1)    Enrichment of soil – nutrients in compost regenerate poor or contaminated soils and helps suppress plant diseases and pests, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers and promoting higher productivity yields.

2)    Health, safety and cost – composting converts organic waste into valuable nutrients for soil in a cheap and hygienic way instead of contributing to the already existing problem of landfill shortage.

3)    Prevents pollution – organic matters rotting in landfills produce methane, a greenhouse gas 21 times more damaging than carbon dioxide.  Furthermore, wet food waste can contaminate our water systems.  Conversely, compost acts as a filter, preventing pollutants in stormwater runoff to reach surface water resources.

In nature, compost is constantly formed as plants and animals die.  With the help of decomposers such as bacteria, fungi and earthworms, plant and animal remains decompose into simpler nutrients that are then released into the soil.  This process aids in future plant growth by allowing the soil to hold more water and air.  In addition, it binds soil together to prevent erosion.  We can mimic this natural process and ensure that our gardens are healthy and productive by creating compost with our organic waste that would otherwise be sent to landfills.

About half of the organic waste we send to landfills can be diverted and turned into compost.  Composting has so many benefits yet not enough of us do it because we either don’t feel we have the know-how, tools or resources available to facilitate composting and/or it is simply easier for us to just throw everything in the trash and not think twice about it.  If more people were aware of the seriousness of the overall trash problem and the environmental ramifications that will affect everyone in the not too distant future, we would be more inclined to take action.

As we learned during our research into finding a composting facility in the Indianapolis area, it is clear that one of the challenges our communities face is the lack of composting facilities and services available to us.  This is not only true of Indianapolis but across the country.  Although this is slowly starting to change, we need to bring about change faster – the longer it takes for us to take action, the more irreversible damage we, and our environment, will endure. The only way to encourage municipalities and private businesses to invest in composting facilities, processes and services is to create more demand.

At Chef JJ’s we are currently working with GreenCycle to come up with a system for pick up of our food waste to be composted and turned into rich, productive soil.  We hope that as more restaurants in the area become interested in composting, we can improve this system to be more efficient and cost effective, as well as encourage more investors and businesses to take part.

We hope you won’t be discouraged by the lack of composting facilities and services currently available – with a little bit of research and effort, you too can compost!  For those of you who are interested in creating your own compost for your garden but don’t know how to get started, a simple internet search will provide you with all the information you need – here are a couple of helpful links:

http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/rrr/composting/by_compost.htm

http://compostguide.com/

Happy composting!

The post The Trash Problem, Part 4: Composting appeared first on Chef JJ's Back Yard.

What is recyclable depends on where you live and what your recyclers are able to recycle.   It is best to call your recycler or visit their website for what they accept.  And don’t just limit yourself to your municipal recycler that makes curbside pick ups – many private recyclers and businesses such as automotive and hardware stores may accept items for recycling. There are also resources such as www.earth911.com that can help you locate recyclers in your area. It may take some research and few phone calls but remember that you’re helping to make a difference in the environment of the community in which you live!

Many products can be recycled, including all types of electronics, hazardous materials, papers, household and automotive goods, metals, glass, construction materials and of course, plastics.  Because plastics are used in many products we use, it is important to know that there are many different types of plastics, usually differentiated by a number on the bottom of the plastic container.  Some plastics can be recycled and some cannot, depending on the recycling facility.

Here is a breakdown:

#1 (PET or PETE – polyethylene terephthalate): most common for single-use bottled beverages like water and soda bottles.  It is highly recyclable but recycling rates remain low (around 20%).

#2 (HDPE – high density polyethylene): versatile and used in bottles for cleaning products, shampoo, milk, juice, some trash and shopping bags.  Readily recyclable into many goods.

#3 (V or PVC – vinyl or polyvinyl chloride): found in some cleaning bottles, clear food packaging, medical equipment, siding, windows, piping, wire jacketing.  As PVC contains chorine, it can release highly dangerous dioxins during manufacturing.  It is rarely recycled but some recycling manufacturers may accept them.

#4 (LDPE – low density polyethylene): flexible plastic with many applications such as in squeezable bottles, packaging for bread and frozen food, dry cleaning and shopping bags.  Also used in clothing, furniture and carpet.  More recycling facilities are starting to accept #4 plastics for recycling.

#5 (PP – polypropylene): it has a high melting point so it is often used for containers that must accept hot liquid.  It is also used for yogurt containers, syrup and ketchup bottles, straws, caps, medicine bottles.  It is gradually becoming more accepted by recyclers.

#6 (PS – polystyrene): can be made into rigid or foam products such as CD cases and disposable foam products, otherwise known as Styrofoam.  Although many recyclers still don’t accept it, some are starting to accept them.

#7 (other): all other plastics are lumped into #7, including polyactide which is made from plants and may be biodegradable, as well as polycarbonate, a hard plastic.  Some #7 plastic products include 3 and 5 gallon water bottles, sunglasses, DVDs, ipod and computer cases, signs and displays.

While the EPA estimates that 75% of solid waste is recyclable, only about 30% is actually recycled.  We all need to take responsibility for our waste and increase our efforts to recycle as well as encourage others to recycle – after all, we all breathe the same air and live on the same planet.  At Chef JJ’s, we find that a bulk of the items we recycle are wine bottles, some plastics and cardboard boxes. Although being able to recycle items that we use are great, we believe that it is best to first reduce the amount of waste before purchasing items that are made with recyclable or recycled materials.  That’s why we are making more of an effort to purchase items with minimal packaging as well as more eco-friendly products when possible.

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One benefit of the incineration process is that it significantly reduces the volume of waste.  It is popular especially in areas where space is very limited and delegating large areas as landfills is not a viable option.  While incineration may seem like a good alternative or complement to landfilling in theory, it is not without health and environmental implications.

Advancements in technology has allowed for some incineration facilities to recover recyclables before burning, recover energy during the combustion process, and utilize a variety of pollution control devices to reduce gas emissions.  Beyond these positive steps, however, incineration still raises serious concerns.  While there may be health and environmental regulations that monitor incineration facilities, in many countries including the US, incinerators are legally allowed to release significant amounts of toxic substances into the air that are harmful to our environment and our health.  Currently, Americans generate over 250 million tons of trash each year.  As population increases and we continue to create more trash, we will run out of land available for landfills.  As a result, we will gradually rely more heavily on incineration, releasing more harmful toxic substances into the environment.

Yes, it seems logical that we need to figure out a better, safer way to handle our trash.  Unfortunately, trash is a solid matter that can’t magically vanish from existence once created.  Even if we change its form through burying, burning or some other way, it is inevitable that this transformation process will release harmful substances into our environment.  Furthermore, inorganic solid matter such as plastic may eventually break down into smaller pieces but it will forever exist in our world in some form.  Without question, the best solution to the trash problem is to simply create less trash. If we are to protect our health and environment, we need to do everything we can to reduce the amount of trash we send to landfills and incinerators.  The only way we can achieve this is if we make an effort to reduce waste by using less when possible, reusing items, recycling and composting.  And the only way we can get this message across to everyone is to make people aware of the trash problem, show them what we can do to be part of the solution and encourage them to take a stand.

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After we throw away our trash, we don’t think twice about it – “out of sight, out of mind,” right?  Wrong!  We all should think more than twice about this as trash is a huge issue that endangers our health and our environment.  Because we are a consumption-focused society, the amount of trash we create is increasing.  As a result, landfills are filling up fast, and more pollution is created and released into our air, water and soils.  And these issues will only get worse as the world’s population continues to grow.  So what exactly happens to the trash we throw away?  Municipalities usually handle trash one of two ways: landfilling and incineration.  We’ll explore landfilling in this post.

A landfill is built into or on top of the ground and is designed to bury trash and isolate it from the air, rain and groundwater to prevent contamination.  Once a layer of trash is dumped into a landfill, the trash is packed down and a layer of soil is laid down on top.  This sandwich pattern continues until the landfill is at capacity, at which time the landfill is closed and monitored for contamination for up to 30+ years.  While precautions may be taken, mismanagement of landfills often leads to contamination.  Hence, one should never throw away hazardous items in the trash, such as batteries, chemicals, unused pharmaceuticals, etc., for they can leak into and contaminate our water systems.

Unfortunately, due to the isolation of the trash buried in a landfill, it has very limited contact with oxygen and moisture.  As a result, even organic items such as newspapers may take a very long time to break down and many inorganic items will never fully decompose.  Furthermore, when organic materials (yard, food and paper waste) are decomposed in landfills by bacteria in the absence of oxygen, methane (a greenhouse gas) is produced and released into the atmosphere.  Essentially, the more trash we create and send to landfills, the more methane we produce and the more we contribute to global warming.  In addition, as more of our precious land is occupied by landfills, there will be a higher risk of contamination of our fresh air and vital waters.

As you can see, landfills are not a good solution to the trash problem.  Although, there are currently few alternatives to handling our trash, there are ways we can help the situation.  We can reduce the amount of trash we send to landfills by reducing the amount of trash we create, recycling as much as possible and composting organic materials to be reused in conditioning soils or in gardens, as will be discussed in upcoming weeks as we continue on with The Trash Problem series.

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1) Lump charcoal is all natural with no fillers – it is made by being heated to very high temperatures to remove impurities. As a result, it is better for our environment and our health as it is clean burning. In addition, as it produces very little ash, the clean up is a breeze!

2) It lights with ease and because it is more responsive to oxygen, it reaches the desired cooking temperature faster while giving us better temperature control.

3) Lump charcoal can be reused after burning, unlike briquettes which you have to throw away after every use.

Briquettes are more affordable, burn slower and are more stable when burned providing a steady temperature for a longer period of time. Unfortunately, since briquettes are manufactured with wood by-products that are compressed with additives for better combustibility, when lit, the additives are burned off releasing chemicals and creating more ash.

One factor that should be considered when deciding on natural lump charcoal vs briquettes is the type of grill that will be in use. As you know by now, we only use the Big Green Egg – as we can easily control the air flow on EGGs, they are well suited to work with lump charcoal. While the environmental benefits of using lump charcoal instead of briquettes are fantastic, ultimately, the lump charcoal helps us to produce healthier, more flavorful and better tasting food for our clients.

If there are any questions regarding lump charcoal or briquettes, please feel free to give us a call or visit us at Back Yard. Also, if you are interested, we do carry Pure Royal Oak lump charcoal in our retail store as well as an assortment of flavored wood chips and chunks.

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When we go to grocery stores we are tempted by bright signs promising a great 2 for 1 deal on BBQ flavored chips or 5 for $5 store special candy bars.  Such items are strategically placed on aisle ends, near cash registers or in high traffic areas luring us to secretly throw a few goodies in our basket.  They’re tempting, we know.  That’s why if you have to shop at a grocery store, we suggest shopping along the perimeter as much as possible since that is where natural*, healthier foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains and fish are located.

Eating fresh foods in their natural state keeps us healthy because our bodies actually know how to break them down and process them, allowing for proper nutrition. Organic foods are also great options for healthy nutrients as they are close to being in their natural state and are free from chemicals and other additives.

On the contrary, processed food undergoes change at processing plants that strips away natural vitamins and minerals, which are then replaced by flavorings, color, chemicals and additives for added taste and a longer shelf life.  As a result, processed foods usually contain high calorie counts, salt and sugar, and not enough nutrients needed by our bodies.  So why do people eat processed foods?  Because processed foods tend to be cheap, convenient to eat or cook, and sadly, we think they taste good as our taste buds have simply gotten used to eating salty, sugary, processed foods.

The best way to incorporate more healthy foods like seasonal fruits and vegetables is to simply experiment with them by adding a couple variations to your favorite dish.  Here at Back Yard, instead of making straight mashed potatoes in the fall, we have a root vegetable mash that includes carrots, red potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes and turnips. It has a wonderful flavor and incorporates great vegetables that are high in fiber, vitamins A and K, potassium, magnesium and so much more.  Eating more healthy, nutritious foods will take a little more effort in the beginning but you’ll feel a lot better, have more energy and you’ll gradually need less of the harmful, high calorie seasonings for your foods, as natural foods often contain rich flavors that don’t need additives to make them taste good.

If you’re still in doubt or just need your fix of our fresh, local Big Green Egg cooking, come visit us at Back Yard or Big Green Bistro and we’ll show you how amazingly delicious natural foods can taste.  We are big believers in using fresh, local ingredients in our cooking because not only is it healthy and tastes better, we are supporting our local economy and reducing our carbon footprint.  There are just too many reasons not to eat natural foods!

*The word “natural” in this context means foods that are in, or very close to, their natural state.  Not all foods that have “Natural’ written across their packaging, are actually good for you so always read the list of ingredients.  The list should be minimal (5-7 at the most) and made up of words that you can pronounce and know exactly what they are – no chemicals or additives should be a part of the ingredients.

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Our Earth is a complex network of ecosystems that are symbiotic. How we live our lives affects everyone and everything on this planet. Our every action is linked to a carbon footprint, which is a measure of the greenhouse gases produced in our daily activities through burning fossil fuels for electricity, heating, cooling, transportation, etc. Our carbon footprint indicates the impact our activities, such as what we eat, how we commute, the products we use and the trash we create, have on the environment. For example, have you ever thought about where your food comes from, the distance it has traveled or the number of hands it has passed through to get there? The further it has traveled and the more hands it has passed through, the bigger its carbon footprint. By purchasing food from faraway places, we are supporting and contributing to environmental degradation. So let’s be more aware, ask questions and do our best to purchase food that are grown or produced locally by supporting local farms and farmers markets. You will not only help the environment but eat more fresh food and keep your money supporting your local community!

As stewards of this Earth, we must learn to make better use of its finite resources instead of continuing on this self-destructing path of rapid consumption. Like any other goal we want to achieve in life, saving our environment, our planet, will take some work. But the effort that is required is worth the cause considering what is at stake here. Even if each one of us made small strides, it would make a world of difference. You can start small, such as canceling subscriptions to magazines or newspapers you never read, shutting the water off while you’re brushing your teeth or recycling your paper and plastics. Then you can build up to bigger things like composting, growing vegetables in your own garden or purchasing a hybrid vehicle. Not only will you save Earth’s energy and resources, you can save money! By putting in a little extra effort to make environmentally sustainable and socially responsible choices, we’re investing in our future – it’s the best gift we can give to generations to come.

We, at Chef JJ’s, are interested in investing in the future of our communities and believe that every effort counts. We hope you’ll join us in our journey and learn with us as we seek to incorporate eco-friendly practices into our business. We thank you for supporting Chef JJ’s and reading our blog – we hope you’ll find it interesting, helpful and worth discussing and sharing. Please feel free to leave us your thoughts and comments. Welcome to our green blog.

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