Archives by month: September, 2007
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September 20th, 2007
Posted by Alex Payson at 10:06 am
In the last two weeks I have covered joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), and then building a backyard grill with which to cook your awesome local foods.
Today I will cover what you can do with the food scraps or produce that occasionally goes bad before you can use it.
Home composting varies from the simple (an open pile of scraps mixed with leaves/grass/mulch) to multi-compartment insulated bins that retain the heat and allow easy turning and rotation of the compost.
Personally I have opted for a large black plastic compost bin. It has vents on the side for aeration, a lid on the top, and the black color helps heat the contents (increasing the heat and oxygen flow to your compost will speed the rate at which your compost will biodegrade back into nutrient-rich soil).
Here in Rhode Island you can buy one of these home compost bins at a discounted price (about $50) at the state recycling center in Johnston.
As far as what you can add to your compost pile- anything organic will compost. That said, many people do not recommend adding meat/fat to your compost as it can increase the odor output and in certain areas attract pests. You want to mix in layers of food scraps with leaves or other mulch- most guides advise to add a bit more mulch than food scraps for optimal composting.
Depending on the size and heat reached in your compost pile the contents can completely compost in anywhere from a few months to a year or two. Turning your compost to oxygenate it as well as increasing the heat of the pile are the main methods to promote rapid decomposition.
Once the composting has finished, you will have some of the best organic fertilizer for your garden or lawn you can get.
Happy composting!
Posted in General news, Our causes | 
2 Comments »
September 19th, 2007
Posted by Drew at 12:01 am
Too funny for words:
The defendant in a state senator’s lawsuit is accused of causing untold death and horror and threatening to cause more still. He can be sued in Douglas County, the legislator claims, because He’s everywhere.
State Sen. Ernie Chambers sued God last week. Angered by another lawsuit he considers frivolous, Chambers says he’s trying to make the point that anybody can file a lawsuit against anybody.
Chambers says in his lawsuit that God has made terroristic threats against the senator and his constituents, inspired fear and caused “widespread death, destruction and terrorization of millions upon millions of the Earth’s inhabitants.”
Read the rest of the article here.
Posted in General news, News round-up, Politics, Humor | No Comments »
September 14th, 2007
Posted by Bridie at 12:24 pm
Last night, Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) rebuked Bush’s so-called “new Iraq strategy” as completely lacking in new-ness/ strategy.
Here’s the transcript:
Good evening.
I’m Senator Jack Reed from Rhode Island, and I was privileged to serve in the United States Army for 12 years.
I opposed the war in Iraq from the beginning. It was a flawed strategy that diverted attention and resources away from hunting down Osama bin Laden’s terrorist network. And since then, too often, the President’s Iraq policies have worsened America’s security. Hundreds of billions have been spent. Our military is strained. Over 27,000 Americans have been wounded, and over 3,700 of our best and brightest have been killed.
Tonight, a nation eager for change in Iraq heard the President speak about his plans for the future. But once again, the President failed to provide either a plan to successfully end the war or a convincing rationale to continue it. The President rightfully invoked the valor of our troops in his speech, but his plan does not amount to real change. Soldiers take a solemn oath to protect our nation, and we have a solemn responsibility to send them into battle only with clear and achievable missions.
Tonight, the President provided neither.
As a former Army officer, I know the great sacrifices our soldiers and their families make. Our military can defeat any foe on the battlefield. Yet, as General Petraeus has repeatedly stated, Iraq’s fundamental problems are not military, they are political. The only way to create a lasting peace in Iraq is for Iraqi leaders to negotiate a settlement of their long-standing differences.
When the President launched the “surge” in January, he told us that its purpose was to provide Iraqi leaders with the time to make that political progress. But now, nine months into the surge, the President’s own advisers tell us that Iraq’s leaders have not, and are not likely to do so. Meanwhile, thousands of brave Americans remain in the crossfire of another country’s civil war.
So tonight, we find ourselves at a critical moment.
Do we continue to heed the President’s call that all Iraq needs is more time, more money, and the indefinite presence of 130,000 American troops — the same number as nine months ago? Or do we follow what is in our nation’s best interest and redefine our mission in Iraq?
Democrats believe it is time to change course. We think it’s wrong that the President tells us there’s not enough money for our veterans and children’s health care because he is spending $10 billion a month in Iraq. We have put forth a plan to responsibly and rapidly begin a reduction of our troops. Our proposal can not erase the mistakes of the last four and a half years, but we can chart a better way forward.
That is why our plan focuses on counter-terrorism and training the Iraqi army. It engages in diplomacy to bring warring factions to the table and addresses regional issues that inflame the situation. It begins a responsible and rapid redeployment of our troops out of Iraq. And it returns our focus to those who seek to do us harm: Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups.
An endless and unlimited military presence in Iraq is not an option. Democrats and Republicans in Congress and throughout the nation can not and must not stand idly by while our interests throughout the world are undermined and our Armed Forces are stretched toward the breaking point.
We intend to exercise our Constitutional duties and profoundly change our military involvement in Iraq. We ask Americans of good will of whatever party to join with us in this historic effort to restore the strength and security of the United States. I urge the President to listen to the American people and work with Congress to start bringing our troops home and develop a new policy that is truly worthy of their sacrifices.
Thank you.
Posted in General news, Politics | No Comments »
September 13th, 2007
Posted by Alex Payson at 9:43 am
Last week I wrote about joining a CSA and the incredible bounty of fresh, local produce that it provides.
Today I will cover one option for cooking up those veggies (or meat/fish/anything else) that may be filling your fridge.
For those with any sort of backyard, large driveway, or any sort of open space outside, you can build your own grill on a very limited budget. (As a free alternative, most people probably already have all the materials needed to build a grill lying around.) The grill I describe below is the most basic design- you can increase the size or shape as needed as this grill is completely freestanding and can be disassembled and put back together in a matter of minutes.
Materials Needed
~40 standard size bricks (or fewer larger bricks/cinderblocks)
2 large slabs of concrete or sheets of metal at least 20″x25″
1 grilling grate
You can buy all the materials needed new from Home Depot or Lowe’s for ~$40.
The grilling grate itself costs about $10, the bricks will run ~$15, and the concrete slabs will be ~$15.
To assemble your grill.
1) Make sure you have a clear area at least 5′x5′ with no buildings/branches overhead that could be damaged by the heat.
2) lay down one concrete slab for the floor of the grill (These slabs can be quite heavy so you may want a friend to help).
3) The left and right walls can be built with 15 bricks on each side. For the right wall, place a layer of 6 bricks on the right hand edge of the slab- two wide and three long, standing on their long side. Repeat this with a second layer of bricks. The third layer is a single row of three bricks again standing on their long side, stretching from the front to the rear of the grill, flush with the right row of bricks. (The grill grate will rest on top of the second layer of bricks).
4) Duplicate this for the left wall.
5) The rear wall can be built with bricks placed 2 layers high, in a single row. You will not want to fill in the third layer as that allows the smoke to escape from the rear.
6) Place the slab very carefully on top of the walls- the slab is heavy, and once it is in place it will hold the grill together with its own wieght.
7) Now you place the grill grate in the cavity- resting the left and right sides on the second row of bricks.
At this point you have your homemade grill completed!
I power my backyard grill with charcoal, or even branches from my yard when I have enough.
Good luck and safe grilling!
Posted in General news, Personal | No Comments »
September 10th, 2007
Posted by Bridie at 12:32 pm
Jatropha, a plant that can grow in nearly barren terrain, is being hailed as a potentially ideal biofuel.
Read more
Posted in General news | No Comments »
September 5th, 2007
Posted by Alex Payson at 9:48 am
This post marks the beginning of a series of blogs on some of the ways I try to be more eco-friendly (or earth conscious, green-minded, or whatever else you wish to call the effort to live a life that has less of a negative impact on the world).
A CSA (Community-Supported Agriculture) is a system in which a consumer purchases a share of a farm’s produce for the upcoming growing season. This provides the farmer with a guaranteed income for the growing season, and also lets them know in advance how much to produce of each crop. For the consumer, it means you get fresh produce, locally grown, every week from spring to fall. Weekly shares vary depending on what is available and in season.
This year I joined Ledge Ends CSA. Located in East Greenwich, RI they are also certified organic and have a weekly pickup spot right in Providence. This allows me to have locally grown, organic produce for 20 weeks (the length of Ledge Ends CSA season) that I can pick up five minutes from Blue State Coffee.
The quality is amazing, and getting to have that personal connection every week with the people growing your food is incredibly satisfying. Probably the most challenging part of joining a CSA is trying to actually eat the bounty that arrives each week before the next share! A weekly newsletter supplies recipes related to the produce of the week and gives tips on storing and preserving the generous share.
To find a CSA near you check out this national listing compiled by Wilson College- you can search by state, zip code, or farm name.
Happy eating!
Posted in General news, Our causes | No Comments »
September 1st, 2007
Posted by Drew at 2:14 am
Web journalist Dan Haggerty of WPRI.com produced a video report about us, including interviews with me and some of our customers. Visit his page to check out the story!
Posted in General news, Blue State Coffee news, BSC in the press, Stores, Providence/Thayer St Store | No Comments »
