Compost it!
Compost helps improve soil so it holds more water and plants grow better. Allow grass clippings to stay on the lawn, instead of bagging them. The cut grass will decompose and return to the soil naturally. Food scraps and kitchen waste also make good compost, and you save money on fertilizers or other additives. Earth Machine compost bins with compost class available to Manatee County Residents for $40. Visit http://manateefyn.eventbrite.com/ to register for a class or go to http://manatee.ifas.ufl.edu/lawn_and_garden/fyn/CompostInformation.shtml for more information.
Yard trimmings and food residuals together constitute 24 percent of the U.S. municipal solid waste stream. That's a lot of waste to send to landfills when it could become useful and environmentally beneficial compost instead!
Register for a Compost Workshop at ManateeFYN.eventbrite.com The Earth Machine Compost Bin is sold at this workshop for $25 to Manatee County Residents.
#17 Give it to the worms!
Vermiculture, or worm composting, allows you to compost your food waste faster than you ever imagined, while producing a high quality compost and compost tea. Best of all, it's self-contained and nearly odorless! Visit http://manateefyn.eventbrite.com/ to register for a class or go to http://livinggreen.ifas.ufl.edu/waste/composting.html for more information.
The Florida-Friendly Family Festival held March 6th at the Manatee County Fairgrounds brought 515 people together to share environmental themes and conservation methods. The Eco-Workshops were attended by 158 attendees thirsty for ideas. Topics included worm composting, conservation at home, making bio-fuel, the importance of bees and the water cycle. The Earthlings, musician with an environmental message, provided musical suggestions for conservation with their instruments made from recycled items. The Manatee County Utilities Department provided food which was grilled to perfection by the Palmetto Kiwanis Club volunteers. A local 4-H club served drinks for $.50 in re-useable cups with refills offered for $.25 to encourage reuse. Compost bins were manned with volunteers to educate on compostable trash vs. non-compostable trash. Food service items were made of 100% paper and able to be composted.
