Wisconsin Nurse - March 2021

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Page 8 The Wisconsin Nurse March 2021 Environmental Health Composting: Yes, you can do this! Kathryn Lammers PhD PHN RN Composting is probably one of the least popular methods to reduce climate change gases. Hang in here with me to reveal some fun fascinating facts. My composting efforts started on accident. I wanted to be done with transporting bags of leaves to the waste site. My small, really small garden with chicken wire fence was dying off in the fall. With a hopeful wish, I dumped three garbage bags of leaves. Soon twigs, weeds, and unwanted plants went into this “sort of” bin. Lo and behold all of the leaves decomposed in a few weeks!?! Suddenly I had a compost bin. I was surprised and relieved to abandon this rocky flowerless garden. What luck!! A compost bin. With years and perhaps maturity, I started adding some food and coffee grounds. I learned that turning the leaves over hastened the process. Now, many years later, I realize that composting lowers methane, which lowers climate change gases. Good news. The bad news is that landfill food wastes do break down but give off methane in the landfill. Turning the food wastes regularly actually lowers methane. Covering and turning the food waste in aerobic compost leads to “black gold dirt.” My Granddaughter, Evelyn Bottner, wanted to make money consequently she started a business in composting. Who knew a 12 year could make money collecting food waste from her neighbors? She created a business plan to simplify food waste collection in her neighborhood. Participating families pay a monthly fee and receive a special compost container to place on their porch every day. On her bicycle Evelyn picks up the containers and returns the container after cleaning. She dreams that everyone in the nation will learn to compost for environmental reasons. She hopes to encourage more children to start environmental businesses. Evelyn Bottner lives in a Minnesota town with a centralized city collection place. Every week she deposits the large bin of food waste at the city site. The city’s extensive composing program is illustrated with the schools’ placement of their food waste in dumpsters outside of the buildings. Cities, counties, hospitals, and institutions are spotty about the food waste management. Some farm communities have food waste programs. A few Wisconsin towns have started centralized collection places. My town is starting to offer low-cost plastic containers that make the turning easier. Climate change has resulted in severe flooding, fires, storms, and changes in our plants, animals, and insects. The majority of people feel like climate change is a problem but out of the hands of individuals. Actually, individuals can make significant changes to lower the problem through their shopping habits and waste management. Individual level activities are: 1. Waste less food, enjoy left overs, plan ahead 2. Buy local foods, buy from hydroponic farms, select farm products raised with less pesticides 3. Eat less meat, eat plant proteins, engage people in conversation about climate change 4. Compost your food wastes, use that black gold dirt Grocery stores and restaurants also discard food waste to landfills, which adds to the methane problems. Farmers will discard food that is unattractive or past the prime. Altogether, we discard about 30% of food. We can do better. If we compost our home waste, we can lower methane, which lowers climate change gases. Interesting truth. Individual level composting is less well understood and seldom accomplished. Taking small first steps are doable for all of us. You can collect coffee grounds, fruits, vegetables, tea, and more foods. These products can be placed in wide variety of containers that work for your living situation. Different types of composting containers are: 1. DIY chicken wired bin, fancier wood structure, one corner of the yard, or brick edging 2. DIY trash can with many holes drilled on bottom and sides, five-gallon bucket with lots of holes 3. Purchase containers that are easy to turn and clean Many cities and counties are developing compost programs that can facilitate receiving large amounts of food wastes. Community level composting would include schools, hospitals, restaurants, farmers, neighborhoods, and/or food processing plants. A few common collection methods on community level are: 1. Community gardens may host a large composing program 2. County or city level may have drop off site 3. Groceries, restaurants, universities, or institutions may host food waste programs 4. Neighbors may share a compost pile or container 5. Businesses can collect food waste with trucks…with a bicycle if you are 12 years old! The Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments (ANHE) is my national go-to resource for nursing input on environmental issues. ANHE developed a network of nurses and nursing organizations from around the world that are acting at the intersection of health and the environment to promote health. ANHE launched the inaugural Student Nurse Committee in 2020 with eight student nurses from across the country. Students self-divided into two subcommittees that had the opportunity to explore their passion about environmental health, engage in peer learning and sharing, and develop educational materials geared towards nurses, nursing students, and community members. Mindless Composting at Home: Starter Guide Talya Briana (Massachusetts), Elizabeth Flores (Minnesota), Andrew Jensen (Minnesota), and Daniella Rossi (California) joined together to design the Mindless Composting Guide based on their passion for health, environmental activism, food waste, and their personal experiences with composting. These young nurses believe our ethical duty is to care for the health of people, communities, and our planet. Composting is a feasible, environmentally friendly lifestyle change that will benefit our planet and, in turn, our health. The roughly 30 pages have great art, challenge games, EPA messages, references, and many encouraging strategies. To learn more or to join ANHE, go to the website: www.enviRN.org/join Mindless Upkeep: The Step-By-Step Process by Elizabeth Flores To begin composting, you need to collect materials that can break down naturally. Collect your left over produce or other kitchen scraps to later add to the pile. STEP 1: COLLECT Add collected materials to a designated bin or pile. Ensure the correct ratio of green waste and brown waste (1:2) to enhance the process.
March 2021 The Wisconsin Nurse Page 9 STEP 2: DUMP To aerate the pile to ensure the bacteria has enough oxygen, turn the pile after the first two weeks. Use a shovel to move the pile around and shake it up. Do this once every 2 - 4 weeks. STEP 3: AERATE Compost piles need moisture to help the process. The pile should be like a damp sponge in moisture. When you turn the pile, consider adding water to ensure it has enough moisture. STEP 4: WATER Often you need to add water to keep moist unless rain has been sufficient. STEP 5: USE IT After 4 - 6 weeks, compost should be ready to use, although time varies per pile. Use the compost dirt in your garden, sprinkle along your lawn, or used unfinished compost as mulch. For those who decided to start their own composting bin, here are some tips and tricks for you to have success. Whether you purchase a compost bin or make your own with chicken wire, the container needs to have holes in which air can pass through. This will help keep your bin aerated so the aerobic bacteria can thrive. Otherwise, more turning of the pile may be necessary. Our microscopic friends are essential to maintaining a successful compost pile. In order to introduce the right bacteria, add soil or a compost starter to the bottom of your bin. To begin a bin, you will need the right compostable materials. These materials are described as "green" or "brown" based on the core element, nitrogen or carbon. Recognizing greens vs browns is necessary in order to create the appropriate ratio. In practical terms, there should be one part green and two parts brown. That means the brown materials will have a slight majority in the bin. For example, say you repurpose a one gallon ice cream container and fill it with your green food scraps. When you decide to dump it into your pile, put two containers worth of the brown material. Green materials are food wastes, coffee grounds, coffee filters, house plants, grass clippings, and moldy bread. Brown materials shredded paper, brown leaves, egg shells, small twigs, and toilet paper rolls. Watch out for the word biodegradable which might be confused with compostable. Biodegradable often has longer break down times and residuals like metal or plastic. Ideally stay with all-natural products for your composting materials. In conclusion consider small ways to start to reduce and compost waste. Seek out like minded colleagues to encourage your composting journey. Just like Weight Watchers assists like minded people through supportive strategies to make better food choices. Working with others often adds more joy to changing habits. Changing habits will take deliberate steps and willingness to consider priorities and methods to lower climate change gases. Nurses have access to make the changes in their worksites, neighborhoods, and homes to make a difference. See the opportunities. GAIN A MEMBER! PASS THIS ALONG NEWSLETTER TO A COLLEAGUE NURSE MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION ON PAGE 2 NursingALD.com can point you right to that perfect NURSING JOB! NursingALD.com Free to Nurses Privacy Assured Easy to Use E-mailed Job Leads
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Wisconsin Nurse - March 2021

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