Monday Morning

Kitchen green bin with curbside bin

Another Monday morning and the ecology center trucks are rumbling around my neighborhood collecting compost and plant debris from this week's composting and gardening activity. Pictured at left is my kitchen green bin emptying its contents into the large curbside bin. All the recycling bins are stashed near the street ready for pickup. Below is a closeup of the colorful contents of my curbside bin following the last deposit of roughage: a colorful still-life of repasts enjoyed and detritus shared with my green bin. Notice the wine cork,   a recent entry into green bindom when I am too lazy to trek to Kermit Lynch's wine shop where they would be recycled . No more corks in the garbage! One more step to zero waste..

Here you see a typical selection of early spring compost: orange rinds, aging kale, broccoli and spring onion leftovers and leaves of the now ubiquitous strawberry peeking out. YUM ! Usually I steam my broccoli crowns and tender stalks, organic of course, in my favorite all-clad steamer. My green bin gets only the tough, dry lower stalks. But this specimen was definitely "compost ready" as my sister would say, so green bin enjoyed the whole  package; broccoli florets and all. No need for a recipe here since I prefer  broccoli simply steamed and sprinkled with sea salt rather than any rich preparation. I don't think it even needs butter if the vegetable is fresh, vibrant and organic like my favorites from Full Belly Farm at the farmer's market right now.  Oh, and at bottom far right you can spot the carton from a scoop of cardamom rose ice cream enjoyed at the Tuesday farmers market, served in a paper cup , transported home to be composted. The reappearance of the "Ici" ice cream stand definitely confirms spring's arrival. Whenever they offer a flavor with rose or cardamom or marsala, I can't resist.

That's it for this week's compostable contribution. Soon I'll have to find out where Berkeley's green  waste actually goes when it is picked up in those noisy trucks. Since I don't garden, all mine goes in my trusty green bin. We're working together for fun and a healthier planet.

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