Happy Crush a Can Day! Lord knows where that one came from.... My guess would be that some dirt-lovin' tree-huggin' liberal (for which I do qualify) on a save-the-planet kick (again, me) initiated this faux holiday a few years back. Either that or Hallmark has gone off the deep end...
I have a buddy who insists that "Gore-bal warming" (as he calls it) is completely manufactured, and that the current trend in climate change is simply part of a natural cycle. As far as I can tell, not being a scientist or climatologist, and unable to collect my own evidence first-hand, he may be right. I think it is entirely possible that our little planet may undergo such cycles of warming and cooling. I also believe, as logic dictates, that there is only a limited amount of planet available to us- only a given quantity of natural resources (including atmosphere) to go around, and that we'd be better off at least considering the possibility that we may be using it up faster than it can replace itself- unless, of course, a whole bunch of us get killed off by one of those natural cycles my friends professes to believe in.. And for that reason alone, I am able to justify adopting a green attitude and lifestyle. (The attitude I got, the lifestyle I continue to develop. I am still having to drive a big old gas-guzzling Jeep Grand Cherokee, having had to part with my other vehicle, a little Z3 Roadster (25-27 mpg), which I used for most of my driving. But the insurance was too expensive, and it was a little hard to haul compost and musical equipment in it, so of the two, the Beamer had to go.)
So, now that we have embarked on a somewhat green theme, let me say a few words about composting.... When I purchased my building in downtown Atlanta, it was occupied by a "storefront urban evangelical church", and landscaping had NOT been an ecclesiastical priority with those folks. The building was completely surrounded by a paved concrete pad, which, as it turned out, I was obliged to leave intact. My immediate neighbor to the right (notice the cinderblock wall in photo number 1 below) has a floor slab that is around 18 inches below the level of my parking slab, so any areas I took out adjacent to his building would certainly have leaked rainwater into his building. Consequently, all of the planters you see in the photos are built up on the surface of my parking area. In the process of renovating the building, I scraped all of the existing roofing off (dried tar and gravel) into a big pile in the corner of what became the big planted area you see to the right (again photo #1). That stuff became the bottom layer in all the planters- it drains quite well. To build up the planters I initially purchased some planting medium and bagged compost, although I feel like a fool paying good money for dirt. Thus I became a serious composter, and have for twelve years now relied on my compost bin to produce high-quality dirt, while cutting down on the amount of stuff I contribute to the local landfills. I keep a small compost bin in my kitchen, into which I deposit extraneous vegetative matter and tons of coffee grounds (nasty, for sure, but worms love 'em), to be transferred when full to the big green outdoor compost bin I got at Home Depot for under a hundred bucks. I also keep a bale of wheat straw next to the bin, adding a handful every time I empty the kitchen leavings. It provides me with abundant quantities of rich wormy brown stuff that I am not required to purchase or haul anywhere (except across the compound). You can build your own bin, too, out of chicken wire and scrap lumber or busted-up furniture, if you're desperate and don't have a neighbor's fence you can tear down. I'd post another website about composting, but I'm sure you can find your own. If you still feel helpless, I have previously posted a couple of sites under Construction/Remodeling in the right-hand sidebar, which should serve to enlighten you.
Below are a few photos of the lush little compound I have been able to fashion where there was previously not a stick of green to be seen. Please excuse the clutter in the pix- I have been so focused on this blog that I'm afraid I have been neglecting the garden. I do hope you appreciate the sacrifice.
