CHOOSING SUSTAINABILITY

One Step at a Time

article by Vanelis Rivera

As if reviving Henry David Thoreau’s vision of self-reliance, Americans are currently turning away from commercial providers and shifting their gaze to their own backyards. Having experienced what shortages can look like amid a pandemic, many are exploring sustainable living practices that not only allow them to rely on their own resources, but also reduce impact on Earth’s natural resources by altering lifestyle methods. What’s commonly called “earth harmony living” may seem like a trend, but it’s increasingly becoming a cultural revolution. With the assistance of local experts, BayouLife offers these sustainable living “first steps” that can ensure our state’s natural resources remain healthy and thriving.

Say No To Single-Use Plastic
Heather Land, modern-day home and lifestyle maker, advises “Just say no to plastic!” Of course, easier said than done. Plastic has been hailed as a genius invention due to its convenience, versatility, and low cost. It’s also non-biodegradable, meaning, like cockroaches, it’ll most likely be here until the end of time (unless we do something about it now). If you don’t believe there’s a plastic problem, then you should probably visit your local landfill. “It just breaks my heart,” says Land who has witnessed the scourge of piles upon piles of plastic waste. Land knew she needed to make a change in her waste management when she realized she was taking out the garbage one to two times a day. “If we are producing this much trash,” implores Land, “think of other families that have more people or are not even conscious of it and then multiply that.” In order to examine how much she could reduce, she simply looked at items she was throwing away that could be either recycled or reused–soap containers, milk jugs, cardboard boxes, and food waste. “That’s one to two trash bags of recyclable materials,” she says.

When it comes to single-use plastic, bottled water takes the cake. But with an increase in awareness of its environmental impact, more and more people are turning to alternate sources for drinking water:

• If you want to get serious, go the Land way and purchase a whole-house filtering system. Though the most expensive option, it boasts the most benefits. Clean filtered water from every water source in the house can mean healthier showers and baths, extended life of water using appliances and household pipes, brighter and longer lasting clothing, and healthier skin and hair, free of contaminants.

• Less pricey, but still quite an investment are carbon filters. These filters are installed under the sink and only need replacing every three to twelve months.

• The most popular and economic filtration systems are tap filters or filtered-water pitchers. If you go this route, make sure the company you purchase from has a recycling program. For instance, Brita has partnered with TerraCycle® to recycle their filters.

• Some spring water delivery systems use glass jugs, like The Mountain Valley Spring brand.

• If you live in an area where wells are plentiful, you may want to take advantage of access. However, before drinking, take important steps to make sure your well water is suitable for drinking by testing for bacteria, nitrates, and pH levels. There are also filtration systems available.

For a portable alternative, Land suggests purchasing a glass bottle to fill before leaving the house. Many have already opted for the popular stainless steel canisters, but Land points out “there’s something so clean about glass, especially in the heat of the summer.” So many people leave individual plastic bottles in their car or cases sitting in their garage while the Louisiana heat leeches the chemicals from plastic into your water. Some huge benefits to glass (even for baby bottles) are that it’s easier to clean compared to plastic, can be sterilized quickly in boiling water, and is readily recyclable (depending on your area). If you’re like Land and can’t stand to throw away your glass bottles, you may want to explore glass-cutting. Recently, Land turned her “Topo Chico problem” into a use-reuse-recycle project, turning 12 oz. bottles into perfect “juice/kombucha-size” glasses. Ideally, Land hopes companies will eventually go back to the glass bottle system where they would take back bottles after use. Until then, she takes her glass container to establishments, instead of using their plastic, paper, or styrofoam containers.

Quick Fixes:

• Invest in grocery tote bags instead of using plastic bags from the grocery store. Land uses 2-3 bags for a buggy full of groceries.

• Avoid using straws! Though some restaurants in town are offering eco options, you can also purchase aluminum straws you can carry on the go.

• Each member of Land’s family has their own bamboo flatware roll they take when eating away from home to avoid using plastic utensils.

• Invest in real dishes and napkins or reusable washcloths instead of paper towels and paper napkins.

• Use cloth coffee filters and/or recyclable ones that can actually decompose.

• Wool dryer balls with essential oil work just as well as dryer sheets.

• Avoid buying single-serve snacks. It’s just plastic inside of plastic.

• Consider alternative food storage options like beeswax wraps for leftovers.

Turn Your Yard Into A Produce Aisle

One of the most common misconceptions Donna Isaacs and Waylon Breaux from DeLa Terre Farm encounter from those wanting to begin a home garden is not having enough space. “You would be surprised at what your production is going to be even in a small yard,” says Breaux who recommends measuring your space using random empty containers and setting them in rows to eyeball available space. Still skeptical? You don’t have to unearth your garden to grow. “A lot of things can be grown in containers,” says Breaux, particularly herbs. If you don’t want to grow from seed, then purchase plants from your local seed or feed store and repot. For the rest of the year, you won’t have to buy herbs because they grow so well. “There’s nothing like fresh picked herbs,” chimes in Isaacs. A few veggies that grow well in a single pot include peppers, tomatoes, and some beans. “As long as the container is able to drain and it’s the right size, “you’re good to go,” says Breaux.

For those willing to get dirty, Isaacs recommends following the Mel Bartholomew method of planting in a square foot. Clear a full day for this fun project:

• Start with a 12 foot long, 4 foot wide area, and cover it with corrugated cardboard (avoid cardboard with plastic seals).

• If you have a friend with a farm, “help them clean their stable,” chuckles Isaac. In other words, get bucket loads of manure and pile it on the cardboard. You’ll want it to be 6 inches deep. Make sure there is still cardboard extending 10 inches around the bed, so that you’re not filling the whole piece of cardboard. “The reason for that is the grass will start growing into your garden and that would make it challenging,” says Isaacs.

• Mound up all the manure, which is “instant, amazing fertilizer” and cover it with several layers of newspaper. “This is your instantaneous weed protection,” says Isaacs.

• Grid your garden bed into square foot blocks, then begin to plant or transplant. Even though it’s a small space, you can actually grow quite a bit of food in that area. For example, you can actually plant 16 carrots, or 4 lettuce plants, or 9 turnips per square. Mel Bartholomew’s guide offers information on how much to plant in a square foot.

In Louisiana, you can generally grow year-round, but it’s important to identify the crops that are heat tolerant and those that prefer cooler temperatures. Isaacs recommends consulting the LSU Ag Center vegetable guide for planting dates and crop spacing information. Thankfully, there are many crops that can be grown during the warm summer months, such as tomatoes, sweet or hot peppers, peas, beans, and cucumbers. Keep in mind that some plants require more care than others. Once fall brings in cool breezes, consider planting carrots, mustard greens, turnips, beets, radishes, and Brussel sprouts. When choosing what to grow Isaac says it’s as simple as knowing what you love to eat. “You’re not just planting a garden. You’re doing your own backyard grocery shopping,” says Breaux.

Growing Hacks

Lettuce
Plant this favorite leafy green under a tree or where it can get some shade and make sure to provide a lot of water. Isaacs recommends choosing a loose-leaf lettuce you can keep eating from whenever you desire a salad or need to dress a sandwich. “You don’t need a whole lot to feed yourself,” she says.

Tomatoes
If you really want variety, consider planting a slicing tomato, plum tomato, and a cherry tomato. They do need some support, but instead of going to the store to buy a tomato cage with three rings, Isaacs encourages repurposing an old 4 feet tall fence. Simply roll it into a circle, and pop it right over your tomato plant.

Garlic
Go to the store, buy the whole clove, break out each peg, and plant them with the shell around it. Garlic grows best around October to November and, though it takes a while to grow, once the sprouts appear, it takes care of itself.

“If you start small, you’ll make it easier for yourself,” attests Isaacs. With maintenance that requires no more than an hour of weeding and watering per week, starting a home garden is a gift to yourself and the planet.

Feed Soil with Food Scraps

Having children made Lissy Sanders Compton, co-owner at Mr P’s Tees, begin to think about the kind of world she wanted them to grow up in. For Compton, sustainability means not wasting, and one of the ways her family reduces waste is putting their food scraps to powerful use by composting. She has bowls set up in her house for remnants of meals that either go to their chickens or their compost pile. They dump “everything” into the pile: vegetable scraps, egg shells, branches, leaves, fish heads, crawfish tails, and even dryer lint, though Compton does not recommend using dairy or meat-based products, as the sour smell can attract wild animals. Compton’s husband built their compost pile using three-sided wood pallets, but a trash can with drilled holes all over the body can also work (air plays an important role in your compost, so make sure your pile can breathe).

Besides diminishing waste, saving your food scraps for a compost pile also helps turn dirt into soil, helping nature “do her thing.” The key to a usable pile is making sure you have as much brown material (dry leaves and/or branches) as you do food waste. “If it stinks, there is a problem. You’re out of balance,” says Compton, adding “It should smell earthy.” After about six months from starting your first pile, it should look like dirt and be ready to use for sprinkling into your flower or vegetable beds, raking into tree beds, or blending with potting soil. Upkeep is simple: sprinkle with water and turn.

Not planning to compost? You can still save your food scraps for neighbors or local farms that are composting.Compton got twenty-one families in her neighborhood to collect compost for her. Every Sunday evening she gathers their buckets, and leaves a fresh one for the next week. “They say it has definitely made them more aware about what they’ve been eating and not eating,” Compton reports.

“The most sustainable lifestyle was presented to us at the beginning of the Bible with Adam and Eve in the garden,” says Isaacs. “It’s just caring for the planet that we’re living on and doing it in a way that would make Mother Nature proud.” Though sustainable living is a modern term, it’s not a novel practice. Our grandparents and their parents lived close to the earth. Switching to a conservation mindset doesn’t just honor the place we call home, it recalls and honors their way of life. By following these practices, we also honor future generations. We honor creation. We honor life.

Learn more about DeLa Terre Farm by visiting their website: https://www.delaterrefarm.com/. If you are planning a garden, give Mel Bartholomew’s Beginner’s Guide a read: http://www.melbartholomew.com/. Follow Heather Land and her projects on Instagram: @heathersuez. And learn more about Lissy Sanders Compton’s farm journey on her blog: http://comptonfarms