It's Not Too Late!

Compost out of the barrel before sifting

Sifted compost ready for the garden

Lovin' my compost today--see the pics of the finished compost I just dumped out of my composting barrels today.

We didn't have a big group for the first night of the Master Composter course yesterday, but it's going to be a great class. However, if you weren't able to attend because you didn't get the word in time, no worries--you can still take part in the rest of the course. This Thursday's class will be at the Sanitation Department--the class will likely move after that to a location better suited to hands on compost making.

The first night we talked about the Yardwise program. Americans are crazy about lawns, which leads to a lot of problems, not the least of which is poor water quality. For example:

• 90% of the pesticides uses are used on lawns. 
• Lawn grass is the most heavily irrigated crop in the US.
• 75% of river and lake pollution comes from landscaping.

The basic elements of the Yardwise program are:

• Landscape design 
• Grasscycling (Don't bag it)
• Mulching
• Composting
• Integrated pest management

Of course, the primary emphasis of the course is composting. Other than water quality issues, the City wants to encourage composting to extend the life of our landfill by diverting a significant percentage of the waste out of the waste stream. Although Wichita Falls now diverts 22 - 25 tons of compostable waste from the landfill, only about 25% of homes participate in the program. Curbside pickup of compostable materials constitutes only 10% of the waste the city uses to make compost. This is crazy. Almost 2/3 of the stuff we throw in the trash can be composted. Landfills are costly to build and it takes a long time to get all of the permitting done, for good reasons. If you don't want to pay for a new landfill, quit sending stuff there.

We have a great city composting program. Although I compost most of my kitchen scraps (except meat/dairy) and a lot of yard waste, any organic can be sent to the city composting program. I put out a full can almost every week, filled with cardboard and paper primarily. I don't put out much regular trash. There are sometimes 2 or 3 weeks between putting out a regular trash container (and if I could get better cooperation from the other household members, I bet we could do twice as well.)

I was under the impression that if you live in a house with alley dumpster pickup you couldn't have an organics container. But according to Dave Lehfeldt at the Sanitation Department, that is not true. So those of you who heard the same thing, call them and order a cart (see the phone number is the link above.)

My point? Everyone needs to compost. If you don't have the room or the inclination for your own compost pile, then order up an organics container.  I hope to see more people at the Thursday night class.

Attention All Composter Wannabes!

Home composting system

My husband built me a great composting system that made it easier for me to make compost. Overall, I love it, but I think I should be turning out more compost than I am. I have also tried starting a worm bin multiple times, but stopped because I felt like a serial killer of worms.

If you're like me, you want to compost, but you could use some help. Have I got a deal for you! Well, not me exactly. The City of Wichita Falls has a deal for you. I just get to be a messenger.

The City will be offering a Master Composter course. For those wanting the Master Composter designation, you must attend all of the classes (20 hours) and do 30 hours of volunteer work. Volunteers offer programs on composting and on-site assistance for people having problems with their composting efforts. However, anyone with an interest in composting is welcome to attend some or all of the classes.

Here are the details:

• The class will be held from 6:00 - 9:00 PM on the following dates: 24 and 26 September and 8, 10, 22 and 24 October.
• The first class will be held at the Sanitation Department offices at 200 Sunset Dr (adjacent to the Lucy Park entrance).
• The class is FREE! Register by calling the Sanitation Department at 761-7977.

Individuals who complete the requirements of the Master Composting class receive a pretty green shirt, an opportunity to buy a worm bin and backyard composting bin for cost, a tour of the city composting facility and a load of compost. How cool is that?

I'm signed up. Hope to see you at the first class on the 24th.

Living Green Meet Up Reminder

Don't forget the Living Green meet up on Wednesday, September 18, 6:30 - 8:30 PM, at the Lake Wichita pavilion (last entrance to the park.)

The topic for this meet up is "Make It Yourself." The idea is to bring something you make yourself (cleaning product, personal care product, food items, soap, etc.) Bring a sample and the recipe to share with others.

Please RSVP to green.wichitafalls@gmail.com if you plan to come (or post to the Facebook page) and indicate what you'll be bringing to share as an enticement to others who may want to learn more about your item. Don't feel like you have anything to share at this time? No worries. Just come anyway.

A Trashy Weekend

Some people posted on a local newstation Facebook page that they were ashamed at the litter around town for the  Hotter 'n Hell Hundred. Of course, most of their ire was directed at the City of Wichita Falls which had been putting out a yeoman's effort to ensure the city looked nice for the 15,000 riders. I wasn't very nice and offered to direct the complainers to a number of groups that pick up litter around town on a regular basis. Not surprisingly, no one contacted me.

Trash at Sikes Lake

June got a little muddy

 One such cleanup was the annual Sikes Lake cleanup that is the Saturday following Labor Day each year. The Rolling Plains Texas Master Naturalist chapter joins up with Midwestern State University to do a lake cleanup. We have had as many as 200 volunteers show up. This year, there were probably about 25 - 30 people, which was enough.  Although the amount of trash in the truck may not seem like a lot, that's a big truck.

One of the hardest working volunteers was June, who ended up muddy, but keep up good humor throughout the project.

Trash near Lake Wichita

More trash in same area

There are still a lot of places that need a good cleanup. The next day I was birding out around Lake Wichita and came across this trashy area. I took the picture with my cell phone, so it isn't the best, but if you click on the photos you will get a better idea.

If everyone did their best to reduce the amount of trash they produce and to dispose of the trash they do responsibly, then we wouldn't have to be embarrasssed when we have company. We can all pick up around our houses and businesses. I have to do a litter patrol around our house at least once a week to pick up the trash people through out of their cars.

In addition to the annual Sikes Lake cleanup, the Rolling Plains Texas Master Naturalist chapter cleans up Plum Lake quarterly. The Friends of Lake Arrowhead State Park host at least one park cleanup a year and there are several groups that do Adopt-a-Highway areas. The one I participate in is along Sisk Road with the Red River Sierra Club group. Annually the Keep Wichita Falls Beautiful hosts a city-wide cleanup in April.

There are lots of places that need a cleanup. Take a trash bag with you when you walk, get involved in one of the groups that does a cleanup, or organize a group yourself.

Save the Night and Star Party at Lake Arrowhead State Park Saturday

Saturday at Lake Arrowhead State Park there is a special event open to the public. You can attend all or part. The only portion of the day that requires attendance at any other portion is the Light Assessment Training, which requires the Save the Night presentation first. For most members of the public, the Star Party beginning at 9 PM will have most of the information and be of most interest. 

Rolling Plains Texas Master Naturalist members may count the Save the Night and Lighting Assessment and Retrofit Project Training as advanced training.

If you want to attend for dinner, you are asked to RSVP to Terry at dgm59@aol.com.

4:00 PM to 5:30 PM      

Save the Night Presentation

Almost every living thing on our planet uses the cycle of light and dark to trigger life processes. Humans are for the most part diurnal and have come to depend on artificial light for nighttime activities. So, how does our artificial light at night effect fauna and flora? We know what death by bulldozer looks like. It’s hard for us to see what habitat destruction by artificial light looks like. This session helps us understand the effects of artificial light on living things and how we can reduce the negative effect of our lights.

Most of the presentation is a peek into our natural world after dark and the affect that artificial light has on it. The scientific background is derived from the research papers compiled in the book “Ecological Consequences of Artificial Outdoor Lighting” which was edited by Catherine Rich and Travis Longcore.

Participants will take home a new awareness of the nighttime activities and processes of the fauna and flora around us. They will be more knowledgeable about outdoor lighting practices allowing them to have the light that humans want or need for nighttime activities while they save energy costs, reduce glare, increase safety, reduce light trespass, create a more aesthetically pleasing nocturnal environment for humans and limit the negative consequences on the environment. Participants will see samples of good lights and be given a handout with drawings of recommended light fixtures and light fixtures to avoid.

  

5:30 PM to 6:30 PM      

Dinner time 

If you have a special dietary need, please bring your own dinner. We plan on having chicken spaghetti courtesy of the Friends of Lake Arrowhead State Park. We’ll have water and coffee for beverages.If you have a special dietary need, please bring your own dinner. We plan on having chicken spaghetti and hot dogs available courtesy of the Friends of Lake Arrowhead State Park. We'll have water and coffee for beverages. If you have a special dietary need, please bring your own dinner. We plan on having chicken spaghetti and hot dogs available courtesy of the Friends of Lake Arrowhead State Park. We'll have water and coffee for beverages.If you have a special dietary need, please bring your own dinner. We plan on having chicken spaghetti and hot dogs available courtesy of the Friends of Lake Arrowhead State Park. We'll have water and coffee for beverages.

6:30 PM to 8:00 PM      

Lighting Assessment & Retrofit Project Training 

(Save the Night is the prerequisite for this workshop)

The Lighting Assessment and Retrofit Project (LARP), is part of a larger initiative in which Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) has partnered with both the Texas Section of the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) and McDonald Observatory. McDonald Observatory will train Texas State Park interpretive rangers to deliver night sky programs. The LARP initiative from the Texas Section of IDA will train volunteers from all over the state to do lighting assessments for Texas Parks near them in order to assist the parks in the implementation of best practices in night lighting. The Lighting Assessment and Retrofit Project hopes to recruit at least two volunteers for each Texas State Park with camping. A volunteer may request to work with more than one park or facility.

The three-hour LARP workshop teaches participants how to critique outdoor lighting fixtures and make recommendations to retrofit or replace ones that produce light pollution. You’ll be provided with the details about and samples of the approach agreed upon with the Texas State Parks for consistent reporting for all parks. The workshop will also briefly cover the broad challenges that outdoor lighting can produce as it can create glare that reduces safety & security, produce light trespass, waste money in needless energy costs, obscure our view of the night sky, and jeopardize the health and sustainability of ecosystems. Workshop activities will allow participants to test their new skills and provide contacts for post workshop questions.

Volunteers who want to participate in the LARP program for the Texas State Parks are expected to:

·         Communicate with the park leadership

·         Do a site visit

·         Inventory the existing outdoor lighting at their mutually agreed upon Texas State Park

·         Determine recommended changes to reduce light pollution

·         Create a written assessment of the park’s lighting situation

·         Follow up and coordinate with the park superintendent

Cindy Luongo Cassidy, LARP Training Coordinator for the Texas Section of IDA, will facilitate the workshop. Steve Bosbach, Texas IDA Section Leader will work with any parks selected to pursue the designation of Dark-Sky Park by IDA.

9:00 PM until about 10:45 PM              

Public Star Party 

Starts with a 15 minute "Intro to Good Lighting" talk (especially for those who have NOT attended the earlier workshops). It should be completely dark by 9:25 and the moon rises about 10:25. The moon will be very bright so, after everyone who wants to gets a good look at the moon and it's craters we'll shut down for the night.

Status of Community Garden

Kale from my backyard garden

It may seem it has taken years to get a community garden in Wichita Falls (it has), but we are almost there. The new community garden on Smith Street is nearing completion. It will have 75 spaces and should be open by the end of September.  The garden will be operated by a volunteer committee made up of residents of the neighborhood it's in.

Interested in a space? You can contact the oversight committee through the Martin Luther King Center at 940-761-7980.

If this community garden is successful, the City is interested in establishing additional gardens in other residential areas. Not only are community gardens a good way for people to take control of some portion of their diet, but it is a good way to bring neighborhoods together socially.

World Overshoot Day

The Blue Marble. Photo by NASA

Although I managed to get it up on the Living Green in Wichita Falls Facebook page on the 20th, I am just now getting around to posting about World Overshoot Day here. August 20 was the approximate day in 2013 that we humans used as many natural resources as can be sustainably replaced for the year. For the rest of the year, we are using resources we don't have and driving up the level of carbon in our atmosphere.

It seems many times as if we are Don Quixote tilting windmills--the news seems to get worse all the time. Every day there is another news story of some serious environmental threat.

However,  look at all the good that has been done since the 60's: the Clean Air Act (1963), the Endangered Species Act (1973), the Clean Water Act (1972), and establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency (1970), to name a few. Yes, there are some whack-jobs out there who want to dismantle our environmental protections (and if the House budget passes, they would manage to do much of that.) However, generally I think most Americans know these protections are absolutely essential and support them.

The key here is not to give up. We still have the power of the ballot box (if we can get environmentally aware people to run). We absolutely have the power of the wallet. Although our individual purchases may not be a lot, they add up. We have control over our own lives and the choices we make to reduce our environmental footprint. I am not advocating taking all of the joy out of our lives and live so austerely we feel guilty about everything we do, but we can make the conscious choices that matter.

Many times you hear that the American economy runs on consumption. And that is true. But who is to say that we can't turn the tide of consumption from goods to memories, to experiences, to learning, to health, to relationships, to art? Yes, we all need some stuff, but we don't need near what most of us have. We can choose to spend our money on things that matter in making us happier and healthier as individuals, families and communities.

Each of us can do something; collectively we can turn the tide on the consumption madness.