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This article discusses the topic of bioplastics and their potential benefits and challenges. Bioplastics are plastics made from organic materials other than petroleum and can be engineered to decompose. However, the decomposition of bioplastics depends on the environment and can vary. There are different types of bioplastics, each with its own properties and decomposition rates. While bioplastics offer some hope for composting, there are concerns about their energy-intensive production and potential impact on food production. The article also highlights the need for compatibility between the composting industry's definition of compostable and the bioplastic manufacturers' definition. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses the concept of a circular economy and its application to nutrient flows in urban areas, specifically focusing on nitrogen and phosphorus. It examines the role of wastewater treatment plants, composting, and community gardens in Seattle and Tacoma in utilizing and repurposing these nutrients to grow food. The article emphasizes the importance of reducing dependence on synthetic fertilizers and utilizing recycled nutrients for sustainable agriculture.

The National Academy of Sciences has released a report exploring the connection between soil health and human health. The report suggests that healthy soil contributes to healthy people, although the relationship is not well understood. While organic food is often seen as a way to promote soil health, the reality is more complex. The report also highlights the importance of compost and biosolids in improving soil health, but raises concerns about contaminants in these materials. The Organic Certification program, which sets standards for organic food production, may need to be reevaluated in light of new understandings of soil health. [Extracted from the article]

Plastic waste is a significant environmental issue, with an estimated 34 million tons generated annually, the majority of which ends up in landfills or oceans. Recycling rates for plastic are low, with only about 9% of plastic waste being recycled. Different types of plastic have unique properties that make recycling challenging, and the most common approach is mechanical recycling, which involves shredding and heating the plastic to make new products. Chemical recycling, which breaks down the plastic into its monomers, is a more expensive but potentially promising method. The United States lags behind Europe in plastic recycling rates, and recycling practices can vary by location. While efforts to reduce plastic waste are important, living a completely plastic-free life is not practical for most people. [Extracted from the article]

Compost is beneficial for urban soils as it provides organic matter and improves water absorption, making lawns more drought-resistant. However, some municipalities are hesitant to use compost due to concerns about phosphorus and water quality. While nitrogen and phosphorus can cause eutrophication, compost can help mitigate this issue. Phosphorus only moves sideways and can be bound by clays in the soil, reducing its movement into water. By measuring phosphorus saturation ratios, it is possible to determine if compost is a suitable solution for reducing phosphorus runoff. Additionally, designer composts can be created by adding iron or aluminum to increase phosphorus binding capacity. Overall, compost can be a valuable tool for improving water quality and should be considered as a solution rather than a concern. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the concept of reciprocity with nature and the potential benefits of using biosolids and composts as tools for giving back to the environment. The author, Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer, emphasizes the importance of taking only what is needed and leaving some for others, while also recognizing and respecting the animate beings in nature. The author suggests that biosolids and composts can be viewed as valuable resources that provide important soil nutrients and contribute to the natural cycle. The article highlights the positive effects of using these materials in restoring polluted sites and promoting plant growth. The author concludes by advocating for a shift in perspective and providing individuals with the tools and motivation to contribute to environmental solutions. [Extracted from the article]

A peer-reviewed paper published in Nature Cities claims that urban agriculture has six times the carbon intensity of conventional agriculture. The paper is based on survey results from gardens in France, Germany, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the U.S. The authors used a model called Ecoinvent to calculate emissions, but the assumptions in the model were not shared. The study found that urban farms had lower emissions than traditional agriculture within three years of establishment, while individual and collective urban gardens had higher emissions. The paper acknowledges the benefits of urban agriculture, such as better eating habits and a connection to nature and neighbors, but suggests that current practices may need improvement. [Extracted from the article]

The article focuses on the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) October 2023 report on methane emissions from landfilled food waste, emphasizing that the report conclusively states that landfilling food scraps generates substantial methane. Topics include the use of older data in the report, highlighting the EPA's reliance on outdated estimates and emphasizing the need for more current and realistic data to address the significant environmental impact of methane emissions.

A personal narrative is presented which explores the author's experience of account of the many phases of mask wearing in a household.

JULY 28, 2020 Part I Can Compost Draw Down Carbon? If you've seen how compost can bring dead soils to life and supersize plants, it is clear how compost can enhance all of the biological processes in treating storm water. Again compost filter socks and wetlands with engineered soils incorporating compost. Compost tools include filter socks, and biofilters and wetlands using engineered soil with compost. [Extracted from the article]

The article presents a paper that details a statistical analysis based on a life cycle analysis (LCA) to compare land application of compost to compost applied as landfill daily cover. It discusses that impact of wasting organics as landfill, along with mentions the nitrogen and carbon sequestration assumptions.

The article comments on the link between environmental justice and soil contamination. Topics include social factors that impact health including economic stability, education, health, healthcare and built environment; benefits of reclaiming and using land to grow plants such as reduced mortality, heart rate and violence, improved mental health and narrowing of income-based inequalities; and transmission of contaminants from dirt to people through inhalation, dermal contact and ingestion.

The article offers information on Compost which is a natural fertilizer and soil conditioner made from decomposed organic matter. It mentions that it is important to note that composting can be a complex process, and not all organic matter that can be composted should be added to a compost pile; foods such as meat, fish, and dairy products attract pests and can create unpleasant odors as they decompose.

The article offers information about the comparison of composts and a Class A biosolids blend to chemical fertilizer to measure soil and plant benefits. It mentions about the business of making compost or making a potting soil blend with the biosolids, feedstocks and quantities matter. It discusses the increasing use of vermicompost on plants.

The article reports on the human impacts of Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in compost or biosolids and the role of organics recycling in mitigating the impact. It discusses the circular economy, urban metabolism, urban harvest, and modified wastewater treatment system. It mentions the planning of incorporating nature-like green stormwater infrastructure into the cities.

The article highlights that the National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, can help to encourage changes in agricultural practices through implementing programs that support or provide financial assistance to growers who implement beneficial practices.

An interview with Andrew Carpenter, who runs a business that includes sampling soils and other environmental media for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination, is presented. Carpenter tells about the recycling of biosolids in Maine either through Class B land application programs or Class A general distribution programs. He talks about farms with extremely high PFAS concentrations and the cumulative loading and approximate estimated biosolids concentrations in Maine.

The article explores how to evaluate different properties for a potential composting facility location. Topics include Planning a new merchant organics recycling facility requires considerable thought and investigation at possible sites for a composting facility; and covered methods to assess the markets' potential to absorb your compost and/or soils products.

The article explores how biosolids are pelletized and used in western Massachusetts. described how a portion of the collected material will be sent to anaerobic digesters located at the wastewater treatment plant in North Andover, Massachusetts; and concentrations of California Association of Sanitation Agencies compounds in various consumer products and biosolids.

The article informs about producing food taking advantage of available residuals generated through food production and consumption. Topics include basic tenet of an emerging field of research that attempts to quantify nutrient flows in food systems; and taking advantage of available residuals from producing and consuming the food in the process of production.

The article offers information on the installment of Connections' Drawdown series reviews the pros and cons of lawns, concluding that they ultimately provide more environmental benefits than harm. It discusses that these urban lawns also offer much appreciated ecosystem services in urban areas; and mentions that Mollisols are characterized by a deep dark ‘A' horizon that is chock full of organic matter from the dense rooting system of grasses.

The article reviews several household food waste devices, including the Vitamix food cycler, the Reencle food recycler, and the Kitchen waste composter from BeyondGreen.

In the article, the author discusses the efforts of governments around the world to reduce methane (CH4) emissions and recycle food scraps to help protect the environment. Also cited are the need to address nitrous oxide (N2O), which is claimed to have around 300 times global warming potential of methane, and some high risk materials like animal slurries, wastewater and biosolids.

The article gives an summary of the findings that the food getting wasted also takes a lot of land, energy, and water to grow. Topics include considered that the part of the revision did not dwell on is the upgrade for animals and feeding these scraps to animals is now the next best thing to feeding them to people as better than anaerobic digestion, better than composting and of course, better than landfilling.

The article reports that Anaerobic digestion (AD) help in getting the green energy and the soil amendment as the material coming out of a digester referred to as digestate is as good for soils as compost or municipal biosolids. Topics include common in municipal wastewater treatment; and solids to meet regulatory requirements for pathogen destruction and volatile solids reduction.

The article informs about federal funds to start rebuilding reclaimed water infrastructure would create a sustainable and climate resilient source of water. Topics include chemistry of the Puget Sound reflects mixture of salt and fresh water; and importance of appropriate levels of dissolved oxygen with conditions any excess nitrogen can result in depletion of the oxygen.

In this article, the author presents her views on experience of her mother-in-law and her brother on growing up on a farm during the Dust Bowl in the 1930s. It mentions soil erosion in Dust Bowl because of the extreme drought; and also mentions importance of soil organic matter and hog manure in Dust Bowl.

The article discusses presence of perfluorinated compounds in food waste. Topics discussed include high concentrations of fluorine in lipstick, mascara, foundation, and other products for eyes and skin; water quality standards; and biosolids produced by a treatment plant that accepted influent from a PFAS factory in Decatur, Alabama.

The article discusses sales of toilet paper in the U.S. Topics discussed include efforts to writing letters to toilet paper manufacturers to stop cutting down virgin forest to make toilet paper; success of bamboo-based toilet paper business; and toilet paper shortage in COVID-19 pandemic and World War II.

The article presents the application of organics increases soil water, resulting in greater drought tolerance for non-irrigated crops and less frequent irrigation for irrigated crops. Topics include the climate can impact water demand above what is required for photosynthesis by increasing transpiration demand, the transpiration is the process of water movement from plant roots up through leaves and into the atmosphere, and the plants have to maintain equilibrium in internal water pressure.

In the article, the author discusses some ways ordinary citizens in the U.S. can help mitigate climate change by citing as example the efforts by a lawyer in Missouri. She claims that projects like combined curbside collection of food scraps and yard trimmings for said purpose could be launched at the local levels for better chance of success. Other suggestions include composting in one's backyard, establishing compost bins in schools, and lobbying to town councils to subsidize compost bins.

In the article, the author discusses environmental protection issues, particularly how too much quantity of even good things could lead to adverse results. She cites as example how too much dumping of lawn clippings will kill the grass, how too much discharge of effluent after primary treatment into lakes, rivers and oceans will pollute them, and the need to control the release of recycled organics to avoid their bad results.

Thea article offers information related to the presence of perfluorinated compounds and selected pesticides and in food waste as discussed in the well-written and well-researched document by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It is noted that a study has found that food packaging was a significant source of perfluoroalkyl substances content with 20% of paperboard products, 38% of sandwich and burger wrappers, and 56% of dessert and bread wrappers containing fluorine.

In thatstudy the authors looked at carbon storage by depth incover crop and compost amended soils. Winter cover crops increase readily decomposablesoil carbon, but compost drives total soil carbon duringeight years of intensive, organic vegetable production inCalifornia. CLIMATE, COMPOSTING, SOIL HEALTH Cameras with high magnification have put the theory thatsoil can be used for long-term carbon storage in question Did you learn about humic and fulvic acid in your Soils 101class? Permanganate oxidizable labile carbon or POX-C,for example, measures carbon that is around to be eaten. [Extracted from the article]

There are almost as many typesof weeds as there are pathogens and they all havedifferent sensitivities. Compostfor management of weed seeds, pathogen, and early blighton brassicas in organic farmer fields. The time portion of the three "Ts" is to make sure thatthe time required to kill the pathogens is well exceeded.A fairly recent review (Wichuk and McCartney, 2007) goesinto more detail on the different pathogens, what themechanisms are that render them harmless, and thedifferent times and temperatures required to do so. [Extracted from the article]

Comparison of EPA WARM and BEAM model finding(Mg CO[sub 2] per Mg food scraps) Top: Forest soils that had multiple applications ofmunicipal biosolids were evaluated for total soil carbon. BIOSOLIDS, CLIMATE, COMPOSTING,FOOD WASTE, SOIL HEALTH Adding recycled organics to the soil is likely toincrease total soil carbon. The soil that showed the very high rateof carbon storage had much less carbon to begin with thanthe soil that showed no real changes. [Extracted from the article]

The goal ofstorm water infrastructure in urban areas hastraditionally been to keep water out of soils and streetsby moving it as quickly as possible. Municipal Options Storm Water: Green storm water infrastructure, alone orin combination with grey (engineered) systems, isincreasingly common. Reclaimed Water: Reclaimed water is water that has beentreated to beneficial use standards in centralizedwastewater treatment plants. Climate, Storm Water Management Grey water use, recycling treated wastewater andgreen storm water infrastructure are becoming morecommon. [Extracted from the article]

If highways used thecompost the same way a good farmer does: 145,000 tons ofcompost for Caltrans/750,750 total tons of compost = 19%of the total compost produced. (Above)Application of compost blanket Photos courtesy ofCaltrans Photo courtesy of Caltrans Utilization of compost socks on slope in California Photocourtesy of Caltrans References Brown, S. and N. Beecher. CLIMATE, CONNECTIONS, MARKETS, STORM WATER MANAGEMENT If highways used compost the same way a good farmerdoes, Departments of Transportation would becomesubstantial compost consumers. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses how compost reduces the climate impacts of lawns. Topics discussed include appreciated ecosystem services in urban areas; role of bugs to managing soil organic matter, increasing soil carbon sequestration and nutrient retention; and benefits associated with urban grasslands involving use compost instead of traditional fertilizer.

For example, compost that is cured outside will show better disease suppression because a wider variety of microbes will have come to settle in the material than when compost is cured in a closed environment. The soils without the compost had 4 to 5 times as many disease-causing pathogens at day 10 in comparison to the soils with the compost. [Extracted from the article]

The soils without the compost had 4 to 5 times as many disease-causing pathogens at day 10 in comparison to the soils with the compost. PHOTO (COLOR): The University of California Davis researchers took soil samples from long-term field plots at UC Davis' Russell Ranch and infected them with Salmonella and Listeria. [Extracted from the article]

The article report that the Drawdown ranks 80 different ways that actually remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere, drawing down its concentration. Topics discussed include the Drawdown authors note that 70% to 80% of all the water we use requires pumping and moving. Water is heavy and pumping it requires a lot of energy; and they also note that using efficient irrigation systems, such as sprinkler or drip, would cut energy use and save water by up to 40% and 25%, respectively.

What they found was that growing cover crops -- arecognized tool for increasing soil carbon -- did in factincrease carbon at the top of the soil. More and more in the scientificliterature you see recognition of soil carbon storage asa viable means to reduce atmospheric carbon and alsoenhance soil health. BIOSOLIDS COMPOSTING CONNECTIONS FOOD WASTE SOIL HEALTH I'm a new convert to the term, Exogenous OrganicMatter, which is stuff you put on the soil from elsewhere-- aka recycled organics that help soil store carbon It almost rhymes. The authors found that only when compost(EOM and in this case composted poultry manure) was addedalong with cover cropping did the increases in thesurface carbon hold up without losses in the subsoil. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the widespread heat, power and water failures in the Long Horn State occurred record breaking cold temperatures and snow disabled aging grid. Topics include ability to store energy from systems seems to be transitioning from a goal to reality; and solar prices have fallen both on a utility scale and a rooftop scale.

The article focuses on human composting facility, Recompose, opened in Kent, Washington, just south of Seattle, creating an alternative to the classic Kansas song can turn into compost the material you can use to control dust in the wind. Topics include the end of life options used to be pretty limited, and the coarse comparison of the environmental impacts of burial, cremation and composting.

The article focuses on research study modeled likely rates of carbon sequestration for urban uses of compost and the applications included growing lawns, trees, urban agriculture and for use alongside urban roadways. Topics include the small portion of the biosolids has produced has been composted by a private company, and the company is shutting down and the County is working to start its own biosolids composting facility.

The article focuses on federal agencies has announced that wild Puget Sound Chinook salmon and the wild Puget Sound bull trout were officially listed as threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. Topics include the Washington Organic Recycling Council and its member agencies have identified a unique opportunity, and the beneficial uses of organics to help in this historic effort to save the species.

The article presents the interview with Scott Subler, the Chief Science Officer at ClimeCo. Topics include the U.S., only a handful of composting facilities has received carbon credits is despite a growing market demand for carbon credits from this project type, and the largely a result of competing regulations in the form of organic waste diversion mandates that render composting projects ineligible for offset credits.

The article discusses Project Drawdown talked about Grassland Protection, showed a picture of giraffes grazing in the African savannas. Topics include Grasslands in the U.S. has referring to the irrigated kind have commonly known as lawns; and 2% of our total land area and cover a little less than half of all urban areas.