EcoStrides

Get a canvas bag when you support MPR

Ever since I heard of the continent-sized area of plastic trash floating in the ocean (Wikipedia), I have been disgusted by plastic bags. Plastic trash is killing our birds and marine wildlife because these animals mistake the plastic pieces for food.

I started bringing reusable cloth bags to the grocery store. The hard part is remembering to do so, but it is becoming habit. And as I reach for those cloth bags I also grab my stash of plastic for recycling. Did you know that Cub and Rainbow accept plastic film and bags for recycling?

Find out where and what to recycle at It’s in the Bag. A few things the drop-off locations accept are:

• Plastic retail bags (remove string ties and rigid handles)
• Plastic newspaper bags
• Plastic bread and cereal bags (remove food residue)
• Plastic wrap from paper towels
• Plastic zipper-type bags (remove rigid closing mechanism)
• and the list goes on…

I am amazed at the amount of plastic packaging we go through.

In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan

Farmer in Chief is a thought-provoking article by Michael Pollan in New York Times Magazine. Pollan exposes the consequences of this nation’s food policy and gives practical suggestions to the president-elect on how to turn our food system around. The interconnectedness is clear! Our current food system negatively affects health care, climate change, energy independence, and national security.

Michael Pollan has written several books about our food system, none of which have I read; all of which I would like to read: In Defense of Food, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, The Botany of Desire, and Second Nature.

In the spring I was looking into buying a rain barrel and a compost bin. Then H offered to make them out of faux wine barrels. I found some ideas for him on the internet and he went to work.

A Rain Barrel

Rain Barrel

The wooden barrel is just decoration. There is actually a plastic barrel inside to hold the water. Like most projects, this one required several trips to the store to buy the following parts: faucet, flexible downspout, sump pump hose for the overflow, and a screen to keep out mosquitoes and leaves.

It only takes one good rain to fill it up. I thought I’d be able to use a sprinkler with the rain barrel. Silly me! There isn’t enough water pressure, of course. If the hose is stretched out flat, the water drains out slowly.

A Composter

"Give Me A Spin" Composter

The inspiration for this rotary composter comes from a YouTube video. The barrel lies freely on top of four upside-down wheels which are attached to the top of a wooden frame. It can be easily rolled to mix the contents inside. No pitchfork necessary! Small holes were drilled all over to allow some air circulation. The door has been problematic because the wood expanded and warped.

The contents inside are breaking down into compost, but very slowly. My plan is to fill it up during six months, then stop adding scraps and give it six more months to finish the process. In the spring I’ll empty it out in the garden and start over.

for Soil and Water Supervisor? I bet you hadn’t thought about that, had you? Find out what is on your local ballot in the Pioneer Press Voter Guide.

I’m an outdoorsy-type wannabe. I want to be like those adventurers who paddle the entire Mississippi, who backpack for miles along the Superior Hiking Trail, and who look forward to their annual Boundary Waters canoe trip. I admire people who can portage a canoe over their head, who can live out of a 25-lb. backpack, and who are willing to cross-country ski in zero-degree weather. Yep, I’m a wannabe.

But it’s a challenge. I can’t identify poison ivy, I’ve never successfully started a campfire, and my hips ache when I sleep on the ground. Plus, I don’t know how to tie any of those special knots, and when it’s cold out I’d rather stay inside.

It wasn’t until the last few years that I began to engage more in outdoor activities. Now I am on this two-legged journey to enjoy and protect nature. It’s a gradual process and I’m taking baby steps toward gaining the knowledge, skills, and gear of an outdoorsy-type.