ROC City Compost Pilot

My wife and I have been composting counter waste and yard clippings at home for a number of years. Our composting journey began back in 2006 with a home-made composting pit built with our kids, and evolved into a purchased covered composting bin in 2013. Eventually we purchased a service to pick up our compostable waste weekly. At the start of this summer, the opportunity to be part of the free City of Rochester's community composting pilot program presented itself and we took advantage of it.

Our participation in the pilot resulted in a new wrinkle being added to my weekly Wednesday routine as, unlike the paid service, the pilot requires participants to drop-off of their individual filled buckets, provided at no-cost, to one two locations. The official documentation regarding the pilot posted on the City of Rochester’s website succinctly, and accurately, describes the experience: “City staff will sign you in, weigh your bucket of food waste, empty it and hand it back to you so that you can continue to collect food waste and drop-off on a weekly basis.” It really was that simple and oddly enjoyable to view the scale numbers come up to judge growth from the previous week. I would envision that as we, and others, become more acclimated with the list of potentially compostable contents, the weekly weights will continue to rise.

I also observed another possible benefits of the nescient pilot: the potential to extend beyond the possibility of further limiting greenhouses gases and into community and culture building. The professionals staffing the table were very helpful in assisting/educating folks with navigating the process if there was any confusion. As these were the same folks as the previous week, and only the second week of drop-off, it was nice that they remembered who I was and created a nice opportunity for developing a sense of community among the composters. (They engaged the person who stopped in immediately after me, so this interaction did feel felt sincere.)

This new opportunity is a far cry from the chicken wire pit we put up 12(!) years ago, and though we still use the compost bin for grass clipping and leaves, the opportunity to have food waste taken away is for composting eliminates the possible concerns of rodents and bugs finding there ways into the yard. As with any pilot, there are sure to be hiccups and challenges to be addressed and systems to be refined (thus the term "pilot"). However, two weeks into the pilot, the program, and culture building around composting, is to off to a solid start.

Gone Solar

Cells soaking in late-December rays. (12/26/16)

For as long as we have lived at our current home, my wife and I (well, mostly my wife) have maintained a vegetable garden from which we harvested multiple varieties of tomatoes, greens and other vegetables. Over a decade ago, my sons and I built our first composting pit with chicken wire in the backyard. Since that time we have added a smaller enclosed pit for wet waste before ultimately joining a community composting service. Two years ago, my wife leased a Volt after many satisfied years with the Prius. For a number of years now, my wife and I have discussed the possibility of having our home equipped with solar panels.

The next step seemed clear.

Our roof from a side street pre-installation. (11/15/16)

This past September, we met with contractors and received estimates and information about having a solar electric system installed as an end-of-year home improvement project. Just prior to Thanksgiving, we took the plunge and by mid-December, with the i's dotted and necessary permits acquired, our cells began collecting solar power and converting DC to AC through our basement inverter. (Full discloser: I am most definitely not entirely conversant in the ins-and-outs of the tech, so have chosen to use information from a FAQ page on Invictus Electrical's website for this post.)

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Racking for solar panels installed. (11/29/16) 

Moving forward, the Photovoltaic, or PV system, will convert sunlight directly into electricity serving a portion of our home’s electrical needs. The PV system is connected to our home’s electrical service panel to supplementing the existing utility service. After an inspection by our local municipality, a secondary meter called a net meter was installed for tracking the balance of energy used in contrast to that generated by the cells. Because we have a Southern-facing rooftop with no buildings and trees obstructing the cells, our PV system will work for us anytime the sun is shining. When the PV system is generating more electricity than our home is using, we will receive a credit for the excess power our utility.

Twelve panels installed and catching rays. Note that the angle of the sun is
such that the neighboring tree does not obstruct the cells. (12/26/16)

"Sunny Boy" the inverter, all moved and ready to rock in the basement.

Net meter installed! (12/26/16)

I often tell my own students that I regret not having paid better attention in high school and college science classes as my basic understanding of the science behind the technology is spotty at best. Fortunately, I have my wife to point me to sources to fill in the gaps as we continue to modify and adapt our home around us, and adventure which continues...

Reaping Some of What We've Sown

Under the hood: celery, kale and Swiss chard. (7/22/16)

Things in our vegetable garden have been going very well this summer. This success is due to my wife's strategic watering (despite drought-like conditions) and the use of new garden equipment, including more well-designed tomato cages and a row cover.

Last weekend, Anne and I harvested a nice amount of kale and Swiss chard. While I am not a fan of eating copious amounts of either leafy vegetable, I have become more accustomed to eating. In small quantities or as an ingredient both can be made more palatable. Despite my awareness of how each is a "super food," I have yet to acquire a taste for it. I am working on that, though.

This summer's backyard garden developments have been rewarding to be a part of. The row cover, and some well-placed bunny repellent, have created perfect growing conditions and kept away cabbage looper caterpillars from eating away at the vegetables.

Blackbeard the cat checking out the haul. (7/22/16)

Washed and ready to eat. (7/22/16)

Sauteed Swiss chard. (7/22/16)

Next up: this weekend we are taking the next step by taking on the challenge of wrapping the celery for future harvesting.

Digging in the Dirt

The old ceramic bird feeder that wintered neatly against the shed, 
now ready for spring retrieval. (5/24/15)

Our family garden has finally come together over the past two weekends. With my summer break still a few weeks away, and with it more time to dedicate to such things, my wife and I took every opportunity to get between raindrops in an effort to grow some vegetables. As is the case annually, my role is destroy and prepare, while my wife plants and nurtures.

Though our roles stay pretty much the same, we will annually alter our some of the techniques that we employ in an effort to kick-start the garden. This year, for example, we chose not to use compostable paper to minimize weed growth as in the previous two years. Though it did result in an aesthetically pleasing appearance for the garden, the digging in the dirt that comes with hand weeding, is something I enjoy and the mulch necessary (in addition to a few well-placed stones) hold the paper down did not seem to benefit the soil.

There were far fewer weeds this spring due, I think, to the mulch employed
the previous spring to hold down the rolled garden paper. (5/24/15)

As I turned over the surface level dirt with a pitchfork, beautiful brown soil 
was revealed. (6/2/15)

A well-timed rain the evening prior, made the task of weeding and turning over 
the ground much easier. (6/2/15)

Two bags of the compost we earned over the winter thanks to our 
participation in community composting added some valuable nutrients to 
the dirt. (6/2/15)

The crops were rotated this year, with the tomatoes moving front-and-center, 
peppers to the left and squash to the back. Cucumbers were moved to an 
alternate location elsewhere in the backyard. (6/6/15)

Apparently Epsom Salts are good for plants and not just old
people in bath tubs, a misconception I had previously held. (6/6/15)

Read to GROW--ugh! (6/6/15)

While the rabbit clan living under our shed won't eat tomatoes or peppers, 
they do seem to enjoy Brussels sprouts; thus, the "cage." (6/11/15)

The cage came first--one evening after work--and my wife
planted the Brussels sprout plants a few days later. (6/11/15)

With the plants safely in the ground, and with local precipitation plentiful of late, all that's left to to sit back and see how things develop!

Yeah--We're in the Pilot!

In the mail yesterday, we received notification from the City of Rochester that our neighborhood would be part of an upcoming Single Stream Recycling pilot. Currently, we are required to separate out select recyclables into paper and plastic/glass containers (or, in most cases, the city's sanitation staff need to do so when emptying the containers). As a family that generates more recyclable waste (including compostable waste which we pay a fee to have picked up weekly by Community Composting, Inc.) than "garbage," this is exciting news as we continue looking for ways to minimize our footprint.

It is great to see our local municipality continuing to pilot (with an eye towards wide-spread implementation) ways to make recycling easier and more convenient!

Green Holiday at Public Market

The Public Market office building; site of many green and community projects. (11/30/14)

On the last day of November, naturally, it's a balmy 50°F, with an expected high of 32°F in the forecast for tomorrow, so Anne and I elected to head down to the Rochester Public Market. Today was the first of three Holidays at the Market events, and despite the lack of traditional holiday weather there were a number of festive vendors and crafts-people selling holiday items such as garlands, hats, decorations and, of course, trees.

(11/30/14)

There were also, of course a number of jolly, older men in red with white beards; one was Santa Claus in a horse-drawn carriage, while another was working at a booth. Though there were not as many people there as during the summer (I wonder how many folks knew it was open today, it being a Sunday in November) it was good to see many multi-generational families out enjoying the city's offerings.

Suitably, given the warm November temp, in addition to getting into the Christmas spirit, our visit also gave me the opportunity to check in on some of the green projects. Because we recently leased a Chevy Volt (upgrading from our previous Prius), we could use our time walking the public market charging our vehicle at one of Rochester's electrical vehicle charging stations. Another benefit of the electric car is the preferred parking that comes with using the charging station.

Our car getting juiced at the electric vehicle charging station. (11/30/14)

Charging the car at a station takes less time than doing
so at home. (11/30/14

Living walls are self sufficient vertical gardens that are attached to the exterior or interior of a 
building. As it is late fall, the market's living wall waits for spring to be green again. (11/30/14)

Close-up of the "resting" living wall. (11/30/14)

A ceramic block with artwork near the market office building. (11/30/14)

Solar panels on Shed A. (11/30/14)

The solar panel inverters which convert the DC electricity of the panels into AC 
electricity. (11/30/14)

Solar-powered trash compactors compress waste 
using solar power. (11/30/14)

Santa and friend treating families to "sleigh rides." (11/30/14)

More public parking on Railroad Street. (11/30/14)

There will be two more Holidays at the Market the next two Sundays, December 7 and December 14 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Rochester City Hall Green Roof

The northwestern view from the City of Rochester's green roof. (6/21/14)

The final official day of Spring in upstate New York was a beautiful one, and I had the good fortune to visit one of the more unique (and photogenic) green projects in Rochester, New York, the City Hall green roof. Modern green roofs consist of manufactured layers of waterproofing, drainage, soil or growing media, and then vegetation. I have been interested in checking out the roof since it's installation in 2010, but as this roofs is not designed for people to visit, except for maintenance--this is a roof after all--I had to wait for the right moment. Due to the stars aligning, and the perfect weather conditions, today I found myself getting a tour.

Vegetation changes color depending on the season; here Spring becomes Summer. (6/21/14)

Green roofs require minimal maintenance. (6/21/14)

The gravel ballast, previously used to keep roof material down in the wind,
now only supports around the perimeter of the growing medium. (6/21/14)

The filter fabric between the existing roof system and the pre-planted vegetation. (6/21/14)

Close up of green roof vegetation. (6/21/14)

The City Hall building on which the green roof is installed from outside. (6/21/14)

Once again, I find myself wishing I'd paid more attention in science class. The green sciences and technology, as evidenced from the numerous environmentally sound and efficient projects being explored and pursued at all levels of government (and industry) is such a practical application of much of what I've forgotten from high school. The green roof is just one of many green initiatives currently being installed at City Hall, some of which are currently being installed right now.

Source: 
City of Rochester Green Roof

Continuing Our Composting Campaign

Something old for something new (-ish). (3/15/14)

Things change. As you get oder, I've learned, things change more quickly than one can imagine. The reminder of this truth I came across this week had to do with the evolution of our home composting here in River City. Long an advocate for sustainability, it was my wife who prompted me, along with our sons, to erect an outdoor composting pit made of chicken wire and metal posts behind our shed nearly ten years ago.

The original pit in action.
(11/21/2009)

Six falls later (and numerous leaves) later in August 2005, we took another step, adding a raised plastic cube composting bin in our backyard, primarily for kitchen waste. This second pit, a Deluxe Pyramid Composter,  became our primary receptacle for eggshells, fruit/vegetable skins and rinds, and compostable coffee filters, while we continued to use the larger original one for leaves and grass clippings. Along the way, we experimented with coir fillers and compostable bags with varying degrees of success. (FYI: not all bags which are said to decompose in a reasonable amount of time do--more often than not they seem just to muck of the pitchfork teeth when attempts to turn the pit are made.)

Now, after maintaining a five-year, two-composter status quo (in the intervening years I also installed a rainwater barrel to our house's gutter system), we have taken another step in our journey toward a measure of sustainability. (Recognize that the "we" is used in the most royal of senses--my wife does the thinking and I do the leg work--well, most of it.)  Three weeks ago my wife and I took another step toward more sensible sustainability ... by joining Community Composting in Rochester, New York.

Into the Deluxe Pyramid Composter.
(9/1/2012)

The way it works is very simple: we save our kitchen waste, or scraps, (the amount of which actually increases due to their ability to compost more complex materials than we can in our backyard) in a green plastic container and leave it our on the stoop each collection day. One of the systemic benefits of living in the city, all regular garbage, including standard recyclables are picked up on the same schedule as our little green bin.. With this past Thursday collection, we also experienced our first swap with Community Composting--they collected our green bin, left us a clean one and left a similarly sized white bin with compost for our use. This is just one possible outcome, the receipt of compost for personal gardening, with another possibility being the donation of the compost generated to community gardens and neighborhood associations.

There is a fee involved, but for those who do elect to participate, there is the satisfaction of contributing to a reduction in the loop of food to waste to food. Given the volume of leaves and clippings our small city tad somehow generates, our participation in Community Composting is not a replacement for the other things we have done in the past, but is just another way we can refine the process so it works best (or easiest) for us.