The Chiropractic Healing Center of Los Gatos Newsletter Our newsletter is created as an education resource that provides patients with information and choices in regards to healthcare. | |||||
The Chiropractic Healing Center of Los Gatos 20 S. Santa Cruz Avenue, Suite 207 Los Gatos CA 95030 Phone: 408-354-5645 Fax: 408-354-5945 Thomas M Mosca D.C email - website | Health Articles and More! | Other articles in this months newsletter: Gluten-Free Q & A rd411 [ read article ] Composting at Home: Going Green rd411 [ read article ] Why Should Your Children See a Chiropractor? Daniel Gonzales, D.C [ read article ] 5 Benefits of Chiropractic Treatment Ryan Weisgerber, D.C [ read article ] | |||
Composting at Home: Going Green rd411 Composting at Home: Going Green Across the United States, people are finding more and more places to deposit their compost, such as at farmers? markets or green spaces. Once a farming and home economist tradition, composting is finding revitalization. This movement is growing in popularity as an effort to improve the state of the earth. Why compost? More than 40% of all food produced in America is not eaten More than 29 million tons of food waste is produced each year Food scraps make up 17% of what we send to landfills in the United States The average American wastes more than ? pound of food each day 25% of what enters our homes is not eaten, when you count what we put down the disposal and throw out American restaurants throw away more than 6000 tons of food every day, according to some calculations Food costs America more than $100 billion annually, according to the same studies The average four-person household wastes about $600 of food each year What does wasted food mean for the environment? Wasting food misuses the time, energy, and resources in money and oil that are needed to produce that food. The food winds up costing more to the earth than the purchase price, because more energy is needed to dispose of the waste than is used to produce the food. Food rotting in landfills contributes to global warming by causing methane emissions or greenhouse gasses. Wet food waste is the main threat to groundwater or stream pollution, in addition to the potential for leaks and runoff from some landfills. How does composting help the environment? Composting is great for the environment, because compost is: Essential for growing plants and produce Great for the environment by reducing waste that goes into landfills What can I compost? You can compost any organic material, either plant or animal. This includes: Vegetables Vegetable scraps Fruits Tea bags Nuts Seeds Meat Eggs Coffee Paper Bones Peels Basically, you can compost anything that comes from the earth, including: Grass clippings Fresh manure (horse, chicken, rabbit, cow) Kitchen scraps Weeds Green leaves Leftover produce from the garden or kitchen Brown, dry leaves Dried grass Cornstalks (shredded) Straw Sawdust (in moderation; see next section) How do I compost? You can compost several different ways. An airtight bucket in the kitchen: Keep the bucket either in your refrigerator or on the countertop. Take it to a composting spot (usually at your farmers? market) each week. Most major cities have composting collection Web sites listed on the Internet. Open compost bin: Choose a designated spot and make a container without a lid for ?green? materials. Allow rainwater and air to accelerate the process of making the compost. This type of bin may attract pests and animals, so many people choose to top their open container with a layer of straw. Closed compost bin: Many people choose to purchase a compost bin, which comes with directions for making successful compost. These are good choices for gardeners, who use the compost to plant and grow their seeds. An online search can help find the one that is right for you. Visit www.howtocompost.org for more information. References and recommended readings Bloom J. American Wasteland. Philadelphia, PA: Da Capo Press; 2010. Bloom J. The food not eaten: food waste. Available at: http://www.culinate.com/articles/features/wasted_food. Accessed January 13, 2011. CompostGuide.com. Why make compost? Available at: http://compostguide.com/. Accessed January 13, 2011. HowToCompost.org. Your compost resource. Available at: http://www.howtocompost.org/. Accessed January 13, 2011. Rathje W. Once and future landfills. National Geographic. 1991;179:116-134. The Garden of Oz. The basics of composting. Available at: http://www.thegardenofoz.org/composting101.asp. Accessed January 13, 2011. Review Date 2/11 G-1512 | |||||
About our Practice | |||||
We offer gentle, safe, natural, chiropractic care centered on the individual needs of each patient. Dr. Tom focuses on pain relief, corrective and preventive care with emphasis on soft tissue techniques. He has incredible knowledge and sense of humor that makes complex information easier to understand. You are able to walk away feeling better with a deeper understanding of your physical well-being. |