Comments farmerjon has made

  • Plastic Storage Bags

    I have found one solution is the bags that absorb ethylene gas produced by the fruit or vegetables.  These bags are plastic, but are reusable and washable (Debbie Meyer Green Bags is one brand.  Fruit and veggies keep for two weeks or more in these bags, vs. a few days in regular plastic.On Umbra on storing produce posted 1 year, 4 months ago 15 Responses

  • Water and Energy

    One of the often overlooked costs of excess water use, or waste, is the cost of pumping water.  Water and wastewater utilities are frequently one of the largest customers of the local electrical utility, because of the long distances, large volumes, and heavy weight of water.On Umbra on water conservation posted 1 year, 6 months ago 10 Responses

  • Lead in Drinking Water

    While some older pipes are still made of lead, and older copper pipe still has lead solder, all new pipes are constructed using lead-free solder, unless a "do-it-yourselfer" has used old leaded solder on pipes.  Likewise, new fixtures are low lead (called lead free, but they still allow a little lead in brass), so very little lead is contributed from drinking water in most communities.On Umbra on lead and gardens posted 1 year, 6 months ago 8 Responses

  • (Waste) Water Treatment

    Geobeck, I believe Jan was stating the same thing you were - that wastewater treatment removes the nutients - not that it removes all "life giving qualities" of the water before discharge.  

    In addition, the point she was making was that we need to abandon the water-carried waste disposal system we have grown up with.  I know, that means a loss of the conventional jobs for those of us in the sanitary engineering/sciences, but I believe she is correct.  One of the most environmentally damaging inventions was that of indoor plumbing dependent upon water carried wastes.  If we handle the solids as solids (composting toilets are one solution), we can even add the small amount of piss, just to keep the pile moist.  The same goes for food wastes - why do we need garbage disposals, which take valuable byproducts and turn them into a slurry that then needs biological treatment.  Compost those wastes also.  This could make our grey water (shower/bath, sink, etc.) recyclable in the home environment, or in concentrated cities, in distributed, minimal waste treatment plants, that could recycle onto parks, playgrounds, greenbelts, etc.On Umbra on peeing in the shower posted 2 years, 8 months ago 18 Responses

  • Poor Taste or Sore Loser?

    I have not read the Economist yet (subscription required), and may not get to if for a while at the library, but it seems to me the Tom is unwilling to listen to other viewpoints - just reading the bits and pieces he quoted, it is clear that the Economist made good points in the difficulty of returning to local food sources, as well as reasonable points on the higher costs of that approach.  All Tom can do is take pot-shots at the presentation style (why so smarmy, Tom)and fail to even give a modicum of credit to the researchers who wrote the piece.

    I live in the suburbs of Denver, Colorado.  I can grow my own food on my small suburban plot, but I have a 120 frost free day summer, I have 14 inches of natural precipitation (much of it lying as snow on my garden right now), and the variety of foods I need to eat a healthy diet are just not accessible in this climate.  Does that mean I have to move?  

    Likewise, I can go to the farmer's market, as they have excellent green beans  - but at the same time my garden is overflowing with green beans, and my wife is saying "I refuse to eat one more bean, give me some peas" (no, that season was last month - remember how tired of peas we were then?).

    Is local a good idea?  Yes, I am all for it, but it is short sighted to believe local, or sustainable, or organic can feed the millions now needing enough food to have a healthy diet.  The infrastructure, the social constrictions, and climate all make it impractical.  Therefore, accept that commercial, industrialized foodstuffs have to remain a part of the puzzle, and recognize that "local" is only one small part of a world-wide food answer.On Why The Economist's recent assault on "ethical food" missed the mark posted 2 years, 11 months ago 16 Responses