Tag: embodied carbon
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Quick share
I’m in the middle of something big and exciting and so of course not publishing for the last couple of weeks… it’s coming, I just haven’t had time to edit. So wait for that–there will be a big announcement by the end of the month. I wanted to share this research because it underscores that…
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Planetary boundaries and habitat gardening: soil and carbon
I said in my last post that I would write a series to tackle the links between gardening/landscaping practices and planetary boundaries, with recommendations on how to shift your practices. This is the first such post, with recommendations specifically related to gardening-related CO2 emissions and climate change. (CO2 is just one greenhouse gas, and others…
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Dipping Back In
It’s been a hot minute since I last wrote a blog post. Why? Life. Introspection. I didn’t want to write and publish just for the sake of it. I think I’m ready to share what I’ve been thinking and doing in the 21 months since my last blog post. First and foremost, yes, I’ve been…
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Failures and Victories, Part 4: Fences
I really hesitate to write some of these posts, because I don’t really like to advertise where my judgment has gone wrong. However, reflecting on what I’d do differently helps my future choices. Previous posts cover hardscape; beds, berms, and swales; and living mulch. Today’s pondering hits a little differently, however… fences are just challenging,…
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Failures and Victories, Part 2: Beds, Berms, Swales
Last week, I started a series on gardening failures and victories in our own yard, starting with hardscape. I hesitated a bit writing this week’s, because it goes against what seems to be conventional wisdom about how to garden. But here it goes. And be aware… this is very much written for my context: dry,…
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Failures and Victories, Part 1: Hardscape
In reflecting on my home landscape, I think about some things I am glad I’ve done as well as some choices I regret. I’ll start a little series on my thoughts. The first is hardscaping. Our victories: ribbon driveway, permeable reused paver patio, reused bench. Our failures: boulders and decomposed granite pathways. The first thing…
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What are all those leaf bags about? Part 4: making leaf mold.
I will have more to say later about leaves, leaf mold, and composting, but let’s end this little series with a post I wrote for Cool Boulder about a year ago. Skip the Yard Bag and Give Leaf Mold a Go—It’s Worth the Effort! Many City of Boulder residents are befuddled by the change in…
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What are all those leaf bags about? Part 2: quality.
This is the second post in a series explaining why I have 50 leaf bags in front of my house. If you missed the first post about the financial angle, check it out here. The costs that I gave for compost last week were for the cheapest stuff out there. If you’re growing things, you…
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What are all those leaf bags about? Part 1: show me the money.
Anyone walking by our home can see a stacked row of kraft yard waste bags against the north side. Recently, an entrepreneurial fellow stopped by to ask if we would like to pay him to haul them away. Maybe now is a good time to start to explain. I am a master composter. I studied…
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The Problem with Landscape Fabric
Weeds are a problem. (Clearly I know this–I have visible weeds and am often visibly weeding.) However, landscape fabric is not the solution. This “fabric” as used in the residential landscape is usually spun polypropylene, a petroleum product which will never decompose. It is often laid over bare soil or over undesired landscaping treated with…
