Upcoming Events

We (the Texas Master Naturalist chapter and a couple of other interested people) got that mess cleaned up on Rathgeber Rd, and the city did us a solid and picked up the bagged trash. We cleaned up about 35 - 40 lawn bags of trash in that short stretch. I need to go by to take a picture for a before and after.

This weekend is the semiannual compost giveaway by the city. Here are the details from their news release:

" Residents who participate in the Choose to Reuse Program can pick up a free load of compost at the Wichita Falls Organics Facility.   The City of Wichita Falls offers a variety of alternatives to diverting reusable waste from the city’s landfill, including organic collections. The organics collections are offered to both residential and commercial customers and can accept yard waste (grass, leaves, and branches), paper (newspaper, office papers, shredded paper, magazines, phone books, tissue paper, and paper bags), cardboard, chipboard, wood, and food waste. Organics recycling saves money, is environmentally friendly, and creates nutrient-rich compost that can be used to enhance soil for lawns and gardens.   The compost giveaway will take place Saturday, March 2, 2024, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Wichita Falls Landfill on Wiley Road.  The compost will be loaded by city employees for residents. There is a limit of one pickup truck or 4x8 trailer load per person.   To pick up the compost, residents must provide a City of Wichita Falls water bill showing the $3.00 recycling program charge. By State Law, all loads must be covered to ensure no blowing debris on roadways. City employees are required to see the participants cover material before loading the compost. No dump trucks, commercial vehicles, or oversized trailers will be loaded.  Commercial operation compost purchases can contact the Wichita Falls Landfill at 940-631-8274.   Landfill Address: 10984 Wiley Road Wichita Falls, Texas 76307   Directions to the landfill:  • Take Seymour Highway Southwest toward Seymour on Highway 258.  • At the Kamay “Y,” proceed West on Highway 258 toward Kamay.  • Travel approximately one mile to Wiley Road and turn right (North). • Remain on Wiley Road for two miles. The entrance to the landfill is located on the left. For questions or more information, please contact the Sanitation Department at 761-7977.  "

In addition, the annual plant swap, organized by the Wichita Falls Backyard Gardeners is coming up on April 6, 10 AM - noon. It will be at the Park Place Christian Church. Bring cuttings, seedlings, plants you have too many off, or other gardening items to swap. All of the guidelines are on the group's Facebook page. If you need a table, you need to let them know in advance.

An Earth Day Challenge

By NikoLang - Own work (Screenshot), CC BY-SA 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=913338

Here we are, another Earth Day anniversary tomorrow (April 22.) I am among those old enough to remember the first Earth Day in 1970. The amount of energy and enthusiasm to be better stewards of the Earth was amazing. Now, there is barely a whimper, especially here in Wichita Falls.

So what happened?

Part of it is probably that it seems we have made little progress in the 47 years since. However, that is not true. In spite of recent reversals in many areas, in the United States is far ahead of where we were then. Many pieces of landmark legislation have been made since. The Clean Air Act (1970); The Clean Water Act (1977); and The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Recovery Act (Superfund) (1980), among others, were a result.

Some of it may be that we seem to have a "day" for just about everything, most of which seem to be driven by the retail industry (like Valentine's Day). There are plenty of days that seem to be just for fun, like Grouches Day on October 15. But it seems the more designated days there are, the less significance they have.

There are a few things happening in Wichita Falls and the surrounding area that relate to Earth Day over the next couple of weeks. Those I have come across are posted on the Living Green In Wichita Falls Facebook page, but there is certainly no special community events centered around this day. We will have to celebrate individually to have some collective impact.

Here's my Earth Day challenge to people living in Wichita Falls and the surrounding area. Pick something that you can do to be good stewards of the earth going forward. It can be something you already do (just do it again or more of it), a special event, or something you have been meaning to. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Start a compost pile (or vermicomposting bucket for those of you in an apartment)
• Order an organics bin from the city and let's agitate to have the organics picked up every week (see Recycling Options in Wichita Falls)
• Plant a pollinator-friendly or bird-friendly native plant in your yard
• Ditch the one-use plastic shopping bags and plastic produce bags (Did you know you can buy reusable produce bags? I have no trouble using mine at Market Street)
• Make more food from scratch--it tastes better and is less expensive
• Make an insect hotel--most can be very simple
• Stop spraying poisons in your yard
• Plant your own vegetables--even if it is one plant in a pot
• Use compost and other natural fertilizers
• Mulch like crazy--the summer is coming
• Buy local when possible
• Let's get rid of styrofoam--purchase a To-Go Ware or similar and let restaurants know there are more environmentally friendly ways to package food
• Eat more vegetables (especially local) and a little less meat
• Get outside--walk, bike and take the kids. We have a wonderful trail system. Use it.
• Join an organization that is related to environmental issues, especially those that are local 
• Buy a Texas Parks Pass and visit our state parks--you can get in free to any of them for a year with a pass and you get reductions on camping fees. You also send a much-needed message to the state legislature that the parks are important.
• Hold a neighborhood cleanup. Did you know the city sanitation department will deliver one of those big dumpsters to your neighborhood and pick it up again for a very small fee (I think it is $25)? That will save having to haul things to the transfer station and everyone can benefit. Many people do not have a way to transport. Do you have an elderly or disabled neighbor who needs help cleaning up their yard? This would be a good time/place to do it.
• Pick up trash wherever you walk. This town is awash in little. 
• Vote "yes" on May 5 to finish our Circle Trail and improve Lake Wichita.

There's a short list. Feel free to add your own. Post a comment about what you've done or more ideas about steps individuals can take. Feel free to post some pictures on the Living Green Facebook page too.

Recycling Options in Wichita Falls

One of the most wanted city services by people who read this blog is curbside recycling. It is a frequent lament that "We can't recycle."

Progressive Waste provided single-stream recycling at central locations for several months but withdrew the service. Since that time, the city has been answering the question of why they don't offer curbside single stream recycling. It would be the most convenient option for citizens and other cities do offer it. The fact that Progressive Waste withdrew because they weren't making money at it explains a lot about why the city doesn't offer the service, especially as our citizens resist ANY increase in fees.

Progressive Waste trucked the recycling to the Metroplex and then anything that wasn't recyclable (or couldn't be sold for an economical price) was taken to a landfill--so less was recycled than the public thought.

In fact, we can recycle a very large percentage of the waste we produce here in Wichita Falls--I'm going to show you how.

Let's start before recycling. There would be less need to recycle if we generated less waste. We've all heard the slogan "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle."

We can cut down significantly on waste by using care in what we buy. Purposely choosing items with less packaging, or if that isn't possible, recyclable packaging. At the grocery store, this can also be a more healthy option, as you will purchase much less processed food. Most of us have much more "stuff" than we need.

Reuse is easy--can we use the items we buy as long as possible, use them again, or change them into something else. My husband saves a lot of "trash." He says you never know when something will come in handy. He was saving those little plastic pipe things in spray bottles when the lever wore out. I couldn't figure out why. But then something chewed through the little rubber piece that carries windshield washer between the reservoir and the windshield on my truck and, "Voila!" That little piece fit in the rubber tube just right, and more cheaply than trying to buy one. I have found some useful things at the thrift stores in town. Right now I am looking for a few cast iron pieces and some of those large glass condiment jars--if you come across any, let me know. Some people "upcycle"--changing trash into artwork and other useful items.

So that brings us back to recycling. The single greatest tool we have is the organics bin. Unfortunately, there is an extra $3 a month cost for the organics bin. This is offset by being able to pick up free compost twice a year on the first Saturdays in April and October (for reference, a pickup load of compost usually runs $30+ dollars). These used to be called "yard waste" bins, but the name was changed to reflect the broader range of items that can be put into them. Yes, yard waste is fine, but I put most of my yard waste, other than twigs and branches, into my home composting bins. But yes, if you don't have your own compost pile, then your organics bin can be used for grass clippings and leaves, as well as these tougher materials. But you can also place any organic item into the bin--paper, cardboard, garbage, wood pieces and shavings, magazines and books. If everyone did this, we could compost almost 70% of our city's waste.

What about the other 30%? Most people are aware that you can recycle glass and newspaper. Dumpsters are at various locations around town. I usually place mine at Market Street. Aluminum can be recyled at the city Sanitation Department on Sunset Dr. My husband crushes his and saves them in the garage until he has enough to take them to Bell Processing for a little extra money.

What about plastics? Not all plastics can be recycled in Wichita Falls, but the majority--#1 and #2--can. Remove the lids--they are a different composition of plastic and can't be recycled. You may place them in the bins at the Sanitation Department on Sunset Drive. The bins are behind the fence, so are only accessible during the Sanitation Department's business hours. This is because having "clean" loads is vital to being able to sell the plastic.

You can find dumpsters for plastic, aluminum, glass and newspaper at the Sanitation Department.

The biggest problem with recycling is contamination. If you look in the dumpsters behind Market Street, for example, you'll find plastic bags mixed in with the glass or newspapers. This can cause the entire container to have to be taken to the landfill.  It isn't that difficult--some people are just ignorant of the consequences; others are just plain lazy. We don't have a way to sort our recycling, which means we have to be conscientious about keeping recyclable items separated.

We have many options to be able to recycle the majority of the waste we generate, with a little effort. I am not ready to abandon the curbside recycling effort, but let's use what we have to show it is important to us and then work on the rest.

I do have one suggestion to encourage the use of the organics bins in Wichita Falls. Currently, during weeks with a holiday, there is no pickup of the organics bin. I fill my organics bin nearly every week, so this is a problem. I only put out the regular trash every two or three weeks. I pay more for the privilege of recycling, so I don't like losing that service. It would help encourage people to use the organics bins. I would like to see everyone with each bin with one pickup of each every week. The only bad thing there is that I can see people using the organics bins as regular trash bins and fouling the contents so they would still have to be hauled to the landfill instead of composted.

We have a lot to do to improve recycling. For now, I suggest we work hard getting people to divert as much of their waste as possible into the organics bins and making sure people are aware of the recycling options available and how to sort their waste for maximum effectiveness.

How Low Can You Go?

Although many locals complain about the lack of recycling opportunities in our area, for those who care, there are a lot of options, especially now that the Progressive Waste single stream recycling is here.  Even before that option became available, my husband and I could go 2 - 3 weeks without putting out a cart, due to the amount of compostable materials that could go in the City compost bin. However, now we can also drop off bottles and plastics in the single stream dumpsters around town, reducing the need to roll out our cart even more.

My daughter and family have been living with us for several months now. Although it sometimes seems these adults cannot get the hang of sorting their trash, we are still doing pretty well. They got used to the single stream where they used to live and are a little lazy. We're working on that.

We have a compost barrel set up for most garbage (not meat), the City compost cart that goes out weekly, and we drop off plastics, glass and metal at the single stream dumpsters when we are out and about. I also periodically drop off those annoying plastic shopping bags that still seem to show up in the house when someone besides me goes shopping. My husband hordes aluminum cans and turns them in when he has a pick-up load of crushed cans to finance some of his projects.

But some online posts got me thinking...how low can we go? The Utne Reader had a good article on zero-waste living that is worth a read by anyone. Even if you don't want to go as far as some of the folks mentioned in the article, it does point out some ways in which you can reduce a lot of waste, save money and live healthier. A win-win-win. Here are some tips from the Zero Waste Home blog. I'm not sure I am 100% ready for all of the ideas, but most of them wouldn't require a lot of effort.

There are several blogs on this topic out there. Two good ones are mentioned in the Utne Reader article. Another I particularly like that also has some great idea for businesses is Pick Up America. The link here is to The Zero-Waste Home toolkit.  Zero Waste in ACTION is targeted more toward business and industry. There are a couple of other related blogs worth mentioning. One I particularly enjoy is My Plastic-Free Life.

Who knew there would be so many people making such an effort to reduce their trash production? If only there were more. Even if you aren't ready to take on the zero-waste challenge completely, all of us can do better. Why not see how low you can go?

Compost Giveaway Saturday

From the Press Release from the City:

Gardeners and yard enthusiasts who participate in the City of Wichita Falls Curbside Composting Program can receive a FREE load of compost at the Wichita Falls Organics Facility during the Sanitation Department’s Fall Compost Giveaway. 

The giveaway is Saturday, October 6th from 9:00am to 3:00pm at the Wichita Falls Landfill on Wiley Road. The compost will be loaded for participants with a limit of one pickup truck or 4x8 trailer load per person. Participants must provide a City of Wichita Falls water bill showing the $3.00 recycling program charge. All loads must be covered. This is a state law. Sanitation employees are required to see the participants cover material before loading the compost. No dump trucks, commercial vehicles or over-sized trailers will be loaded. For commercial operation compost purchases please contact the Wichita Falls Sanitation Department at 761-7977.

Directions to the landfill are: take Seymour Highway Southwest toward Seymour to Highway 258, located at the Kamay “Y,” proceed West on Highway 258 toward Kamay approximately one mile to Wiley Road and turn right (North) travel two miles and you will see the entrance to the landfill.

Uses for compost 
Compost contains nutrients, but is not a substitute for fertilizers.  Compost holds nutrients in the soil where all plants can use them, loosens and aerates clay soils, and retains water in sandy soils.   
As a soil amendment 
Mix two to five inches of compost into vegetable and flower gardens each year before planting. 
As a potting mixture 
Add one part compost to two parts commercial potting soil, or make your own mixture by using equal parts of compost and sand or perlite. 
As a mulch 
Spread an inch or two of compost around annual flowers and vegetables, and up to six inches around trees and shrubs. 
As a top dressing 
Mix finely, sifted compost with sand and sprinkle evenly over lawns.

Spring Compost Giveaway

One can never have too much compost. I have three compost bins, and we bought 2 truckloads of compost this past weekend. We can still use more.

If you need compost, the City of Wichita Falls spring compost give-a-way is April 7, 9 AM - 3 PM. If you participate in the City's Wednesday recycling program, you can receive a free load of compost at the Wichita Falls Organics Facility at 10984 Wiley Road. You will be asked for a copy of your water bill showing the $3 recycling charge.

The compost will be loaded for you. There is a limit of one pickup truck or one 4x8 trailer load per person. You must bring a tarp to cover your load. Workers will not load commercial dump trucks or trailers.

For more information, call 940-761-7977.

America Recycles Day

November 15 is America Recycles Day. The day focuses on the recycling portion of the "reduce, reuse, recycle" trio.

Although few are happy with the state of recycling in Wichita Falls, you can recycle more than you think you can. Anything organic can go into your city composting bin if you don't compost yourself: cardboard, paper, magazines, newspapers, garbage, yard waste, etc. I put out our compost bin almost every week there is a pick up. I put out regular trash perhaps once a month.

Of course, we drop off glass behind United Market Street and take aluminum cans to a recycler for a little extra money.

However, preventing waste to start with is important. I do look for less packaging. I choose glass containers over plastic, since we don't have a good plastics recycling option in our community and plastics contain a lot of crap I just don't want to deal with. Consider cooking more from scratch--you would be amazed how much trash you will cut out and how much less salt, sugar and other chemicals (such as BPA) you'll put into your body. Change  your newspaper subscription to the e-edition. No more black fingers, and it saves a few dollars a month too.

You can repurpose your waste by trying to do something else with it before discarding. I am not very crafty this way, but my husband found some free plastic barrels that were someone else's trash and made me some compost bins and a rainwater harvesting system--things we wanted and for a lot less money. He also tears apart old/broken wooden items and creates new things such as planters, etc. from the pieces.

Post good items to Craig's list for giveaway or for a low price. Give things to Goodwill or the Salvation Army if they are in good shape instead of throwing them away. Shop for used items--I buy most of my books used and also pick up some nice clothes and household items from thrift stores and resale shops. Anything we can get one more use out of reduces the amount of things that end up in the landfill.

Take cloth bags to the store instead of having them drop it in a plastic bag. If you have plastic bags, reuse them at least once more. Ban plastic water bottles from your house if there isn't a health reason to avoid your tap or well water (and if you get your water from the City of Wichita Falls, there isn't one.)

Here are some additional resources for you to consider:
http://www.greenamerica.org/pubs/greenamerican/articles/21Things.cfm
Recycling Glass and Paper in Wichita Falls

Compost Giveaway October 1

The next City Compost giveaway is scheduled for Saturday, October 1, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM at the city landfill on Wiley Road. Take Seymour highway toward Seymour and turn onto 258 at the Kamay Y. Proceed west on 258 approximately 1 mile to Wiley Rd. Turn right. The entrance to the landfill is approximately 2 miles.

In order to receive the free compost, you have to participate in the city curbside recycling program (a misnomer in some respects, but that is what the city calls it.) Take a copy of your water bill showing the $3 recycling charge. You can receive one pickup load or one 4 x 8 trailer load. You must have a cover for the load.


It's too bad it is the same day as the Water Symposium; a lot of the same people who will be interested picking up compost will be at the Symposium--like me. But for those who can participate, this is a good deal and a suitable reward for participating in the composting program.

Hope Springs Eternal

It seems if we are truly intent on living a more sustainable lifestyle and reducing the negative impact of toxic chemicals in our lives, then having a garden makes sense.

In early spring, I didn't realize we would be moving so I planted a few tomatoes and peppers at our other house. However, we did have to move. I tried to transplant my plants from the old house to the new, but poor soil at the new location, drought and extremely hot weather spelled doom for those plants.

I've decided to plant a fall garden. I've been told by practically everyone that they do much better than the spring gardens in this climate. I have been getting itchy to get started, but am trying to keep myself under control until the 100-degree days stop, but I can still get the bed prepared.

The previous owners of this house had an 8 x 20 ft plot laid out. We were told they used it, but after looking at the soil, I can't see how they managed to harvest much.

I had my husband add an additional 4 inches of board to the sides of the beds. I think raised beds have the best likelihood of survival. I am planning to dump in several inches of compost and at least 2 inches of mulch.

I'll keep you updated on my progress and success (or lack of it, as the case may be.) Do you plant a garden?

Will We Never Learn?

Will we never learn? I came across this article today about a herbicide that infects the lawn to the extent that the grass clippings cannot be used to make compost. Is that insane or what? What a stupid idea.

The only good thing I read in the article was that Imprelis apparently not sold "down south" because we don't have the right kind of grass. One good thing about enduring this awful heat I suppose.

Earth Day Events

The Sierra Club walk on Friday evening got rained out--a severe thunderstorm with hail and lightening forced those that showed to cancel. Safety first. It was very hard to be upset when we need the rain so badly.

Photo left: Terry McKee, Rolling Plains Texas Master Naturalists president explains how long various types of trash can persist in the environment.

Today the Texas Master Naturalists worked with a group of kids from the Boys and Girls Club Torch Club (a leadership organization) to pick up litter at Plum Lake. It was great to see young people getting involved in making their community better.

Photo left: Kids cool down with some cold water after dropping off their trash. Several more bags were collected after this photo was taken.

After the Plum Lake cleanup, I headed out to River Bend Nature Center for their Earth Day celebration. There were plenty of children's activities and the $3 entry included entrance into the conservatory and to the trail.

Earth Day participants help Extension Agent Fred Hall mix compost.

The landscaping at River Bend is always a treat.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Inland Fisheries biologist Mark Howell talks about our local fish with the public.





Left: The Rolling Plains Texas Master Naturalists explained the rainwater harvesting system they installed at River Bend.

Left: Tad Gose, Lake Arrowhead State Park, shows many specimens and helps visitors learn more about the area wildlife.








Left: Rehabilitator Lila Arnold with Wild Bird Rescue shows a small visitor an eastern screech owl.







I had some budding ornithologists walk the trail at River Bend. We had some decent luck, with house sparrow, house finch, cardinal, common grackle, Carolina chickadee, red-bellied woodpecker, great crested flycatcher, tufted titmouse, blue jay and cedar waxwing were seen during our mid afternoon walk. We saw/heard a few other birds but were unable to make a positive ID.

Wichita Falls Compost Giveaway April 2

Instead of typing all of the details here, I am giving you the link to the 30-second YouTube video with all of the details. Be sure to take your water bill and something to cover your load.

Indoor Compost?

I saw this post on Facebook from The Herb Companion, and I had to share. The article, "Easy Indoor Compost" sounds interesting.

I like to grow fresh herbs and I like to compost (although I am not practicing that right now) but this looks interesting, and I think I will give it a try when I can find the appropriate bucket. So the idea of being able to make small amounts of compost in the house sounds like a great idea.

I'll let you know--or if you have tried it, let me know.

Program on Composting

Fred Hall, the County Extension Agent, will be presenting a program on composting at the Native Plant Society meeting, tonight at 7PM at Vernon College Century City. The meeting is free and open to the public. If you want to learn to make your own compost, this would be a good start.

Sorry for the late notice, but I just read the email with the information today. I'll be at Vernon College, but not at this meeting--I am teaching a class down the hall.

Next City Compost Giveaway October 2

The next City of Wichita Falls compost giveaway is Saturday, October 2, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM at the landfill on Wiley Road.

Remember that to pick up compost, you need to take you water bill to show you pay the $3 surcharge for organics pickup and live in Wichita Falls. You also need a tarp to cover your load of compost.

This is always a popular event. Unfortunately, I am teaching that day at MSU....