Living in a Toxic World recently made a post about PLA made by Nature Works. The article being discussed was written by Elizabeth Royte for the Smithsonian. PLA is a plastic polymer currently being made out of feed-grade corn for the use of packaging. (Please, read the article!)

One of the complaints is that the packaging cannot be broken down in a home composter because PLA requires certain temperatures for ten days straight. The article also mentions that PLA breaks down into an acid which makes the compost mixture too acidic and wet without the addition of a higher amount of material.

Another complaint is that the packaging is creating larger demand of recycling facilities when the facilities can't actually handle the packaging with their current system. This is apparently because a lot of facilities aren't picking up PLA from the recycling company for composting or recycling.

I don't have a huge grasp on this topic yet since this is the first I've heard of PLA, but it is interesting to note that there are large apparent benefits for PLA. It can be composted under those correct conditions, the process of making it emits less greenhouse gases, it is made from a renewable resource, and apparently it is cheaper to make than our traditional plastic (PET?).

I went to Nature Works site and found this page which lists the company's partners. They have several different ways to search up their partners, which they classify as everything from retailers who carry PLA packaging to brands that use PLA packaging to manufacturers who make the equipment from which PLA is produced. Pretty cool that one of their partners is Naturally Iowa, LLC, although not very surprising since Nature Works is in Nebraska!

Labels: environment, news

Hello, I'm Aaron.

My good pal, we'll call him "Adam J.", works from home and thus has a lot of time to research popular internet sites. He sent me this link and I think it deserves passing on. Prepare to spend precious minutes of your life accomplishing exactly nothing just as I have wasted mine by writing this.

http://www.flashgames247.com/play/693.html

I think I like it mainly because it's a "trials" game...trials being a style of riding where athletes on wheels (be they roller blades, motorcycles, bicycles, or unicycles) attempt to complete courses not normally thought of as passable on such vehicles. Of course, being a Flash game, the physics are ridiculous and the realism questionable at best (the motorcycle not only has a reverse gear but shifts between forward and reverse with zero loss of torque) but it's a good time.

Until my next free moment,
Aaron

Labels: random

It's been four days and already the sprouts are standing nice and tall. Maybe in a few months I'll actually have real lettuce?!

After watching Patti's videos, Aaron and I are thinking about temporarily converting some of the shelves in our living room to access more light from the windows. Then when we start our tomato seedlings in a couple weeks (as I get time), they'll have more natural light.

Right now, I am trying to figure out what to start the seeds for the garden in. Last year I started them in little peat pellets. Is that a good environmental choice? [Edit: I just found this article. Does that mean peat pellets are not a good choice?] I have old yogurt cups that I'm going to transplate the seedlings in after they outgrow their peat pellets, and I'll just keep recycling and reusing those yogurt cups. Anyone have any tips or advice? (I know very few people are reading right now, and none are commenting, but I'm working on changing that.)



In other news, this plant was left out doors after the frost swept in, and it was "killed off". I brought it in doors and was going to dump it when I realized it had a bulb-like root system. I replanted it and put it in direct light and kept it well watered. I can't even remember what the plant is, so it should be interesting to see when it grows more! I'm surprised it even made it this far. So exciting!

Labels: gardening, lettuce project

Patti Moreno, the Garden Girl, just released a three-part series on indoor gardening, one day after I proclaimed my ignorance regarding my Lettuce Project! She gave me permission to embed her videos in my blog, so for your viewing pleasure:

Labels: gardening

I'm curled up on our couch, my thick wolf-patterned blanket covering me, looking out into my backyard which is covered with a beautiful layer of undisturbed snow. A blue bird (literally, it is blue) and two red-capped birds are gallivanting on the berry bush outside our windows. Aaron started a nice fire in the fireplace, and it is crackling softly.

Our festivities started last night where we all made a gingerbread shanty (I need to brush up on my skills for next year) and some gingerbread cookies. This morning Aaron, myself, and the kids cuddled in our queen sized bed and sang Christmas Carols out of tune.

Then we got up, dressed in our Pjs, and padded down the stairs. Opening up Santa's gifts first, we found a multitude of nice gifts - PJs, boxers, and socks for Aaron; Italian Herb & Cheese bread mix, some vellum quotes, and some energy bars for Jen; a Cars watch and a matchbox car for Nate; a doll and some sunglasses for Sammi; and some Happy Bunny underwear, a red fluffy scarf, an organic cotton night shirt, and some lint rollers for Christa. We then moved on to the gifts under the Christmas tree. Santa didn't know where to leave the family presents, so he stuck them under the tree. He brought us Candy Land, Chutes and Ladders, Rampage [Wii game], a Wii, Little Mermaid DVD, Jungle Book DVD, and a 20th year anniversary edition of Princess Bride [DVD and book] . From Mom and Dad (us), Nate received a large Cars play rug, four Cars cars, and a Cars playstation2 game; Sammi received a Little People farm which makes noises and a farm puzzle; Aaron received a Tony Hawk Wii game; Jen received tickets to see the Trans Siberian Orchestra; and Christa received a book on fairies. From Christa, we received a set of four cork-shaped candles (she does know how we love our wine). From Jonathan, we received a book on woodworking basics.

Now, in between typing on my laptop and staring out my window at the beautiful scenery, I'm making three-grain from scratch waffles for my family to enjoy. Fred keeps me company at the window, scaring all the birds away with his chittering and scolding. And I realize that at some point, I'm going to have to put that damn squirrel on a diet.

From my house to yours - remember that Christmas is all about making memories with the people you love and isn't about just raking in the loot.

Labels: random

This is an interesting watch - leave a comment and let me know what you think!

http://www.storyofstuff.com/

Labels: environment

I have a bearded dragon and a red-eared slider turtle whom both eat mostly lettuce. I'm tired of paying for store bought lettuce, and since I live in zone 4b/5a, it's a little too cold to be growing lettuce outdoors! I was cleaning out some pet supplies when it dawned on me that I may be able to use my old plant light on an empty 10 gallon tank and turn it into an indoor lettuce garden. Warm, no pests, good drainage, and I'd be able to keep an eye on it since I put it in my kitchen.

Here's the beginning picture of "The Lettuce Project". I really have no idea what I'm doing, so any suggestions/comments are completely welcome!

Labels: gardening, lettuce project

This year we switched from Christmasing* in my grandma's small retirement lake home to Christmasing in a historical museum. It has a lot more space for the kids to run around (and be kids), as well as a nice large kitchen. We started several new traditions this year and retired a couple old ones. Hopefully next year we'll revamp some of these traditions, as I'm not a big fan of one of them. I'm getting ahead of myself...

Every year, as we're mostly a low middle-income type of family, each child (under eighteen) draws another child's name. The parents are responsible for buying a gift for the children whom their children drew. I like this tradition!

We retired the old tradition of playing Bingo for prizes. Every year, Bingo transformed from a nice relaxing game where once a Bingo is called, a gift is taken by the Bingo-winner, to an evil cutthroat game. You see, once all the Bingo gifts are off the table, a timer starts and when a Bingo is called, a gift is stolen by the Bingoer. Ah, this was fun. Of course, the gifts were cheap random prizes that really aren't environmentally sound as the person receiving the gift probably didn't want it. That was my one complaint against the Bingo game. Otherwise, it was a hell of a lot of fun. The new tradition is to do adult and child grab bags. I have the same complaint about this - since you aren't buying for anyone in particular, a bunch of junk is bought and given away that the person probably doesn't want or need. What a waste of resources! And, in my opinion, not nearly as much fun as Bingo. I would much prefer doing a "Secret Santa" where everyone takes a blank scratch sheet of (recycled, of course) paper and writes a list of things that they need or would like, and then we draw randomly. This way people are getting what they want, it is fun, and people aren't stuck with things they don't want or need.

Another new tradition is the soup contest. My sister, Christa, was just medically discharged from the air force. She'd given away quite a few of her things before she'd left for basic training, so when she came home she didn't have much. Malinda (my aunt) and I were planning on co-hosting a party for her to give her a bunch of "extras" we all had in our houses. Unfortunately it was snowed out. So, Christa's Welcome Home Cookoff was rescheduled during our Christmas party. Since all of our parties are pot luck, this is an excellent way to ensure we get main dishes, and it adds a little fun to the party. The trophy? A cutting board with the winner's name engraved on it. Apparently there is even space for several years' winners! This year I only came in second (such a bummer). But, that just means that next year I need to try even harder!

All in all, I had a really good time. My major complaints? We ate on styrofoam and paper plates with plastic forks and spoons. Yuck! Let's see what alternatives I can come up with to sway my family to a different type of eating utensil...

*Did I just make up the word Christmasing? I believe so!

Labels: environment, random

Why won't the EPA allow the states to set their own emission standards? In my general and limited understanding of the way our government works, the federal law is the baseline for all laws. The states are allowed to make stricter laws, but they cannot make laws that contradict or lessen federal laws. In this case, California and sixteen other states were asking to make stricter requirements. Not weaker ones.

Automakers praised the decision.
[...]
Mr. Johnson, the E.P.A. administrator, cited federal law, not science, as the underpinning of his decision. “Climate change affects everyone regardless of where greenhouse gases occur, so California is not exclusive,” he said.
~ John M. Broder and Felicity Barringer
NY Times Article

Well of course automakers are going to praise the decision. Now they won't have to a) go back to the drawing board and create cars with higher standards b) have to make different versions of cars in order to sell their vehicles in different states and c) lose their friendship with the industries that don't want the standards to raise.

Environmental Protection Agency administrator Stephen L. Johnson denied the state's request to implement its own landmark law, noting that an energy bill signed by President Bush earlier in the day would go a long way toward reducing emissions throughout the United States. The bill provides the most significant increase in vehicle fuel economy standards in more than three decades.
[...]
State officials and environmentalists said the energy bill, although helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions nationally, was no substitute for California's efforts, which would go further and achieve results faster.
~By Richard Simon and Janet Wilson
LA Times Article

Exactly! If California had pushed forward with those requirements, they would be bettering ALL of the globe. L. Johnson stating above that California is not exclusive is the point.

Labels: environment, news