How to choose a (green) 2011 energy provider

Nareg Torosian, guest blogger and dear friend, shares his insight into how he is making a choice between energy providers when PECO raises rates in January. Please read up on Nareg’s insights and consider that, of the choices he considers, BlueStar is the only 100% US produced wind powered provider. BlueStar is also Green E-certified as a renewable energy provider!

How I chose a new electricity provider
by: Nareg Torosian

Intro
PA residents: In case you weren't aware, PECO will be raising their electricity delivery rates by roughly 10% (about $8 more per month), starting on January 1.

The estimated rate PECO will be charging is called the Price To Compare (PTC), which is used to evaluate offers from its competitors. The PTC is updated on a quarterly basis and looks to be 9.92 cents per kWh for January 1 - March 31, 2011, and is estimated to rise to 10.16 cents/kWh from April 1 - June 30.
For more on PTC click here and click to view 2011 PTC rates

Shopping around
Given the current state of the economy, PECO is encouraging customers to look for cheaper providers, and the PA Public Utility Commission has created the PA Power Switch website to help people switch their power supplier.

On the PA Power Switch homepage, click the Find Suppliers link in the main graphic on the right. You will then be prompted to enter your zip code, followed by the type of service you want to shop for. (Pick Regular Residential Service for electricity providers.) You'll then receive a list of providers in your area. The rest of this note will detail my research for the providers in my zip code.

Of the 17 electric suppliers I received in my search results, I immediately crossed off all those that had variable price plans. Of the remaining companies with fixed plans, I narrowed it down to the three with the cheapest listed rates: BlueStar Energy Solutions, Dominion Energy Solutions, and Gateway Energy Services. I called each company and asked them the same four questions. Here were their responses:

1. What are your 2011 rates?
BlueStar: 8.88 cents/kWh, fixed for 12 months
Dominion: 10% less than PECO's PTC for 6 months, then a flat rate of 8.99 cents/kWh for the next 6 months
Gateway: 8.90 cents/kWh, fixed for 6 months

2. Do I have to sign a contract?
BlueStar: Yes, for 12 months
Dominion: Yes, for 12 months
Gateway: Yes, for either 6 months (at 8.90 cents/kWh), 12 months (at 9.90 cents/kWh), or 24 months (at 10.8 cents/kWh)

3. Is there a cancellation fee if I break the contract?
BlueStar: Yes, $10 for each month left on the contract
Dominion: No
Gateway: Yes, $12 for each month left on the contract

4. Do you provide any other discounts or promotions if I sign now?
BlueStar: No
Dominion: No
Gateway: Yes, a $50 Visa gift card, which you will receive after 1 month of paid service

Monthly payments
So, let's crunch some numbers. Say you use an average of 500 kWh per month. (This number will be laughably low for people with high-end electronics, energy-guzzling appliances, and/or children. You should see the real number on your monthly electric bill.) Multiplying your kWh usage by the rate gives you the amount you will spend per month. Remember that when we say 8.88 cents, we're multiplying by 0.0888.

BlueStar: $44.39 per month for all of 2011
Dominion: Since PECO's PTC changes per quarter, you're actually paying one rate from January until March (8.93 cents) and another rate from April until June (currently projected at 9.13 cents). That means $44.65 each month for the first quarter of 2011 and $45.70 per month for the second. For the remaining half of the year, you'd pay $44.95 per month.
Gateway: If you sign to a 6-month contract, $44.50 per month for the first half of 2011, minus the $50 you get back with the gift card

Verdict
Though all three providers would still give you significant savings over PECO, Dominion is obviously the most expensive. If you don't like putting in a lot of time or research to save money (i.e. "set it and forget it"), then go with BlueStar.

However, because of that $50 Visa gift card, Gateway is the least expensive provider for January through June (a total savings of $49.34 over BlueStar for the same period). Of course, that means that I have to shop around for another provider come July 2011, but as you can probably tell, I don't mind doing a little research.

Hope this helped! Let me know if you have any questions.

Learning to Build Green

I met with Lori Jacobs of the GreenSpring Institute last week for coffee. Beyond her adventures as a talented internationally acclaimed musician, she is a brilliant woman with interests stemming from years of experience in the IT realm, and a burning desire to go Green! She coupled these attributes with her knowledge of building inspections and architecture to help found the GreenSpring Institute.

GreenSpring offers a virtual training suite of green building, OSHA, industry code, and specialty courses. They are a part of the U.S. Green Building Council and have resources for professionals and homeowners to learn more about green building practices, materials, and energy efficiency options. As a former Environmental Health and Safety professional, I found the information on hazardous materials training particularly helpful!

Thanks Lori for sharing your vision to “create a regenerative world through integrative education” with me. If you are interested in learning more about this expanding field, GreenSprings Institute is a great place to start!

Solar Status

Betterworldbuys.com founder, Katie Eames (aka this blogger), decided over the summer to move forward on a solar installation to power residential and home office electricity needs. In a blog from July, the decision making process and the solar tracker device used to determine the best location for the installation were discussed.

The last several months were spent on the lengthy and labor intensive permit process. PA’s Sunshine Fund approval finally came through last month, but then there were local permits, fees and engineering inspections to deal with. Thankfully, our contractor, John O’Boyle of Halo Energy, has handled all the logistics. Despite an additional $1000 in fees and permit costs, we are finally ready to proceed.

A new roof was laid to support the garage based installation, trenches were dug, and wiring installed. The panels are due in next week, and the project is expected to be completed by Thanksgiving. Solar power; now that is something to be grateful for!

In my last blog, I wrote about Vampire Bats, but what about some vampires still lingering in our homes after October 31st? It’s the vampire drains on our electrical bills I’m referring to.

PCWorld’s JR Rafael reported on the topic and shared that one of the worst offenders is, “A plasma TV, (which) costs a whopping $165 a year for its standby power consumption alone.” Rafael goes on to note the common energy sucking costs (“based on applying the national average electricity cost of 11.8 cents per kilowatt-hour to the electricity consumption of each device”) of other household vampires: cable box $10.33, CRT TV $5.16, VCR $3.10, Desktop computer $6.20, Laptop (fully charged) $2.06, LCD computer monitor: $1.03, Wireless router: $4.13, DSL modem: $5.16, Computer speaker system: $5.16, Inkjet printer: $4.28, DVD player: $3.60, Powered subwoofer: $15.50 and the good old fashioned Microwave oven: $2.48 (Raphael, 2008). These costs are per year but when added up and considered along with all the other plugged in appliances such as cell phone chargers, DVR’s, stereo receivers, and others, they can become a figure we would like to banish using more than garlic and wooden stakes.

A quick solution would be to rid yourself of these phantoms by unplugging appliances not in use. For other more technical solutions to ridding yourself of these unwanted energy suckers, consider purchasing items with the Energy Star approval or referring to Rafael’s article for details on some energy saving devices that might help. Additional tips are available from Lori Bongiorno at her blog "The Conscious Consumer".

Happy Hunting!

Going Batty for Trick or Treat Night

Video of the bats at the Congress Street Bridge in Austin TX


OK, I know that when kids show up at your door to trick or treat they are expecting goodies. Why not take advantage of a teachable moment, however, and “treat” them to some interesting information about some spooky Halloween favorites?

My little ones were inspired to love bats on a bat boat ride in Austin TX two years ago. You can check out the video link above to see the spectacle of the Austin bats yourself.

When children show up on my doorstep this year, they can pick up a handout about bats from Bat Conservation International which tells them why bats hang upside down, how they move in the dark, what they eat, where they live and many more fun facts on these furry winged friends. Also posted on the door will be information on the endangered Vampire Bat, and a large stuffed Vampire Bat from the World Wildlife Fund. The stuffed bat came with our family donation to “adopt a vampire bat” along with information about the endangered species.

Not to worry little tricksters, I also have a multitude of sour gummy bat candies to dole out!

Here are some fast facts to drive you Batty:

• There are over 1,100 different species of bats in the world!
• Bats are not blind, but some use echolocation (a special sonar system) to fly around in the dark.
• Many small insectivorous bats can eat more than 1000 mosquito-sized insects in one hour!
• Bats are not birds! They are mammals and are warm-blooded, have hair, bear live young and feed their babies milk.
• Vampire bats really do suck blood (but they only take 2 Tablespoons at a time) and a component of their saliva has been recreated artificially and used in medication for human heart patients!

With preparations for Halloween underway, I've been thinking about more macabre topics. As I contemplated making a faux cemetery of recycled cardboard on the front porch for the trick or treaters, questions about the earthly remains of the departed came to mind.

I mistakenly thought cremation was the most eco-friendly method of disposing of human remains. When my mother brought up the topic prompted by a recent article by Susan J. Tweit in Audubon magazine, I realized I had much to learn. From Tweit’s article, it seems that the ashes to ashes concept has many more consequences in terms of fossil fuel consumption and air pollutants emitted than I suspected. In her Dying to Be Green article, Tweit reports that approximately 350 pounds of carbon dioxide are put off per cremation in addition to “soot particles, sulfur dioxide, and trace metals…Then there are the fossil fuels consumed in heating the ovens” (Tweit, 2010).

Traditional burials turn cemeteries in to toxic waste sites. After being “pumped full of formaldehyde-based embalming fluids, which cause elevated rates of cancer in workers who handle them every day…our remains are often sealed inside “decay-proof” metal caskets, and entombed in concrete vaults”. As if this weren’t enough, we need to consider the upkeep of the cemetery grounds which can require a host of pest and weed controlling chemicals (not to mention the use of fossil fuels for mowing, digging, etc.)

Opting instead to be buried in a simple shroud without embalming fluids in a natural preserve is becoming an increasingly popular (and less expensive) option, but one which requires planning. Talking to loved ones now about these important choices can help us carry our green values to the grave and beyond.

For more information on this interesting matter of life and death, check out the Green Burial council or Mark Harris’s blog, Grave Matters.

The October Better Your World Challenge

This month I was thinking of how frightening the conclusion of October can be… This reminded me of other things that scared me(the dark, spiders, war, famine) and how horrifying the world might be if so many concerned individuals didn't try every day to make the world a better place.

With these thoughts prompting us, the October Better Your World Challenge was created! Respond to this blog post with details of how you make the world a better place, and recieve "Thanks" with a coupon good for $5 off of a $25 purchase, $10 off of a $50 purchase, or $20 off purchase of $100 or more at betterworldbuys.com (good through December 31, 2010!).

How do you make the world a better place?

Green Rocks!

At a CAKE concert at the Mann Music Center in Philadelphia I was pleased with the musical performance, the vibe of the crowd, and also in the green efforts made prior to the close of the concert.

Lead singer, John McCrea did a fabulous job engaging in the audience in sing-a-long participation segments. The crowd was moved and rocked along with the band for the duration of the double set of tunes performed.

Prior to closing the show (with an amazing Encore of “The Distance”), McCrea – standing next to an apple tree seedling that was a bit taller than he was - asked for a volunteer. He was specific, however, that the volunteer needed to be willing to commit for 20 years (at a minimum) and be able to tell what type of tree seedling was being offered.

The volunteer also needed to have a yard in which he could plant the tree, own that land and commit to the responsible cultivation of the seedling. After an audience member guessed that the tree was a Fuji Apple Tree, the singer noted that the volunteer would need to be willing to share the fruit of the tree (with anyone that was at the concert and someday needed/wanted an apple!).

One lucky guy was chosen, but the entire audience was part of the commitment to support the growth of the tree.

I know it’s only one tree. But the green movement is all about people making small commitments that lead to a collective and positive environmental impact. Thanks CAKE for the reminder of the power of music to bring people together, and for your efforts to build a green community conscious following!

PS: Check out the CAKE website under “News” to get information on obtaining your own free tree, carpooling and even a link to register to Vote!

A Mammoth Message

While on vacation at Yellowstone National Park, I took a Hot Springs Discovery walking tour of the Mammoth Hot Springs area and learned some amazing facts about the thermal features there. The Ranger guiding the tour emphasized her theme of the importance of water to all life. As we walked along viewing the magnificent hot springs, vents and mud pots that comprise the area, we learned about the heat loving (thermophilic) bacteria that give the springs their dramatic colors, the power of water to mold and shape landscapes, and the essential link between water and life.

At the conclusion of the talk and walk, the Ranger took out a large 16 oz (reusable) water container and poured off all but about 1 oz. This she said represented the fresh water in the world if we were to eliminate all the salt water. From this meager 1 oz, she poured off all but a few drops. These, she dramatically concluded are all we have not so severely polluted which we can still live upon. Her message was clear. Protection and conservation are needed not only to sustain our fresh water supplies, but life on our planet as we know it.

"Polar"izing Views

This tongue in cheek animated short includes both ridiculous (and viable) causes for global warming. I’ve heard some absurd theories on climate change stating that believers in climate change are part of a liberal cult, that the science regarding climate change is fraudulent and that if there is truly global warming there will at some point be beneficial effects such as reduced deaths due to colder temperatures and lower energy utilization for heating of homes.

What are the most compelling (or absurd) arguments contesting or supporting climate change that you have heard?

Movie Messages

I may be a little outdated in my cinematic experiences but I recently received the movie Avatar as a gift. With a large pile (or 5) of laundry to fold and three plus hours of time at my disposal, I plugged in the television, switched on the DVD and hit "Play".

Better late than never. My next several hours vanished into thin un-breathable air on a distant planet populated by large blue human like creatures.

I resisted the film at first for several reasons. These included, a lack of free time to watch movies, the price of admission at the theater, and the peer pressure to go see it. In addition, the film seemed to be so grossly over-marketed that I resented the push to view what I perceived to be an animated kids flick.

I couldn’t have been further from being correct. Avatar was not only a delight of visual imagery, but it carried a strong message of humanity, greed, and environmental and social irresponsibility. Aided by technology, we have the power to do right or wrong but as the principal at my child’s school can be constantly heard saying, “we need to make good choices.”

The lack of awareness in our society make it easier for us to ignore making these choices. If you haven’t seen this blue vision of a sister planet, I (like those who suggested it to me) encourage you to set aside the three hours you’ll need to enjoy the message of interconnectedness and environmental and social responsibility that run throughout this film. If you saw the movie, what did you think of its ability to raise our awareness of issues outside the theater (or living room, as was my case)? If not, what are you waiting for???

Note: If you go to the Avatar website, they have a Home Tree Initiative whereby they launched a worldwide effort to plant one million trees. When I checked there were 233,515 of 1,000,000 adopted. You can search the site to see where the most trees have been “adopted” and join the effort by adopting your own home tree.

In the know for a trip to the “go” (Chicago that is)
During a recent girl’s weekend in Chicago, this blogger enjoyed several glimpses of “green” in the go. Enjoying the public transport around town and covering quite a bit of ground by foot, there were several highlights worthy of suggestion to any interested in future travels to the windy city.

The first evening we commenced our gathering at Berghoff’s restaurant whose menu highlighted some local food options. My local selection was the Roasted Sweet Potato Panini which was specifically and sustainably succulent. After a filling dinner inspired by Deutschland, we took a walk to see what sights were nearest to our hotel and discovered the beautiful Chagall mosaic and the nearby Eye before returning to our hotel to plan our next few days.

Our second day began with some light exercise and a visit to the Green Mart of Chicago. This farmers market near Lincoln Park offered the most delicious crepes and organic fruits and berries which we procured for consumption on the grassy park area surrounding the Mart. The people visiting the market were equipped with reusable bags and totes and acoustic music could be heard from just beyond many of the outdoor vendor stalls. It was a refreshing gathering topped by a fantastic drink of Maple Water which from what I understand is filtered both by the Maple tree and the evaporative process involved in the creation of maple syrup. The water was clear, refreshing and left no aftertaste.

Our guide for the architectural tour pointed out many of the green architectural initiatives ongoing in the city and indicated some of the major efficiency efforts underway to improve upon buildings that predated the conscious current in architectural awareness.

Though a small book could likely be drafted on all of the fun eco-savvy travel tips for a visit to Chicago, these were a few of the highlights that were worthy of mention from my most recent weekend trip. Click here for some more insight into green Chicago travel or post your tips for green summer getaways to Chicago and beyond?

For more information, check out this link to planet green!

Greening the Boardwalk

Loud music accompanied by arcade games, the whirring mechanics of seasonal rides, bright lights, greasy foods on paper plates with plastic bottled beverages abounding mixed with the sound of crashing waves, and a salty sea breeze; these are the things I think of when I think of the boardwalk.

All were present at the boardwalk as expected this season with one addition. Through this blur of lights, smells, and sounds, there were some green messages. They weren’t especially prominent, but I was happy to see them making an entrance onto the boardwalk sub-culture.

In Rehoboth beach’s Funland, a sign was posted stating, “Our tickets are GREEN and so are we! The 108 solar panels on our roof are working to reduce FUNLAND’s carbon footprint.” When contrasted with the energy intensive rides and amusements, I found the sign a bit ironic but still a good start, nonetheless.



On the side of the boardwalk closest to the ocean, I saw some informative signs posted about the importance of grasses in preserving and stabilizing delicate dune ecosystems.

I did not see recycling bins, and noted when I ordered a funnel cake (couldn’t resist) I was given a whopping 6 paper plates to hold it on. There was an excess of packaging, an overabundance of trash, and a multitude of trinkets and petroleum based prizes (likely to be imports produced with a lack of consistent fair trade or labor standards in environmentally unfriendly conditions).

Rather than focus on the negative, however, I walked away happy to see that the green movement is being acknowledged and considered on the boardwalk. Even in places like Funland, being eco-savvy might be gaining power, at least in the photovoltaic solar sense!

Solar Searching

As with many of the decisions that have been made regarding “greening” at betterworldbuys.com, the decision on a new energy source for our home offices has been a challenging one.

Up to now, we have been paying to support wind energy with an extra fee on our monthly utility bill. Always seeking to do more, however, we began to investigate various options including a windmill, heat pump, and solar installation. After many consultations, research and soul (or in this case solar) searching, we chose to go forward with a new solar installation to power our residence and office space.

The bidding process ensued with several reputable firms participating. Halo Energy was selected to complete the work and owner John O’Boyle graciously agreed to allow us to blog about the process to share our experiences (positive and negative) with others interested in learning about solar power.

Our first official step was to have a solar tracker assessment completed to determine where on the property the installation would be most efficient (without requiring the removal of our beloved trees). The photo above is of the solar tracker used to determine the path of the sun in our area. From the assessment, it was determined that locating panels on our garage at the rear of the property would maximize the efficiency of the system with the least impact to our trees, home, and home office. The next step involves the completion and filing of all appropriate applications with our borough and state.

We’re interested in any comments from readers that have had experience with solar installations or with alternative energy questions.. As always, your feedback is invited and welcomed. We’ll keep you posted with updates on this process as we progress!

Declaration of Interdependence

In celebration of the Independence Day of this great nation, the words of our forefathers are recalled to inspire a look beyond our independence and at our interdependences:

“When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness….”

Their words have stood the test of time. Is it advisable now, however, to consider not just the Independence they declared, but also our Interdependence as implied in their references to our equality, our relationship to the ”Laws of Nature” and our “unalienable Rights”?

In the original Declaration, our forefathers brought charges against King George III, which demonstrated his violation of the rights of the colonists (subjects/citizens – depending on what articles you’ve been reading this week). Free of the monarchy, we now live in a society where big business and government create grounds for updated charges.

If we were to amend the Declaration to detail unalienable rights such as life, liberty and pursuit of happiness infringed upon today by various political and corporate powers, what would the updated charges entail?

Environmental discrimination, disruption of fragile ecosystems, widespread deforestation, depletion of resources, pollution, social injustices, and many more might be among the list of accusations.

What “charges” do you think should be added to a 2010 Declaration of Interdependence that could bring focus to our connectedness, while remaining cognizant of the beneficial role political systems and businesses play in our complex society?

A "Shore" Thing

I took a trip to a Delaware State Park beach late last week to spend a few days seaside enjoying the sun and surf with my family. I was dismayed to find the beach littered with trash and believe it or not a few scattered clumps of oil (which a nearby litter cleaning volunteer stepped in and had a terrible time getting off).

After getting several notes from friends around the world expressing concern over how our country is handling the BP fiasco in the Gulf of Mexico, I found myself shocked to see the impact on such a distant shore. One particular note I received from friends in South Africa’s Cape Town, expressed their dismay over the handling of this crisis-not by our government, but by our citizens. Their note indicated serious concern that our pubic wasn’t outraged and demanding action and resolve.

I was taken aback by the accusation that we were unconcerned as a society about the situation. Taken aback, that is, until I spoke with friends, coworkers and family to gauge for myself the level of this accused apathy.

I hate to admit it, but I was more than disappointed. It seemed the accusations were on target. Few people could tell me what was going on with the spill. Almost all, however, could tell me who won the Stanley Cup, the NBA championship or American Idol. Many had no concept of the irreparable damage being done to such vast ecosystems or the potential impact not only to our fisheries, but our little known oceanic frontier.

In this bloggers opinion, if we continue to be blissfully unaware and apathetic about negative consequences of our consumption decisions, the devastation of our environment will become much more than a “Shore” thing.

Global Worming

If composting outside has you all hot and bothered this summer, consider the cooler indoor alternative of vermicomposting. Vermicomposting is composting with worms and is becoming increasingly popular with those interested in gardening, and minimizing their ecological footprint through a reduction of their waste stream.

To setup a home verimicomposing system, you can purchase a fancy model of worm composters available online, or you can make your own. The Environmentals created a great short film with some easy and entertaining instructions on how to build your own unit for garage, basement, or even under your kitchen counters in a few quick steps. Following their instructions and purchasing Red Wigglers online cost me less that $40 to get a home unit that nicely manages my kitchen scraps for a family of four each week.

There is virtually no odor (really!), and the compost produced is like magic for house and garden plants when used as a rich soil conditioner. For more detailed information on vermicomposting, check out these helpful books on worms, compost and a greener garden: Worms Eat My Garbage, The Complete Compost Gardening Guide and The Green Gardener’s Guide.

Some claim that many of the environmental issues we are plagued with today have come about due to a lack of education or awareness. Figuring out how to solve them is no easy task.

Einstein said that, “we cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”

So how can we change our thinking to be able to combat the eco-issues facing us today (think Gulf oil spill, diminishing landfill space, global warming, etc.)?

Eat more cereal I say!

No, seriously.

Mismanagement of school funds by school boards across America along with general underfunding has contributed to the blight on our education system. How can you help? The main thing is to know who you are voting for, and to participate in our democratic process.

Beyond that, eat more cereal!

General Mills and Campbell’s Soups offer labels that can be cashed in for rewards and monetary contributions toward your local educational institute.

By no means am I advocating the processed food jungle, but most everyone eats cereal and soup at some point of the year or another. What I am suggesting is that, if you do fall off the all natural greenie bandwagon and buy a box of General Mills cereal, be sure to clip the boxtops and give them to your local school. Each one is worth 10¢. You wouldn’t go throwing away your dimes in this economy would you?

Dirty Little Secret

Compost isn’t dirt but it sure can help your garden grow…or so I’ve been told! I wouldn’t know firsthand because I’ve had a tumbling composter for the past two years and haven’t been able to make a successful batch of compost yet. Undeterred, I enrolled in a local course to become (drum roll please…) “Master Composter Certified”.

Though no cape, invisible jet or tiara come with this new title, I’m please to say I have learned a great deal about the biology of compost and what it takes to make a lovely soil conditioner for my garden. From my training, I’ve created my top 10 list of things I think everyone should know about composting.

10. It’s an inexpensive and easy way to eliminate yard waste and food scraps while creating the equivalent of garden gold!

9. Choose wisely when selecting the container you will use. Three bin composters are great if you want to keep more than one batch “cooking all the time. Tumbling composters can speed things up but will limit the size of your batch.

8. Do NOT add meats, fish, oily foods, dairy, pet manure or diseased or insect infested plants or weeds that have gone to seed in your pile.

7. Do add yard trimmings, garden debris, veggie and fruit scraps, coffee grounds and filters, horse, cow, chicken and rabbit manure.

6. You need 4 key elements:

• Organic materials: In a ratio of 2 parts brown to 1 part green.
• Moisture: Should be at a level that feels like a damp sponge.
• Temperature: The pile should be warm to the touch (except in winter).
  
• Air: Turning your pile will add air and help eliminate odors.

5. Browns include leaves, dead plants, straw, shredded paper, twigs, and sawdust.

4. Greens include grass, green weeds, manure, coffee grounds and kitchen scraps.

3. If it stinks, ADD Browns!

2. It is ready when you can put a sample in a plastic bag for 2-4 hours and it doesn’t stink terribly when you open the bag. If it does, it isn’t done.

1. It is useful and reduces your waste stream! Apply as mulch or work into the top 6-8 inches of soil when planting.

I’ve now begun my adventure in home composting and am in full swing with my kitchen composter and tumbling bin. I’m looking forward to using it in my garden with some of my new garden accessories from our global garden product category!

Do you have any questions about home composting? If so, check out this presentation from Penn State and the DEP or post your comments below. Advice from experienced home composters is also welcomed!