Erica Daly

I work in a refrigerated section of a grocery and struggle with breathing  in  cold weather if running. Working in refrigeration occasionally troubles me, but not regularly. Wearing a mask more than 40 hours per week, seems to be helping my breathing, even when stressed (hurriedly filling items in the cold, or customers reaching over my head)! People seem to not understand how far six feet really is, nor 3 feet, nor that giving personal space is a sign of respect. Being very sensitive to chemical smells, etc. I want to start coughing when they reach overhead, but am often caught off guard. I did succeed in backing into one guy. My hands get incredibly dry due to opening boxes, touching damp product regularly, washing hands and drying with paper towel. Lotion makes my hands itchy, glycerin also. Plain yogurt seems like a good lotion substitute. I am going to bring a small jar to work and give it a lotion label. At the dentist office, I was given a personal sized sanitizer bottle and asked to use it (had their name  on it) and complied, but they did not mention it when I asked about their protocol. Just mention you would prefer to wash your hands and can bring your own xyz soap, etc upon setting an appointment. That may improve things for both parties, or save you a trip. I know that some people feel they are doing great things to save electricity when they close one of my cooler doors when I am carrying a more than handful from one side of the aisle to another and an elderly lady  tried to close me into the frig cause she did not see me. I got my chance to use my which use more energy question one day...my open door for 10 seconds...or speeding regularly...or 'warming up the car'...or running the car to have the air-conditioner on?  I saw the light bulb go on moment...and he walked away.

It seems that the sunchokes I planted last year attracted the woodchucks to make a home next to them this year. They are at the best place for the most sun in my yard, but I think I will try to make them a border at the edge of the road instead so the woodchucks won't have a place to hide.

I am confused why at least 3 gallons of greywater to flush toilet. Most times I can flush with just a gallon or so, if I lift the bucket high enough and dump it quick enough. Since we have to be hooked up to a septic system and there is only one bathroom, shower water is saved and used for the toilet and watering plants and compost and trees, etc. Even in winter in the Northeast the snow gets watered too. Nutrients are nutrients no matter the season. Even in storms and power outages lasting for days a bucket of pee can be used for flushing the toilet.

my local transfer station had a spot to collect reusable / recyclable fabrics from clothing to sneakers. That is temporarily closed including other recyclables (except cardboard) to protect the workers and permies.So my socks I have a few to become sprouting containers...and perhaps some other clothing may become potato grow sacks.Wool makes me crazy itchy too!

my mismatched socks are often worn to bed to increase warmth. I work in a refrigerated area most days so no one cares what they look like or that they are often mismatched in layers! When they wear out enough they become are used for cleaning - dust, floor, car, etc. Then the compost pile. I was just researching cloth grow bags and think I will try to use them as grow bags for smallish plants.

Starbucks near my home seemed to have a number of people  collecting grounds from that location. It took about 3 weeks to get a 5-gallon bucket full. They did not seem thrilled to have anyone bring in a bucket at all, like it was an extra task to think about. The place I collect from now was hesitant at first, until I mentioned I had 2 brand new buckets with lids and I could give my phone number and email if they changed their mind. They apparently had given away grounds before, but people were not as eager to pick them up after the first few weeks of enthusiasm. I have been collecting for two years now at this shop and it appears there are a few others now as well. I often am given their buckets as well, and return them as promptly as I can, so they always have buckets available to put grounds in. They may have a higher incentive, due to their dumpster access is a bit of a walk with a heavy bucket.They also put in egg shells and the filters and sometimes trimmings from the indoor plants. One of the buckets someone collects has a cute picture on it with flowers and birds. Perhaps a picture or quick grounds to growies description on a bucket...could entice one of them to add grounds to your tub .

I live near a pond and have 1/10 acre with abutters all around. The ground is difficult to dig due to the quantity of rocks, mostly baseball size and smaller. So I composted with leaves mostly and kitchen scraps. I found a local coffee shop for grounds and it helped make my compost piles large enough to heat up. I have been using worms for about 5 years also. Now my soil has improved greatly. I use rainwater exclusively for the plants, but plan to remove my gutters because they are keeping the roofline too moist. My plan is to have potted plants and potted worm mulch below the roofline in addition to smaller rain buckets and barrels in the back. The front yard used to be very flat with no soil life. Now it is a few inches higher with all kinds of critters. One side of the yard is getting there also. I am slowly creating a berm around the perimeter and using plants as a privacy screen and figure that will hold in moisture. I have a well and want to ensure there is always water. In the winter before the snow plows come, I try to shovel as much of it I can into my yard.  This also helps reduce the pile of compressed snow they leave at the edges. My biggest takeaway from others is to continue keeping as much leaves and other material from my property to be incorporated into the soil. I am also a plastic container reuse fanatic. Rain water goes into all sorts of containers to be stored for later use. Much of it in bottles between plants and maybe even covered by mulch. Last year I found a few bottles tucked under some plants...just when I thought I was out.

I have mixed week old ash with coffee grounds, so even  though it is cold, when I toss it outside in the snow it won't just blow away...or blow back at me. It usually goes on the walk way or where I want to darken a pile of snow.

Once upon a time, I tried a 5 gallon bucket with lid in the break room. It took quite some time to fill up, since me and my closest associates added to it. It was in a cabinet, so was relatively undisturbed and people were not grossed out. It was quite a pain to explain to guardians of the doors what I had and why. Because it took so long to fill, it got smelly even for me. Eventually I started taking in an empty quart yogurt or cottage cheese tub and each day put in the coffee grounds (with filter makes it easier), kept it in a cabinet or frig and bring it home each day. So the days I don't work, I don't get any. Since people have asked what I do with them, I tell them and say that I also bring home my apple cores, orange peels, etc. I now am gifted with fruit peels, often in a napkin, paper towel, newspaper or baggie. I keep a separate bag or container for those. I tend to cut up my peels to smaller pieces with scissors while watching videos! This is relatively discreet, and there are a few people I have no interest in taking home anything they touched so this is more easily avoided than a communal bucket. If anyone gives you any 'garbage' about bringing organic waste home...tell them  you are saving them in trash costs and keeping your lunch room from getting smelly or keeping the fly population down in your warm seasons. It couldn't hurt to bring back in a few 'fruits of your labor". I have gifted my compost supporters cherry tomatoes, cukes, strawberries, etc. I am guessing you might grow somethings that are not sold at your place of employment!
Coffee grounds in quantity have helped heat up my compost much better than anything I have tried so far. Just go for it!