Genius Hour Reflection: Getting Started

Like most projects, getting the wheels turning is the hardest part. This was still the case when I officially started my quest for making a No Waste Kitchen.

For the most part, my kitchen is well situated for this goal. I live alone, which helps immensely, but the fact that I just moved into a new apartment allows me to start from scratch.

I have always prided myself on being able to recycle effectively, but composting is something that I have never done well. Obtaining a in-kitchen compost bin was the first step I took.

From past composting en devours, the biggest take-away I could think of was how SMELLY it made my kitchen. I decided that I wanted to get a container that is big enough to hold a good amount of compost material while being able to effectively contain all the smell that goes hand in and with composting.

My In-Kitchen, tight sealing compost bin!

The image above is the container I chose to hold all my compost during this project and hopefully for the foreseeable future! I chose this container for a number or reasons. Firstly, it is a great size, being able to hold 6 liters of liquid. The lid is water tight, ideal for keeping in the stinky by-products of a compost bin. Another great aspect of this bin is that it has a bottom insert that acts as a strainer that will allow any liquid that is created to remain separate from any solids that are in it. Lastly, the container I chose can easily be cleaned after I dump it's contents into my buildings compost bin!

One of the most common items I have been throwing away for years is paper towel. I cringe every time I buy a new pack, it feel's like throwing away money! In order to effectively make my kitchen a no-waste area, I needed to get rid of my paper towel habit and get my hands on some reusable towels.

Two years ago, I worked at  Eco-education facility that tried to be as self sufficient as possible. I remembered that even though they had numerous guests come through, they never bought paper towels. Instead they had what seemed like a infinite number of small rectangular pieces of fabric that served as their towels. I used this idea in combination with my need to get rid of old t-shirts in order to never buy paper towels again.

Making some T-shirt paper towels.

I decided to gather up a bunch of old t-shirts and cut them into small cloths that I can use as napkins and paper towels. Once they are used, I plan on washing them with my bathroom towels and kitchen rags, leaving behind the need to buy paper towels. This idea has been working amazingly and was very, very easy to do! 

Getting started is always hard, but once a project has started to roll it's easy to keep it moving. I have a lot left to do in regards to effectively converting my kitchen. Next step is to find places that I can by my food without any packaging. I also have some questions about what exactly I can and cannot recycle in the city of Hamilton, mainly, what do I do with plastic bags?

Genius Hour Introduction

What is waste exactly? And why should we care about how much we make?

                In the past, environmental conservation was not a popular idea. For the most part, that has changed in the past two decades. Educators have took it upon themselves to teach children about the importance of taking care of our planet, the main argument is that this is our only world, so why wreck it?

                I have always been in love with our home, Earth. From an early age, conservation of energy, water and resources has been a passion of mine. I obtained a BA in Geography and Environmental studies, and I plan on using that knowledge and my passion for conservation throughout my life and especially in the classroom.

                As an future educator, I strongly believe that we can always learn new things, and that we can always better ourselves. I consider myself an environmentalist and conservationist, but I also think I can improve my personal Ecological Footprint . It is with this belief that brought me to my Genius Hour Question:

Can I successfully make my kitchen, a 
No-Waste kitchen?

                To start, I do not think I am wasteful person. I am already an avid recycler which cuts down the amount of garbage I make quite a bit, but I could do better. What I am going to attempt to do through this activity is completely eliminate the need for a garbage can in my kitchen. I will be attempting to re-structure my diet to an extent but also how and where I buy food in a way where the only by-products from the food I consumer will be either put in the recycling bin or the compost bin.

               

I quickly realized that in order to complete this goal, I will automatically need to get:

-            Loads of reusable containers

-             Loads of reusable bags

-           A tight sealing composts bin for inside my kitchen (tight sealing is key, because compost is rather smelly)

-            Cleaning products that do not need to be thrown away

I have also realized there are key parts of how and where I will get my food. I believe my best friend for this assignment will be farmers markets or wholesale locations. I will also need to find a butcher and a baked goods location that will allow me to walk in and give them my own bags to hold the various meats and breads I will consume.

                I am very excited to start this project, but I am just as excited to present my findings in a educational way so that someone could follow in my footsteps very easily.

               

Let’s get started! 

Creative Commons, What is it?

 From the time we could walk and talk, we have been told not to steal. As soon students began to write essays and research papers, they have been instructed to use their original ideas and not to plagiarize. The protection of original thought and original work has been extended throughout the Internet by a new phenomenon of Copy Right and now Creative Commons (CC), designed to protect creators work but also allow them to have their work seen and used by millions.

Silfverberg, M. (2006, May 16). On The Edge: Learning to Use the Mouse. Retrieved from http://bit.ly/2cu3Qxx

Anyone who has ever created anything online, are eligible for a Copy Right for his or her original work. Creative Commons licencing was created to allow people to control how their work is used and distributed online. It gives creators the freedom to circulate their works by their own choosing without having to give permission to each person who wants to use their work.

Initially, it may give the impression to many that CC allows anyone to use your product once you obtain a CC licence, but that is not so. The most important thing to remember when dealing with CC, especially for students and educators, is that making your work a part of CC is not giving up ownership of your work, it is instead a way that you can easily refine its use and distribution. 

Tulane Public Relations. (2010, November 8). Students Using Computers at Howard-Tilton Library. Retrieved from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Howard_Tilton_Library_Computers_2010.jpg

Welcome

Welcome!

My name is Mr Primeau and this blog is designed to educate you about what I find interesting, and hopefully you will too! My passions include but are not limited to environmental education, modern history, sports, DIY's and music. I believe education is one of the most important aspects of anyone's lives, and that we should never stop learning.

So let's not stop learning together :)

Below is a link to AnswerGarden.com, which is a great "brain-storming" tool one can use in order to organize their thoughts.

https://answergarden.ch/