding rocks until the the container is about one-third to halfway full.
- The size of your bucket or pot can vary depending on whether you grow larger or smaller plants. Your container can be as small as 16 inch (40 cm) wide pot or as large as a five gallon bucket.
- Insert a wire mesh cylinder lengthwise into the stones. The length ration between your container and the cylinder should be between 1:2-1:3, with the cylinder being longer. Make sure that the bottom portion of the wire mesh is completely covered by the stones. Wiggle the cylinder around to check for looseness.[1]
- Add peat or sphagnum moss into the wire mesh cylinder. Moss keeps the soil moist. With peat or sphagnum moss on the bottom of your tower garden, you will not have to water as frequently. Fill the cylinder with about 2-3 inches (5-7 cm).[2]
- Layer potting soil on top of the peat moss. Fill the rest of the mesh cylinder with about 4-5 inches (10-13 cm) of potting soil. Layer this directly on top of the moss. Choose soils that retain moisture and nutrients, like silt or loamy soil.[3]
- You will layer more moss into the tower garden as you add plants later on.
[Edit]Adding Plants - Incorporate flowers, fruits, or herbs into your tower garden. A full variety of plants can grow well in a tower garden. Edible plants, like herbs or fruits/vegetables, can make your garden functional. Flowers can add aesthetic beauty to the garden alongside the more practical plants.
- Large edible plants, like tomatoes or cucumbers, need plenty of room to grow. Only plant a few larger plants at a time.
- Choose plants based on where you'll put your garden. Pick sun-loving plants in areas that receive light almost constantly and shade-living plants in spots with less direct sunlight. Place your tower garden in a spot that receives between six and eight hours of sunlight a day, unless you specifically plant a shade garden.
- Plant the tallest plants on the bottom. Think about plant size and shape as you plot out plants for your garden.Tall plants can block out the sun from smaller ones if placed on top. Check the expected sizes your plants will grow to, and organize your garden accordingly.
- Plant seedling roots between the wire mesh. Scout out the ideal locations for your seedlings. Place them below the seeds planted to establish a strong root system into the garden. Once your plants are secure, add more peat or sphagnum moss into the wire mesh interior.
- Plant seeds into the soil at an appropriate depth. Poke your seeds between the wire mesh into the soil. Check the packet your seeds came in for the appropriate depth. Avoid adding additional sphagnum moss around your seeds until the plants have time to grow.[4]
[Edit]Taking Care of Tower Gardens - Make sure your plants are watered at least once per week. Water your garden weekly or whenever your plants look yellowing or crisp to the touch. Once or twice a week, stick a finger into your tower garden's soil. If the soil is dry, your plants need to be watered.
- Water your plants with compost tea once or twice a month. Because your plants are growing in a limited space, you'll need to introduce more nutrients than usual. Every other week, use compost tea instead of your usual watering routine.
- Watch for signs of disease. Take note of wilting, yellowing/browning, blighted or mildewing plants. Disease can spread quickly in close quarters, so either treat or remove infected plants before your entire garden is weakened.
- Check periodically for pests and weeds. For the most part, tower gardens have less trouble with invasive plants and insects. This is thanks to the limited soil space and distance from the ground. Inspect your plants once or twice a month for bugs or unidentifiable plants.[5]
- Research the pests that specifically target the plants you chose. If you're growing strawberries, for example, you might keep an eye out for aphids, crickets, and fruit flies.[6]
- Rotate out plants in your tower garden as desired. After you've harvested edible plants and are moving into the winter months, clean out your tower garden until you're ready to plant again next year. For the first year, try plants that involve easy maintenance (like flowers). In later seasons, move on to more complicated plants.
- Use aerated soil when you're planting a tower garden.[7]
- Tomatoes and annuals both do great in tower gardens.[8]
- If you want to grow vertically without building a tower garden, try hanging baskets as an alternative.
[Edit]Warnings - Some plants pose dangers to humans and animals. If making your tower garden inside, take precautions to ensure that no animals or children will harm themselves by touching or ingesting the plants.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Gardening gloves
- Bucket or terracotta pot
- Wire mesh cylinder
- Peat or sphagnum moss
- Rocks or stones
- Potting soil
- Seedlings
- Seeds
[Edit]Related wikiHows
[Edit]References __ |
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