My Skin Color Changes In Some Parts

Good "eco-bales"

In a complex society, the problems can not, of course, have complex and that solutions.

on waste data from our officially recognized certification bodies provide that in Tuscany alone in 2009, every citizen has produced 663 kg of waste (one of the highest average among the Italian regions): however, this figure refers only to so-called waste "urban" (for example, are excluded special and hazardous ) or just one quarter of the total waste generated. Currently only 55 of 287 municipalities in the region have reached or exceeded the 45% share of of collection (target 2008) and of these only 9 have already reached the new target of 55% expected by the end 2010. The

landfill Case Passerini is now virtually closed for a year in Florence and municipal waste are transported in the Province of Pisa, Peccioli, and partly in the Province of Arezzo, Terranova Bracciolini.

In this context it is clear that every single project, every little idea, every staff, individual practice time to contribute to the mitigation of the problem "of waste management and production" represents an important step.

E 'starting from this assumption that I decided to talk about the experience of a member of the Friends of the Earth in Florence, Aldo De Luca, who is about two and a half years running a small garden by applying solutions in my opinion deserving of more attention because of all sustainable.

Aldo is recovering and reusing the old bales of jute used by roasters to transport coffee and destination, as we shall see, in most uses.

First, he has created within its own garden space used for the production of compost .

Here the old ballads, combined with the reuse of baskets normally used for the olive harvest constitute an original system to produce humus, which is then recovered fully in place for the production of vegetables .

Composting in its early stages ...

... and the final result.

the baskets for harvesting olives, put on old wooden boards and covered with canvas bags of coffee are used for the collection of all kitchen organic waste, thus fully recovered and subtracted by the collection bins. As you fill a basket, start collecting in the plan later. But this system Aldo has applied the so-called " worm farming." The organic waste deposited in the starting phase of their natural decomposition in the first 6-8 weeks, starting from their third month of decomposition, they are "attacked" by earthworms of the species "Red California " that in addition to complete the stage of deterioration of organic compounds contribute to forming a soil particularly rich in nutrients for plants.

whole process occurs naturally and without external intervention by humans. Once released, about two years ago, the first worms in one of the baskets for the staff, they began to reproduce themselves as alone and spontaneously these worms - able to eat every day twice their body weight and live even up to 16 years - migrate from one box to another.

But the re-use of bales of jute is not limited to this. As illustrated by the images shown here, they are also used as mulches . Aldo started to use them to cover the trenches in his garden facilitating crossings. When he saw that the canvas bags of preventing weed growth and weed decided to apply the bales as mulch obtaining additional benefits.

The cultivation of vegetables has benefited: by using the canvas is no longer necessary to use chemical herbicides, the bales also provide an excellent drainage system for rain water which is better absorbed. In doing so, they halved the water requirements for plants. Use of the Hessian is perfectly sustainable as being a natural product does not pollute and allow more perspiration rather than the normal polyethylene sheet mulching prevents. In addition, the bales preserve the land while avoiding the excessive hardening with the result that the change of season is no longer necessary but will plow hoes just a bit 'in the land surface before proceeding to new plantings.

Over the bales does not grow virtually anything and the little that you check it out easily with the gesture of a hand. What grows under the canvas dry quickly due to lack of light and is absorbed directly from the soil.

sum with the use of these true "eco balls", so nicknamed by Aldo - on the theme that has created a website at this address really interesting - you recover organic material is reused something otherwise destined for landfill, reduces the work of man, it avoids the use of herbicides, you'll save on water and composting is achieved thanks to an excellent fertilizer produced locally and ready for 'use.

addition to the garden Aldo is a kind of lounge where you can safely walk without having to use rubber boots.

bales, being totally made of natural fibers, have a series of limited duration - about a year - after which it must be replaced with new ones.
The filaments that make up the bales still new, once separated, may be used and then reused as a single ties to support the plants. Think about that for a single bale cords 600 can be obtained from 70 cm and 300 one-meter!

Aldo about us, however, an important recommendation: recently started the production of jute bags in mixed nylon and probably more durable and economic than the traditional. The latter are naturally to be avoided because it does not meet the ecological requirements of the original all-natural fabric!

In the garden, lounge-Aldo did not throw anything away and so are also retrieved the old compounds formerly distributed by the City of Florence, some of which are used as containers for tools and seeds and some still used for between the original and the other as the final destination of the plies of jute now in a state of decomposition.

But the result is another best of all: Aldo, at the end of my visit gave me a bag of tomatoes and of course I immediately "consumed" in the evening for dinner with my wife. We are late October and now the season for tomatoes you go running out, yet the color, flavor, product quality, I assure you, it was definitely higher than what we are superbly comfortable with and unfortunately forced to buy in large shopping centers.

Anyone wishing more information can contact directly with Aldo at the following email address: aldo@vereecoballe.it

Michele Salvadori