What about human waste?

May 11th, 2010 § 0


I got a lot of comments on my column about visiting the dairy farm where electricity was generated in great quantity from cow manure, so I thought the topic would logically lead one to ask, what about human waste?  Ok, maybe not everyone asked that question, but anyway, what about human waste?  Last month I had the opportunity to spend a day and a half photographing at the water treatment plant in Boston.  Located out in Boston harbor, the Deer Island water treatment plant handles the sewage from two million people – hundreds of millions of gallons per day.

The sewage, like at the dairy farm, gets pumped into giant digesters where bacteria feast on it, creating methane.  At Deer Island, the methane is run through their on-site power plant to produce steam which is used for heat, hot water, and for generating electricity – saving the treatment plant $15 million dollars a year – green fuel, saving significant money.

Yes, that’s in Massachusetts, and the next question, of course, what about our sewage?

EBMUD serves about 650,000 people in East Bay – treating our sewage in much the same way as Deer Island.  First you separate out the oil and grease, then you begin the process of separating the solids from the waste water.  The water gets treated, disinfected and sent out to a deep water outfall in the Bay.  And the solids get sent to the digesters where they are decomposed by bacteria, creating biogas (primarily methane and carbon dioxide) and a solid material clean enough to put into soil – used in non-food agriculture.  The biogas goes into the EBMUD on-site generators to make electricity – enough power to cover 90 percent of the plant’s electrical needs.

Sewage related green tip:

If you cannot put your green waste into the green bin, don’t put it in your garbage – send it down the garbage disposal.  A carrot run down the drain will become organic matter solids at the water treatment plant.  The methane from this carrot will be used to generate power.  If you throw it in the garbage, it will fester in the landfill, and the methane produced there will go up into the atmosphere.  Remember methane is 25 times worse than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas.

More info: http://ebmud.com

Electricity from cow &%^$

May 5th, 2010 § 0

Electricity made from methane from cow manure

Unless you happen to own over a thousand cows, there’s no tip here, but some really cool technology. I spent last Friday at a dairy farm in Western Michigan, slogging through cow manure. Not just a little cow manure, but the waste of 1800 dairy cows. I was photographing the farm for its involvement in a carbon offset program. Three years ago, this farm completed a three million dollar installation of three large digesters. Into these large yurt-like buildings, they pump thousands of gallons of liquid bovine waste every day. Bacteria then go to town on this waste, producing biogas that collects in the top of the digesters. This gas is pumped to an engine room where two generators run 24/7, turning the methane into electricity. Once the electric needs of the farm are met, the excess power is sent out to the grid.

This system operates the same way a residential solar panel system operates – feeding the grid rather than pulling from it – except that this farm is a major producer of electricity. While the solar panels on my roof are capable of producing 3Kw of electricity when the sun shines, these generators can produce 800Kw all day and all night. But how much is that? On top of the $100,000 worth of electricity the farm normally consumes, this biogas produces almost $400,000 worth of surplus electricity. That’s a half a million dollars worth of electricity per year from poop – one farm.

If that’s not cool enough, this place also had installed a gas-cleaning mechanism that processes the biogas to a level at which it can be pumped into the natural gas line – natural gas, for heating etc – cleaned biogas made from cow manure. Turns out the price of natural gas is too low to compete with selling the electricity, so they have opted to turn all the gas into electricity.

Here’s the full closed loop: The cows eat corn grown in the farm’s fields. Three times a day, when they are milked, the manure is swept out by a small tractor – pushing the liquid (lots of urine, and any water running from their trough) into a holding pool. This is added to the digesters (the big yurts), and left to ferment by the bacteria. Biogas is collected at the top which is pumped to the large generators – looks like the engine room of a large ship – full of diesel motors. Electricity is generated and fed to the grid. The solid material removed from the digesters is a soft, clean feathery dirt that is used by the farm as bedding for the cows. The liquid that comes out is spread out on the farm’s fields – fertilizing the corn grown to feed the cows. Everything gets used and the methane, a gas nearly 25 times worse for global warming that carbon dioxide, is used for electricity, not left to float into the atmosphere.

The farm is also eligible for up to $100,000 per year from selling the carbon offset credits. The return on investment – three to four years. Oh, yeah – and they sell a lot of milk too.

Got cows?

Cow manure digesters - methane for electricity

$3.50 for a six pack!

April 19th, 2010 § 1

pumpkin seedlings sprouting from Robert Houser on Vimeo.

Of lettuce, but still, I was shocked at the farmer’s market this weekend, but pleased that my seeds went into their six-packs two weeks ago. A packet of seeds costs about $2.00. Add to that a bag of light seed soil mix (light and fluffy with those white flakes). This year I added some rich planting soil to this planting mix before I filled my six-packs. This made the seedling mix go a lot farther and it seems to be working well.

Last week all my seedlings began to come up – lettuce, pumpkins, beans, cilantro, cucumber, peppers, and melons. The amount the seedlings grew from morning to night on the first day gave me a great project idea to do with your kids.

First, have them plant some seeds – pumpkin and bean are quite dramatic when they break the surface. When you see the first signs – have the kids take a picture a couple times a day for a few days. Put the images in a folder on your computer and scroll through the previews quickly – the kids will be amazed.

Tip: get empty six packs from your local garden center – usually in the parking lot near the dumpster. Bring your empty plastic plant pots back here too – for re-use by other gardeners or the garden center’s vendors.

Greener cooking

April 6th, 2010 § 0

Oil mister - oil sprayer

We started by trying to cook healthier. Instead of frying in butter or spoons full of oil, we started spraying our pans. The ubiquitous Pam-like sprayers are now used for everything – from spraying on the grill to keep fish from sticking, to making pancakes on Sunday, even low fat stir fry in a wok. But it was one more aerosolized spray can in the house, and where do you throw it when it’s empty? I was recycling them, but never sure if they ended up in the landfill anyway.

So, I started researching pump sprayers – the small bottles you fill with your own oil, then pump a few times to compress the air inside to spray out the oil. When these first came out they were very prone to clogging, becoming one more host gift that went unused.

They have come a long way. After reading a ton of user reviews online, I narrowed it down to one from Williams Sonoma. Only $15, it’s called an oil mister on the website. At the same time, I received a CuisiPro stainless steel oil spray pump as a gift – basically the same cost and available all over the place.

I put the two to the test – putting olive oil in one and vegetable oil in the other, cause you don’t want your pancakes to taste like olives! Six months later, they both still work well. A couple of pumps when your cooking, and a fine mist of oil hits the pan. Healthy cooking, no waste and a little exercise for your arm – a very green solution. You do need to baby these though; I wouldn’t let your four year old do the refilling. Keep the parts clean, and only fill to the fill lines on the bottle, and these misters should stay free of clogs.

Note – when spraying a grill, spray it before you light it; saw that once – big fire.

Green breakfast

March 22nd, 2010 § 0

No, not a hold over from St. Pat’s Day last week, nor a questionably appetizing Seuss meal, but something healthy, cheap, and a bit green. My new favorite breakfast item – homemade granola. It’s also a healthier way of making the house smell great – forget chocolate chip cookies. OK, perhaps that’s not possible, but go with me on this. We got this recipe from a close friend, it’s easy and you have to try it.

Here’s the bulk recipe – you can cut this in half or fourths (or you can freeze the extra):

5 Lbs. Thick Rolled Oats
2 1/2 lbs. Sliced unsalted natural almonds
1/2 Cups Cinnamon
4 1/4 Cups Honey
2 1/4 Cups Canola Oil
1 Tablespoon Vanilla

Thoroughly mix oats and almonds with the cinnamon; set aside. Warm the honey and whisk vigorously with the oil and vanilla until combined; Slowly pour mixture over oats and almonds, mix until evenly coated.

Spread thin layers on cookie sheets to bake at 350 degrees 10 to 12 minutes, turning mixture once or twice during baking to avoid darkening and burning of edges. Break up when cool, or keep in clumps like granola bars.

Oh yeah, and the rain is slowing, but don’t just turn on your sprinklers – check them – make sure you’re not watering the sidewalk – it doesn’t grow.

25 cent socks

March 16th, 2010 § 0


It was the late 90s, before kids, I needed new slippers. $90 for slippers! I thought I was crazy. But they looked like they would last, and so I did it. Yes, I’m still wearing them.

Years ago I met a businessman in Seoul who bragged about the cheap socks he was able to buy at the street markets – 25 cents per pair. He’d wear them a few days, then they would rip, and he would toss them into the landfill. But so cheap he’d say.

25 cent socks – how many did he go through in a year? Had I spent $29 on my slippers years ago, I’d be on my 4th pair by now. Aside from the cost, that’s a lot of waste – energy and landfill.

Whether you are looking for slippers or socks, electronics or electricity, try to train yourself to look past the immediate price tag and weigh out the savings over years. You’ll often find that the green choice will save you some green.

Take electricity – at about $150 per month, the idea of spending $20,000 on solar panels seems ludicrous. Extrapolate forward – that $150 will add up to $18,000 in ten years – much more when you factor in rate hikes. Yet, $20,000 spent now will equal only $14,000 after the tax credit. This may lower your bill to about $25/month, netting out a total of $17,000 in ten years. Then the next ten years – practically free electricity (especially as more developments are made in efficiency upgrades like LED bulbs). Plus there’s the added value to your home – which would you buy, a home with homegrown electricity, or one with a monthly bill?

Even looking at these figures that $150 per month seems like the logical choice for many. So does buying $29 slippers. Yet, some wouldn’t think twice about locking up large sums of money in stocks with the hopeful payout in 10-20 years. Train yourself away from 25 cent socks, do some math, and keep some well made stuff, for longer.

Reduce, Reuse, Refinish

March 2nd, 2010 § 0

I’m a New Englander. I love wood, the detail of the grain, the feel of a smooth well finished piece. So, whenever I’m at the farmers market, I always find myself wanting to buy new cutting boards – they look so clean, and mine are all scuffed up. Even on a trip to the hardware store, I have to stop myself from buying those new bamboo ones. Yes, there’s a tip coming, I promise.

So I’m cutting an onion on a small, very old, hardwood board when it breaks in half – two tiny cutting board pieces broken perfectly along a seam. Rather than throw the whole piece into the compost bin (remember you can put unpainted, untreated wood into your green bin), I decided to use some wood glue and clamps and put the scuffed up old board back together.

While I make my living as an artist, I’m a messy gluer, so when the board dried, there were glue drips along the seam. Taking out the sander to clean them up, I had a duh! moment – why not sand down the cutting board to remove all the old knife marks, return it to it’s farmer’s market glory. Five minutes later, I was spreading oil on the newly refinished board – gorgeous. You don’t want to use vegetable oil or olive oil to treat cutting boards – they will eventually smell rancid if you do. Instead, use mineral oil or coconut oil. If you want to get fancy, for a smooth feel and a nice smell, melt a half teaspoon of beeswax and mix it with the mineral oil when you treat the board. You’ll want to re-oil your cutting boards every couple weeks to keep them looking great.

The coconut oil also works well for seasoning cast iron pans – a healthier alternative to non-stick teflon.

Your grass could be greener

February 22nd, 2010 § 0

Best way – take it out – change part or all of your yard to garden, mulched area, or low water ground covers.
Next best option – learn a few environmentally friendly steps to keeping your grass green and green at the same time.

Step 1 – Cut high – Taller grass causes competition for sunlight – naturally deterring weeds. Taller grass also shades the soil better, preventing it from drying out quickly. There are many species of grass that you can avoid cutting altogether for a wonderful meadow look – take a trip to Sausalito to visit what used to be Fort Baker, now Cavallo Lodge and check out the meadow grasses growing between the buildings – un-mowed.

Step 2 – Organic, organic, organic – Do your best to minimize or eliminate any chemical fertilizers or “weed and feeds”. Chemical fertilizers work quickly, but they damage or kill natural organisms in the soil, leaving your plants dependent on them. Use them once and you’ll need to keep using them – yes, like a dependance. Break the cycle – spread compost on your lawn. You can do this now – buy a bag or compost (or use your own) and spread a thin layer in the same way you would spread fertilizer.

Step 3 – Grass is food – Throw out the clipping bag on your lawn mower. By leaving the grass clippings on your lawn, you are returning needed nutrients to the soil. No, it won’t cause thatch or brown spots. Cut regularly, and cut high, and set your mower to mulching if it has that capability.

Step 4 – Watering – Once or twice a week for longer time is better than more frequently for less time. Why? Longer deeper watering trains roots to grow deep into the soil – frequent short watering encourages shallow root growth. Water in the early morning – less wind to blow the water into the street, less evaporation from hot sun, and the grass is dry in the afternoon when the kids want to play catch with you.

Step 5 – Sprinklers – Fix them. Sprinkler heads are cheap. They twist off and a new one twists on. Don’t just add more time to the timer to compensate. And adjust them now before the summer’s here – sidewalks don’t grow, they don’t need watering.

Step 6 – Seed – Spreading new grass seed on your lawn at this time of year will fill in the lean spots with grass – keeping the weeds from taking over.

Packing Peanuts

February 10th, 2010 § 0

Right – they aren’t the greenest things out there. But, they exist, and you’re going to get them now and again, so you might as well have some good ideas for what to do with them. First off, don’t throw them away! Recycleable? Nice idea but doubtful that your collection will have any viable market for them at the moment. Instead, keep them in the reuse category – keep a few boxes full for the next time you need to ship something. If you have too many, bring them to any packaging store – they will gladly take them and reuse them. I save up boxes and packing material and make a trip to Piedmont Ave every few months. Remember to remove the labels first – they’ll use the boxes and the peanuts.

Even more peanut uses (I saw these in a recent issue of This Old House magazine):
• Heavy planters? – Instead of putting large rocks at the bottom of a planter pot, put a few handfuls of packing peanuts at the bottom. They will take up space, give the roots room to grow, and make the pot lighter for when you need to move it.
• Screws loose? – For a screw that won’t stay put, stick it in a peanut first, then drive it into the hole. Pull away the extra material once it’s set.
• Short stems? – Stuff a few peanuts at the bottom of a bud vase to give the stems a lift.
• Limp bean bag chair? – Add generous amounts of peanuts to a bean bag chair to bring back it’s 70′s glory.
• Don’t touch it! – Use peanuts to spread glue, paint, and assorted other sticky gooey stuff.

Ready the dirt

February 1st, 2010 § 0


Besides being time to prune your roses, this time of year is perfect for getting the garden ready. And by garden, I mean any space where you throw seeds or seedlings into dirt. Whether you plow under your entire yard, or keep planters by the back door, think about adding some finished compost to your soil to get it ready. While your at it, get the garden going now with lettuce seeds.

With all the rain we’ve had, it’s also a great time to plant new fruit trees – shovels go into the dirt like scooping out butter from all the moisture. For as little as $15 you can get bare root fruit trees – soak the roots for an hour, dig the hole, and stick it in the ground.

A few other projects for sunny winter weekends:

• Take out the water thirsty hydrangea and plant a Mediterranean/Bay Friendly garden
• Take the dried up, dead plants out of your pots and replace them with succulents
• Mulch, mulch, mulch – in your flower beds, around your raised garden planters, even your whole front yard
• Dig up that grass that always starts looking bad by June and mulch the area instead
• Sprinkle compost on your grass – for simple natural fertilizing

Still need inspiration, take a walk around town and see what type of gardens your neighbors are planting in their front yards.

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