Showing posts with label Environment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Environment. Show all posts
Waste Management for a Modern World
Waste Management is required for three reasons. One, you can't be having waste lying around in any area as it will make the area look awful and the waste will raise a stink. Two, if waste is unattended to, it will attract pests and termites and the chances of a disease spreading will increase. Three, Man has realized that, if he allows waste to pile up or even burned, such an act would be disastrous for our environment. It is a mans duty to control waste and recycle it back into use by recovering resources from it.
History Of Waste Management
Once upon a time, when the density of population was low, the exploitation of the world's natural resources was minimal and manageable. Plus, there was not much of industrialization and the wastes generated by humans were mostly biodegradable and thus their impact on the environment, minimal. This coupled with the fact that not much waste was generated, man did not feel the necessity to manage it.
Time flew, population grew and before humans knew it, the industrial revolution set in (18th Century). People from rural areas migrated to cities and industrial towns en masse. Human consumption began to get concentrated and waste began multiplying. The proliferation of waste led to many diseases such as bubonic plague, cholera and typhoid, which led to suffering and death.
From this event on, the industrialized nations realized the importance of waste management.
Recovering Resources From Waste
As the world population increases and waste grows in volume, the world's scientists and planners have evolved technologies to recover resources from waste, which can be used again. For example, the developed nations have sophisticated facilities that convert the calorific content present in waste into electricity. In developing nations, manual laborers sift through the waste and extract recyclable material from it, thereby reducing the volume of waste that needs to be disposed.
Recycling Waste
The term recycling is universally associated with waste management. When we say recycle, we mean that our everyday waste will be collected, processed and then reused in another form. For example, products made out of paper, aluminum, plastic are collected and converted back into paper, aluminum and plastic respectively. Recycling of waste items made up of one material is an easy task.
Electronic waste is sent to developing nations where recycling plants extract gold and copper from the e-waste. Used automobiles are scrapped and their metal is sold to scrap lots, which then sell the metal back to factories for re-conversion. And so on.
Waste Management Techniques
Nations employ many techniques to deal with their waste. Here is a brief roundup of these techniques:
1. Landfill: This is the most traditional way of managing waste, by dumping it in a landfill. Countries such as Australia that have vast expanses of land, normally dispose their waste in abandoned quarries or mines. A landfill is an inexpensive way to get rid of waste. However, care should be taken to ensure that only waste that does not harm the environment is dumped in landfills. Populous countries or small countries, such as Japan, have to resort to other means to manage their waste.
2. Incineration: Incineration is the disposal of waste by burning it. However, incineration is not an effective tool for waste management as the burning of waste consumes resources and energy, destroys the recyclable material present in the waste and emits many harmful pollutants.
3. Composting: Composting is a technique in which organic waste materials (food, plants, paper) are decomposed and then recycled as compost for use in agriculture and landscaping applications.
4. Mechanical Biological treatment: In this technique, a variety of waste (plastic, paper, glass, etc.) are fed in bulk into the waste treatment plant. The MBT process extracts the recyclable content in the waste and converts it to calorific fuel that can be used by cement/power plants.
5. Pyrolysis and Gasification: These are thermal techniques, using these, waste is treated at high temperatures and at a very high pressure. In Pyrolysis, the waste material is converted to solid or liquid. The solid material can be further refined into a carbon form while the liquid extract can be used as energy-giving oil. In gasification, the waste material is converted into a synthetic gas, which can be burned to produce more energy.
In conclusion, waste management has become part of our survival strategy. If we have to live, we will produce waste. If we do not treat waste, it will choke us. Waste is a problem, waste Management is the solution.
Article Source: http://www.articlenorth.com
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Top Reasons for Composting
Here are my top personal reasons for composting. I only hope that you move your butt out of that chair and begin your own compost pile before you reach number ten.
The first reason I find composting highly worthwhile is the fact that the materials used are absolutely free and are readily available. Compare that with the ever rising costs of commercial fertilizers and other gardening products in the market today. All you need is a little extra effort to find the best materials for your compost pile, but otherwise, everything’s for free.
The second one is that compost provides more nutrients and minerals needed by my plants than commercial organic or synthetic fertilizers. The overall effect of compost is also longer than commercially available fertilizers. It’s free and it works better, who wouldn’t want that? Plus, if you organize your ingredients just right, you can provide a whole lot more range of nutrients.
Another good reason would be the benefits of compost to the soil structure. When applied to the soil, compost can help the soil be more resistant to erosion, improve its retention of water, and in some types of soil (like clay) it can reduce the chance the soil becomes compact. This is also important for farmers since compost can make the soil easier to till conserving time and fuel needed to operate the machines.
With the right composting technique, the process can kill those troublesome weeds as well as pests and disease-causing organisms present in the materials being composted. High temperature composting is the technique I am talking about. Although, this technique is not the backyard variety but rather a more laboratory or industrial type variety, I still find it a good reason why we should make composts.
There have been studies which indicate that using compost can suppress the growth of diseases in crops. Other studies also show that crops grown over compost rich soils can resist better pest or insect attacks. Likewise, some news and observations in the field also shows that crops grown using compost bear produce that can be stored longer. If that’s not reason enough, I don’t know what else you are looking for.
For the environmentalists and conservationists, compost has something for them as well. Using compost together with the soil can build soil carbon which can eventually reduce the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. It may take a lot of compost to have a positive effect on the greenhouse gases but that fact is quite useful as well.
It is also found out that compost works well as an antidote for soils that are toxic with agricultural chemicals. Compost can balance the levels of soil acidity, and helps farmers to go organic after years of using synthetic agricultural products.
These are my top reason for composting. Some of it may not directly benefit my personal needs but having those reasons to cling onto is a good thing to motivate the use of compost.
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Dynamic Composting Tips and Tricks
The good thing about composting is that you can easily keep it dynamic with consistency and a host of other techniques that are tried and tested by many a composting enthusiast or advocate.
Balance the ingredients
Primarily, the basic thing to keep or maintain for a compost heap to be active is balance of ingredients. If you have too much of a single component, your compost may eventually die down. Remember that a compost is inherently comprised of numerous organic matter, and to keep it in top condition means that you must also maintain the variety of materials you put in your compost heap.
Over time, some ingredients in the compost heap may dominate over the others, so make it a point to replenish your compost bin and have it checked frequently.
Select the right bin or container
The right bin will also lead you to the right lively nature of dynamic composting. If you put in your materials well but placed it in an unsuitable container, the compost will become passive over time. Find the right fit for your compost heap and then ensure that the container itself is well-maintained, free of holes or other infestations that may affect your compost heap's growth.
Dampen and don't soak
Soaking is primary evil to your compost. Have the right amount of moisture, but do not drown the compost heap to the point that it won't be of any vital impact to your soil. Make sure that you are able to draw out more humus than water from your compost heap so that you will be paid back well for your hard labor in building your compost heap.
Bacteria needs air
Aeration is the other partner of ample moisture in your compost heap. If you provide your compost heap with enough air, the bacteria that produces humus will thrive and will help exceed your expectations of compost heap performance. If you are really hell-bent on keeping your compost heap dynamic, make sure that you have enough air, but not too much that it will over-expose the pile and defeat the purpose of creating a good compost heap.
Check the temperature
There is an ideal temperature for composting. Ensure that the compost heap maintains this temperature otherwise the whole reaction for composting will not be sustained or completed. Have a thermometer handy everyday when you inspect your composting heap. If possible, find thermometers that are created for composting purposes.
Have a fixed area for composting
It is not that recommended to have a mobile composting heap. Make sure you can fix it in a single place and increase its chances of growing and thriving. When you move around your composting heap too much, less reaction takes place. It requires a certain degree of permanence to produce optimum results, so make sure that you are ready and well-adjusted to this fact as well.
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A Simplified Look at Composting
Although, I’m not denying the fact that technical explanations such as those are necessary as well, but it would be nice to hear or read something more of layman’s approach on the subject. Well that’s something that this article would like to do, anyhow.
Compost is an organic substance that is added to the soil which functions more than just being a fertilizer. It is a mulch, a soil conditioner, and something that will help the soil give the best nutrients and minerals your plants need. With compost, the soil also is able to hold more water, which is also beneficial to your plants.
There are several composting methods which you can employ or use. The so called “no-turn” composting method seems to be the easiest. Like what the title of the method indicates, you don’t need to turn the pile of compost at least once every week to quicken the process of decomposition. In this “no-turn” technique, all you need to do is add a lot of coarse materials to your compost.
Adding a lot of straw would do just fine. What the straw does is to create air pockets and allow the pile to be aerated. You can expect your compost to be developed at the same rate as when you employ the traditional “turn-over” composting technique. When you use this composting technique, be sure to get your compost from the bottom of the pile. Just add new organic materials on the top keeping in mind adding coarse materials as well.
If the only available composting materials in your yard are piles and piles of leaves, then don’t worry. Creating composts from leaves alone can be done. You just need a couple of things, and some very simple techniques. Select a place where you will make your compost pile. For the leaves, the place ideal would be a well shaded area which will help keep the pile damp or moist. Also keep in mind that the pile should not be packed tightly. Keep it loose to allow the air to circulate.
In four or six months, the compost from leaves should be finished and ready to be applied to the soil. Take a mental note, however, that the compost created from the leaves does not contain enough nutrients and microorganism to function as a fertilizer. The finished compost, however, is great as soil conditioner.
When composting, you will need materials rich in carbon and nitrogen namely fruits and vegetable scraps and other table scraps except left over bones because they attract a number of pests and animals. Other products include eggshells, grass or shrub clippings, pine needles, seaweed and kelp, coffee grounds, wood ash, tea leaves, cardboard and shredded paper, corn stalks, wood chips, and sawdust.
To discourage fruit flies and other pests from grouping together on your pile, it would be best to cover the pile or add lime or calcium over the top or whenever you add new materials to your compost. The lime and calcium also help neutralize the odors from your pile.
I hope you were able to have a simplified view of the composting and got some useful and simple tips from the article. Just remember that composting is difficult only if you want it to be.
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How to Go Organic in Composting
What is this? It should not be alien to you at all. You may have been using such since you were a child. You may just have not realized it yet. But it's true, even a child can carry out on the methods of making a compost. But of course, for a child, the process will be the easier one.
If you are not aware of the benefits of what you are doing, you will not really take it seriously, right? For a child, it may be a simple process of gathering the dried leaves, clipping of grasses, branches and twigs of trees, some animal manures, peelings of vegetables and fruits and other kitchen waste and sweeping them all into a pile. They just leave it there.
Have you done the same when you were a child? You probably did. You may have had put all the materials that you thought to be waste on your backyard and let them decompose on their own. You may also no longer have any idea what has happened to the end product. If you own a garden, your parents might have used that as a fertilizer. But if you don't, those may have been gathered to a container and were dumped.
But now that you are all grown up, you have a better view of what this process entails and how can you utilize the products of this method. The end result is actually being widely used as fertilizer for organic gardening. This is not synthetic. This contains no chemicals. This way, it will really help make healthy soil that will likewise produce healthy plants.
In organic gardening, it is a must to be vigilant. You have to attend to the needs of your plants. You've got to know every detail about everything on your garden. You have to keep everything in perfect balance. For example, in controlling pests, you can pick them manually or you can add up other insects or animals that will feed on them.
The success of organic gardening heavily relies on the soil. And the best way to maintain the soil of your garden is by feeding the soil. What does this mean? Just like you, it never should get hungry. This is where you are going to use the end result of your compost. You must integrate it with the soil to be able to maintain its structure as well as its health.
Aside from the compost, you must water the soil. The amount will depend on the type of soil that you are using on your garden. So this is where your knowledge about everything in your garden will be really helpful. The soil is the base of the beds of your plants. This is where your plants will rely for strength and health. So it is extremely important to attend to the needs of the soil.
And this is where composting will be of great help. You should master the craft to be able to benefit from it especially if you want to venture into organic gardening.
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Steps to Composting
Having a compost may be easy or hard, depending on the way you will do things and how you will manage your time in doing so.
Hot or Cold?
There are basically two ways in having compost done. It can either be hot or cold. The cold type is the easier route. You just have to leave the pile to rot. That is the idea. You gather useful materials for your compost. This includes matters like leaves, grass trimmings, vegetable peelings, fruit scraps and all the waste that can be seen in the garden. But this will take a long time because you are not really helping the materials on the pile to disintegrate much faster.
This is the difference of your second option, the hot type. For this, there is an art and method being followed starting from the time that you put your materials on bags or compost bins. Some people recommend that you place the green leaves first, add soil, then you can add the kitchen wastes.
The latter includes the peelings of vegetables and fruits, eggshells and other kinds. Just do not add up on the materials that will attract unwanted visitors to your compost. Do not throw in excess food especially meats.
You must keep the pile that is holding up your compost moist. But keep it at a moist level. Your pile must not be totally wet. To do this, you must add up just bits of water to the pile periodically or when you deem that it is necessary. Others will suggest using beers instead of plain water. Beers contain yeast that will then make the bacteria on the pile contented with glee.
Your compost pile should always be maintained. Aside from keeping it moist, you must add up on the trimmings as well as the soil whenever necessary. You can also add some manure to help advance the decomposition process. Aside from these, you should also take time to turn the pile every once in a while. This way, air circulation will improve and this will also make the process faster.
When will you know that the end result is ready to be utilized? If it already smells like earth and it already looks like dark soil, then it is time to get it out of the bin and utilize it on your gardens.
Some gardeners believe that the products of compost alone will not make your garden soil completely healthy. You must aid that with other materials and use the compost just like how you will use a conditioner on your hair. It can be treated as an amenity but not the complete package.
To make the process easy on your part, you have to remember that you are doing this for the sake of nature. You are only giving back what it has given to you. And look around you very closely before starting out the process. Your location should be good enough to accommodate this process. This should not cause any inconvenience on your neighbors as well as your family members.
Composting is good and can be easily done. You just have to remember to do everything with the responsibilities completely retained in your heart and on your mind.
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The Big Deal on Industrial Composting Techniques
In-Vessel Method
The in-vessel method, as suggested by its name, involves closed reactors. This is synonymous to closed bin composting method in residential scale, but instead of small bins, we are talking of metal tanks or concrete containers that are herculean in size. As a result, factors such as flow of air and temperature are controlled more effectively.
Some companies also put additional cover layers atop the metal tank or enclosed composting container to ensure complete isolation from external elements. Ventilation and insect infestation are often controlled by layering, constant cleaning and additional aeration processes on the affected layers.
MBS technique
MBS is the acronym for mechanical biological treatment system. It is a facility that helps sort materials using the composting technique. The scientific term for composting, in this case, is anaerobic digestion. This has instant practical applications in helping sort waste from residential abodes as opposed to industrial wastes which may be more hazardous and larger in number. This waste management technique is praised for its ability to help ensure biological safety of the environment.
Sheet Composting
The heap is often the method used for composting, but in the case of sheet composting, it the organix materials are placed directly on the soil you are intending to fertilize. Then it functions as a mulch when it decays there. The common materials used here are alfalfa and mustard. But the only downside is that it can rob off the nitrogen in the soil.
But adding green manure crops like clover can help sustain the lagging nitrogen supply in the roots. Most of the supporters of sheet composting claim that in the long run, this is more effective and able to retain more minerals in the soil than other techniques.
High Fiber Method
Wales invented this high fiber method of industrial composting and with great success so far. It involves rigorous stirring and even distribution of materials all throughout the pile. And then the aeration and surface area of the entire compost pile will improve with this symmetry. The compost pile consists of cardboard, newspapers and other forms of used paper.
It is also well-suited for household composting but then it is currently being performed on a laboratory in Wales for further monitoring. This solution was offered as a way of helping reduce pressure in waste landfills. If paper products are used as a material for composting, excluding the poisonous risk of colored ink, it really has a high potential of success.
ASP Method
ASP or Aerated Static Pile method of composting has both active and passive elements to it. The heap is placed on holed pipings that allow circulation without having to manipulate or turn the entire compost heap, as in other industrial composting techniques.
It completely relies on air for the bulk of the operation, and is extremely helpful for making sure that the passive and active elements are both in play.
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What Makes Composting Worthwhile?
First things first, composting is the process of decomposing organic wastes, which can be household wastes or plant remains or a mixture of both, and making them into a dark, earthy, and loose or crumbly substance. Because compost is rich in minerals which most plants need, compost can be made to replace your garden soil.
Most often, however, gardeners use compost to enrich their garden soil. When compost is added the soil, the overall structure of the soil improved allowing it to hold more water and letting air circulate within the soil.
Contrary to some of your perceptions, compost is quite easy to make and is especially easy to use. There are several methods that could be used when creating compost. The following guide shows how easy it is to create it on your own backyard.
I would suggest making your own compost bin to make everything confined to one place. You will avoid making a mess in your backyard if you do so. Plus, temperature and moisture can also be regulated if you construct a compost bin but allow the organic materials to be composted touch the soil. You need to allow your earthworm buddies and other organic microbes help out in the decomposing process.
Although, almost all organic materials could go into your compost pile, a good combination of “greens” and “browns” would be better. The “greens” refer to nitrogen-rich organic matter like fresh grass, leaves, and your scraps in your kitchen. The “browns”, on the other hand refer to organic matter tat contains a lot of carbon such as those dried leaves on your backyard, straw and, of course, wood chips or shavings.
A good combination of “greens” and “browns” can dictate how fast you will have a finished compost. Admittedly, you will have an edge in this area if you have piled up your experience in compost making. Why? Well, for starters you would probably have timed how fast the final compost is created from the different proportions of “greens” and “browns”.
Some, however, would suggest that the best proportion would be 25 percent of your compost pile is made of “browns” and 1 percent is made of “greens.” Take note that if you have a large part made up of “browns” the compost pile will decompose rather slowly. On the other hand, having too much “greens” on the pile could cause some serious smell.
Other elements that you should always consider when making compost are the air and the amount of water your pile will need. It is best to keep your compost pile damp. This will help in the decomposing process. Air is also needed so make sure your pile is properly aerated. If you do observe that no air is coming in, just turn over your pile. Observe and continuously aerate your pile every until you can already “harvest” the fruits of your labor.
It takes some effort in creating compost, that part I have to agree. But the results of composting are really worthwhile.
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