[EcoDharma]: Ideas for Living Sustainably

[Doshin]

The concept for this Thread is to share ideas of how we as individuals can live our lives to lessen our impact on the Earth and enrich it with our actions.

This is a place for all of our Sangha to share ideas so please do.

Doshin
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[Doshin]

Idea #1

POLLINATORS

Pollinators are critical to the continuance of biodiversity. They come in all types around the world. For example a large variety of insects ( not just bees!), birds, mammals and even lizards pollinate plants as they feed. Pollinators have declined in numbers due to habitat loss, pesticides and climate change.

We can help them out by providing habitat in our yards where they can go through their life cycle or even just drop in for a meal. This is not only helpful to pollinators but soothing for us as we enjoy the beauty of flowers and other plants. Selecting native species of plants is a good start since they are what the pollinator species in your area evolved with. You can determine which species to plant by contacting a Native Plant Society if there is one in your area or a plant nursery that is knowledgeable about native species.

Doshin
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[Meian]

Hi Doshin

Thsnknyou so much for this thread. I try to work on this, but have not found resources that are feasible or accessible to me yet. However, the pollinator habitat (or we call it a butterfly garden) is something we've been working on, and we get a good amount of bees and butterflies to the garden. I banned the use of pesticides and harsh chemicals in our yard, and am working on the same in our home. Have been switching to vinegar, baking soda, and plant-based cleansers instead of chemical-based sprays. As in stiff I can make easily at home. Laundry detergent is not as easy for me to change -- it's expensive, and home-based versions seem just as toxic. For now I'm settling on "free & clear" options, and using cold water as much as possible.

For cleaners (to keep toxins out of the water), I'd love suggestions on natural, easy-to-make cleaners at home -- that can handle a family of four or five, plus five animals. �� Apologies for any typos.

Gassho2 stlh

[Tai Do]

Hi Meaian, I can relate to your problems. I have a lot of mixed feelings about how to keep harmful invasive insects (specially cockroaches) outside my house without harming the helpful native pollinators. I stopped using chemical insect poisons here at home four years ago, but the unfortunate result is that now we have an infestation of cockroaches (the city sewer system is infested with cockroaches) and the inevitable poisonous spiders and scorpions that come after them (Brazil is home to the deadly armadeira spider that I saw sometimes here in my house). Until now my method to get rid of them has been the mechanical quick step, but the number of cockroaches keep increasing to the point now that we kill at least 5 or 6 per day and a greater number escapes. I don't like to kill insects, but they are being not only a nuisance, but a healthy issue for my kids and pets. Does anybody have a suggestion on how to deal with cockroaches without harming other insects, especially pollinators?
Gassho,
Mateus
Satlah

[Ryumon]

Have you tried sprinkling boric acid to get rid of cockroaches? This is what I used back in the day when I lived in NYC.

Gassho,

Ryūmon (Kirk)

sat

[Tai Do]

Hi, Ryumon; I haven't yet.
I'll take a look at it then.
Thanks a lot.
Gassho,
Mateus
Satlah

[Doshin]

Is boric acid safe with pets and people?

I have not used pesticides outside in a long time because the natives I planted did not need it. However, my wife would often spend hours picking beetle and caterpillars off her vegetable garden. More work than I wanted to do but she wanted her vegetables


Doshin
St

[Kokuu]

Hi all

Whereas I agree with Doshin that native plants are always best to use, I also don't have a problem with using some common garden plants to help butterflies and other pollinators. This is a decent list from a butterfly conservation organisation: https://butterfly-conservation.org/h...or-butterflies

Insects are declining hugely at the moment and anything we can do to help them is really useful (https://www.theguardian.com/environm...k-survey-finds). Insect-plant interactions are massively important in the functioning of both natural and made-made ecosystems.

As far as natural cleaning goes, this is a book I like a lot, although mostly I buy environmental cleaning products rather than making them myself: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/...e_Clean_Planet

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday-

[Tairin]

Plants, animals, and insects don’t think they are invasive. They are just existing. I suspect that the pandora box is open now and any attempts by us humans to remove non-native beings will inevitably harm those that are native. I feel best approach is to not compound the problem and to try to limit more non-native introductions.

In terms of contributing ideas to this thread …. Composting is a big one. I have built a decent sized composter in the backyard and we compost food scraps, garden waste, leaves etc. We are very meat reduced so pretty much all our scrap can be composted. Yes meat scraps can be composted too but it is a bit more problematic.

Good thread idea


Tairin
Sat today and lah

[Doshin]

Plants, animals, and insects don’t think they are invasive. They are just existing. I suspect that the pandora box is open now and any attempts by us humans to remove non-native beings will inevitably harm those that are native. I feel best approach is to not compound the problem and to try to limit more non-native introductions.

In terms of contributing ideas to this thread …. Composting is a big one. I have built a decent sized composter in the backyard and we compost food scraps, garden waste, leaves etc. We are very meat reduced so pretty much all our scrap can be composted. Yes meat scraps can be composted too but it is a bit more problematic.

Good thread idea


Tairin
Sat today and lah

IDEA 2

Composting


Tarin maybe you could give some suggestions on how you do composting and what you use the compost for

Thank you

Doshin
St

[Tairin]

Tairin maybe you could give some suggestions on how you do composting and what you use the compost for

There are many many resources on the web related to composting.

Both my grandfathers composted, so did my parents. When I got my own house composting was just a natural thing to do. I set myself up similarly. Compost bin at the back of the yard away from the house. This is pretty common sense since an open compost bin will attract animals and bugs that you’ll want to keep away from the home. I don’t mind sharing what’s in the compost with them. For the most part they are simply helping break down the material.

We compost all food scraps except meat but since we have a meat reduced diet that isn’t much meat waste. I also compost leaves, plants, and my vegetable garden in the fall. I occasionally throw a spade or two of dirt into the compost just to help things along.

I live in Canada and in the winter the compost pile freezes but once we start to thaw I’ll turn the material occasionally. Come mid-May I will clear out the mostly composted material and spread it on my vegetable garden plot before planting my vegetables for the year.

After 22 years in the house, the dirt in my vegetable garden is very organic and loamy.

That’s about it. It really is simple and so easy to avoid just throwing food into the trash.

I hope that is helpful


Tairin
Sat today and lah