Celebrating Earth Month

Rhianne is a rockstar! She took over our 21 Acres’ Instagram page throughout April to celebrate Earth Month. Her posts were engaging and highly informative — providing education in a virtual world. They were so interesting we captured them here so we could enjoy them throughout the year.

 

April 1 – Take action for the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day, IG

 

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Hi everyone, and happy April! My name is Rhianne, 21 Acres Administrative Assistant and Front Desk associate. While I’m usually greeting guests and connecting with community about sustainable living in person, I’ll be connecting with you virtually this month to raise awareness for the 50th anniversary of #earthday! We’ll be featuring actions taken locally by 21 Acres staff and community, as well as world-wide to see what’s being done to help reclaim our power as earth activists. Stay tuned, stay healthy, and stay supported through this turbulent time! Lucky and Skippy wanted to say hello, too. ??#21acresdaystoearthday #Earthday2020 #21daysuntilearthday #21acres #farming #climateaction #climatescience #greenenergy #renewableenergy #supportlocal #localfarmers #earthdayeveryday #earthdayourway #earthdaynw #earthdaynetwork #earthmonth2020 #next5 #bettertomorrow #planet #earth #sustainabillity #woodinvillewa #soilscience #environment #earthdaynetwork #protectourplan #21daystoearthday

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April 2 – It’s easy to grow your own food, IG

 

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Rhianne here- REPOST, the video got cut short! I’m sharing my #EarthAction: practicing regenerative home gardening. By growing your own food or supporting local farmers, you help reduce the need for shipping produce and ingredients world-wide. You reduce GHG emissions, pollution from refrigerants, transportation, and packaging! ? Regenerative planting practices like mulching, composting, and planting native species helps soil retain water and sequester carbon from the atmosphere, among providing many other soil (and human health) related benefits. ♻️ I am fortunate to have an outdoor space for #regenerativegardening, but we’re planting indoors, too. Herbs are growing in my kitchen window, hopefully saving a trip to the store and avoiding purchasing herbs sold in plastic packaging! If you’re gardening this year, what are you most excited to plant? Comment below with your plans! ???

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April 4 – Community leaders in regenerative farming, IG

 

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Rhianne here! With a message about teamwork. (Also, say hi to Krystal, our volunteer coordinator in the field!) ? I'm always inspired when I see a team effort between Mother Earth and ourselves as we co-exist. While Earth shows her resiliency as we sequester, lie low and stay safe, she puts forth welcome spring blooms seeming to thank us as GHG emissions lower. Practicing #Regenerativeagriculture is one of the many ways 21 Acres participates to address #climatechange , and we understand that people and our labor are essential to regenerative agriculture, labor is essential for everything! Through this COVID-19 pandemic, many people continue to perform intense work to feed our communities locally and worldwide, who still need protection and should be honored and valued always. We keep them in mind, honor their collaborative work with Mother Earth, and put forth a message of solidarity to all who are working in the fields. We encourage everyone to learn more about farm workers and the organizations that are fighting for and protecting their rights AND the environment. Swipe to see some amazing groups who are in this fight! We are grateful to them and all that they do, for people and for the planet. ?‍??✨♥️?‍? These are just a few organizations I personally love, there are SO MANY out there! Comment below any others you know of to spread the word! @farms4life @ufwupdates @healfoodalliance @rodaleinstitute @projectdrawdown

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April 5 – Rhianne pays homage to our beloved trees, IG

 

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Rhianne Here- sharing Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall views of our massive trees on the farm! Here’s another #earthday activity- if you have the space and the means, #plantatree! Trees are integral to a healthy ecosystem, and provide incredible benefits when on agricultural land like ours. ?They are friends to the air we breathe, providing us with oxygen while sequestering carbon. They also help to clean the air by trapping dust, pollen, and other pollutants. ?They are friends to the soil we grow upon. Trees increase soil fertility from their roots to their leaves. When leaves fall, they create a layer of protection from extreme temperatures and provide nutrients in their decay. ?When rain falls, their canopies prevent top soil erosion by catching water before the earth does. They also help slow down water runoff, which can ensure that groundwater supplies are replenished. In realms of providing us with nutrition, carbon sequestration, soil and landslide protection, air quality, water protection, species habitat, and beauty, trees are biodiversity agents that we could never survive without- and can always use more of! Check out resources from the @arbordayfoundation or local park services before you plant your trees to ensure a productive outcome. Any tips you know about for planting trees? Share below! Sending love from Woodinville year round 🙂 #happyspring

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April 6 – Tackling food and packaging waste, IG

 

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Rhianne here- with a flashback on the farm! Remembering tomato season in the PNW ?. Okay, I’m sharing tomatoes AND coming at you with another #earthday compilation, an ode to reducing waste. The first photo is courtesy of our Farm Market, with tips on how to reduce waste in a tasty way?. The next photo features Aaron, a member of our Soil Team, as he teaches me how to save tomato seeds ?*WHICH I am sprouting btw!* Third photo features some hand washing essentials- the iconic, super concentrated multipurpose @drbronner ‘s Castile soap in an old mason jar- diluted 1 part soap to 10 parts water. I get this soap bottle refilled from my local @recology_stores – a zero waste haven!!! While shopping there, I purchased a couple cloths from @swedishdishcloth to replace paper towels at home, these are life saving. Lastly, a photo of our #climatestrike art build with the amazing @350_eastside who brought old initiative 1631 signs (Washington’s clean air/ energy initiative) to be repurposed into protest art. Waste, in general, and its contribution to climate change is astounding, with a myriad of issues damaging the planet & all inhabitants. There are issues surrounding the finite resources used to grow food or produce single-use materials, emissions / pollution through transportation and packaging, and finally, “disposing” of all of this. #Foodwaste is @projectdrawdown ‘s 3rd ranking solution we must address in combating climate change. There are endless transformations that can be given to something destined to be “wasted”, be it through composting, seed saving, making art, or innovating and up-cycling (avoiding recycling!). We save earth through becoming creative and sustainable, starting with the demand to cease to over-production in the first place by our actions. #EarthdayChallenge- find a way to upcycle TWO things you thought couldn’t be used again before heading to your compost, recycling, or waste bin!

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April 8 – Learn about carbon offsets with Barry, IG

 

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Rhianne here- sharing another #earthday action video! Say hi to Barry, our Green Energy Manager at 21 Acres ?. (You may recognize him from one of our Green #LEEDcertified Building Tours ?) Take a look at this video to learn a bit more about Barry's earth action commitment- which is to remove carbon from the atmosphere by using NORI, @noricarbonremoval . NORI is an innovative (and amazing) Seattle-based company that helps you enter the carbon market and directly support a healthy climate by purchasing verified carbon offsets that sequester back into agricultural soils. In this video Barry mentions how Seattle uses 100% renewable electricity, but some heating amenities employ the use of natural gasses which are fossil-fuel based. By supporting NORI he is lowering his carbon footprint and combatting #climatechange while supporting farmers AND regenerative agriculture? Pretty amazing! Check out NORI and the wonderful work they do to get us closer to a #zerocarbon reality. Thank you for this great commitment and great information, Barry!

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April 9 – Proactive solutions to microplastic pollution, IG

 

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Hi all! Rhianne here back for another #earthday post- have you heard of #microplastic pollution? Microplastics are often introduced to our waterways by the beauty and healthcare industry (i.e. toothpaste, exfoliating soap) and are also known as #microfibers when considering industrial laundry pollution. Micro plastics were banned from beauty products in 2015 in the US but are still contaminating the worlds tapwater. We only have an incredibly limited supply of freshwater on earth!? In honor of earthday and the water we need to survive, I’m featuring a couple of laundry items we have at 21 Acres to show some #greenlaundry switches you can make to help clean our waterways- thanks to the awesome research of our Facility Manager, Kelly! . @thecoraball is a wonderful laundry addition designed to help reduce and trap microfibers while you wash. Simply throw the trapped fibers into a garbage can after your cycle, recycling if available in your area. (It’s better in a landfill than our freshwater!) Also featuring #Woolzies dryer balls- a sustainable replacement to fabric softening dryer sheets, made with no harsh chemicals and can be re-used! Splash a couple drops of your favorite essential oil on the woolzie, and dry away responsibly. Instead of #dryersheets or lint balls, you can also add vinegar to your rinse cycle to reduce static cling while softening and brightening your laundry. Lastly, #biodegradable laundry detergent is always recommended to protect our environment, and has been shown to protect our skin and lungs from dangerous chemicals in conventional laundry detergent. . We can’t have a healthy earth without a healthy water system or marine organisms! Happy cleaning! ?♻️??‼️

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April 10 – Worms and vermiculture, IG

 

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Rhianne here, featuring 21 Acres' #vermiculture set up in honor of #earthday and our precious friends, the worms! Vermiculture is a compost harvesting method that uses #redwrigglerworms to digest food scraps, garden clippings, and newspaper, transforming this into nutritious fertilizer for your garden. Watch to see our demo vermiculture bin at 21 Acres, and continue reading for the tools and tips necessary if you want your own! .-.-.-. To start, you’ll need: -Red Wriggler Worms, one handful. -3-4 handfuls of Soil initially. -Food Scraps; ALWAYS: fruit and veggies, coffee grounds/ filters, tea bags. (remove strings and staples from tea bags!) SOMETIMES: garden clippings, rinsed eggshells. NEVER EVER: Meat, bones, dairy products, or heavily coated paper. -A water misting device, keeping worms moist /cool. -Trowel or stick, to check on your friends! -Newspaper shreds, ripped, NEVER cut. ONLY black and white ink, colored ink is toxic to worms. Tear newspaper into 1/2" to 1" strips. -Build your bin, (or purchase vermiculture bins online!) making stackable wooden boxes with an open bottom and aerated lids. Ensure the bottoms have secured mesh with holes just large enough for worms to move through. Remove-able lids must be aerated by drilling holes. (1” radius recommended with screen attached to prevent insect build up & promote airflow.) To begin: -Pick a shady area with a sturdy surface (table-not on the ground.)Line the bottom of your first bin with a layer of soil (2.5 inches) & top with newspaper shreds. -Place a generous amount of food scraps on top of the newspaper / soil. Place your worms on top of the food, add another thin layer of soil (less than 1 inch). Add newspaper on top of the soil. -Mist the bin with water until the newspaper is soaked, worms should be moist but not water-logged. -Place your lid on the bin. Continue stacking, feeding, and layering with moist newspaper as they rise. Once worms have composted a significant amount, collect fertilizer from the bottom of your stackable bin, or dig it out from the bottom. Keep worms in your bin! Voila! You are making the most of your food scraps by using worms to create cheap healthy fertilizer!♻️

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April 15 – All about water conservation, IG

 

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Rhianne here- sharing deep gratitude towards water, and some #waterconservation factoids for #earthday in the agricultural sector ??? It’s well known that nearly 70 percent of the world is covered by water, but only 2.5 percent of it is considered #freshwater. Even then, just 1 percent of our freshwater is easily accessible, the rest stored in glaciers and snowfields. We use freshwater for agriculture, drinking water, and electricity generation, but it is valuable animal habitat (according to @wwf “More than 100,000 species rely on freshwater ecosystems, which make up less than 0.01% of the planet's total surface area”). With freshwater scarcity in mind picture this: globally, agriculture accounts for 70% of the worlds freshwater usage. But- it’s often wasted through conventional agricultural operations. Swipe to see some images showing important #irrigation techniques employed on our farm, and many other #sustainable #regenerativeagriculture operations. . ♻️The first pictured is the “wobbler”, which is a low pressure high performance irrigation system producing heavier droplets that reach the ground to water crops- whereas conventional high pressure spray sprinklers lose 20-35% of their water to the wind, not to the crops. . ♻️The second is drip irrigation line we set up yesterday, #dripirrigation systems are one of the most efficient irrigation technologies, emitting very little water right over a plants root zone instead of wastefully watering the whole field. We’re doing our part to save as much water as we can for all inhabitants, hopefully your local farms are too! Know any fun water stats? Comment something we should know below!???

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April 16 – Looking into the benefits of permeable pavers, IG

 

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Rhianne here with another earthday message about #waterprotection on our campus. ♻️? Honestly, my favorite things about the #LEEDcertified green design of our campus surround our efficient water usage. My all-time favorite being the #permeablepavers shown in this post. Swipe along to see an up close look at the science behind #permeablepavement on our campus! . ?Backstory: permeable (pervious, porous) surfaces like these pavers are those which allow water to flow through them. Impermeable surfaces like buildings, roofs, parking lots, concrete roads, patios, and pools are…almost everywhere we are. During rainy seasons, these impervious surfaces are a health hazard for marine habitat and our own land habitats by: . ? Collecting massive pools of rainwater that can alter natural stream flows (risk of flooding) and carry #stormwaterrunoff full of vehicle and industrial pollution into aquatic habitat. . ? All of this water pooled into storm drains effectively misses watering our land and making its way back to the water table. (Relation to forest fires ?!) . ?In our state, #stormwater pollution was found to be responsible for 60-100% of coho salmon die off before spawning in a 2011 study of the puget sound ???. All of this pollution also raises the acidity of our oceans PH- effectively lessening the amount of #CO2 it absorbs, perpetuating the cycle of #globalwarming. . What we do here has serious consequences on our farmlands, forests, oceans, streams, #freshwater , and the replenishing of our water tables. ??????‼️ I sincerely wish these pavers were everywhere- especially high flooding roadways! Advocate for #greenbuilding technology, and vote for environmentally conscious representatives. What if these pavers were in every neighborhood close to a #waterway ? I’d love to see reports of their ecosystems health.♥️

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April 17 – Rhianne shares about landscaping with native plants, IG

 

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?♻️SAVE A NATIVE PLANT?♻️ Hi all! Rhianne here with another post for our #earthday2020 series, asking for your help in saving and donating native plant species! . #Gardening and #landscaping with native plants benefits our environment in many ways: because their dna is indigenous and has developed to cohabitate with existing wildlife in specific biomes/climates, they require less maintenance, fertilizer, and water. They also help prevent #soilerosion and outcompete weeds which tend to thrive in eroded areas. They lovingly provide safe habitat with shelter and food for existing wildlife ?! Harmonious #biodiversity is amazing anywhere, but incredibly helpful on a farm! .??‍???????‍?? . Do you have #nativeplants you’ve rescued but can’t grow in your space? Consider a donation to our farm! We are always grateful to accept native plants to become a part of our campus, restoring our environment and increasing its productivity. As long as they are non-invasive, under 4 feet tall, and in a plastic pot- coordinate a drop off with our amazing landscape restoration specialist, Jess! (Email: jessc@21acres.org) Or, check with your local park services to help with their restoration processes.

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April 18 – Kelly’s goal to lower the carbon footprint of the food she eats, IG

 

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Rhianne here, continuing our #earthday commitment series! Today we share our *incredible* Facility Manager Kelly’s earth action- she’s committing to lowering the #carbonfootprint of the foods she eats DRASTICALLY for one week in April. The way we eat shapes the world we live in! . Did you know that the average 2,600 kcal diet emits an estimated 2.5 tons of CO2 equivalent per year? This CO2 will be offset by Kelly lowering her electricity consumption, eating foods grown locally & sustainably, and eating lower on the food chain- opting for more veggies. This helps save on money too, considering prices of produce vs packaged meals. She shares with us, “Making the transition to a plant-based diet may be the most effective way an individual can stop #climatechange. It’s ranked 4th on the @projectdrawdown list of solutions! I’ll be eating fresh, local fruits and veggies, split peas, lentils, hazelnuts, and dried cranberries. ??? I am not willing to give up coffee (sustainable from Hawaii), wine (from Washington, always) , and chocolate! ???I learned that 50% of all carbon emissions from coffee consumption are generated at the café. Since I make my coffee at home, I will be using an emission rate of 5 pounds of CO2 per pound of coffee beans.” . She’s coordinated a wealth of nutritional and climate based research for those in our region, and I can’t wait to see her results. Her fully detailed post with research sources is on our blog @ 21acres.org, please check it out for more info! Swipe to see a photo of some of the foods she’ll be eating, and say hi to the Easter bunny from last week ?. You rock, Kelly!

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April 22 — Happy Earth Day! Thanks for helping us celebrate all-month long, IG

 

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Rhianne here- WISHING YOU ALL A HAPPY #EARTHDAY !!! ?♥️?♻️? for the 50th anniversary, this years theme is #ClimateAction – the sense of urgency is eminent. What will you do to celebrate, and act!? ?. We must act in every moment, in all sectors of society to protect our planet and reverse (or eliminate!) our pollution, our excess carbon emissions, fossil fuels, single use plastics, and our resource wasting / impairing practices that all accumulate to the the effects #climatechange brings upon our home. ?. Today we gather virtually in solidarity, working together to share solutions, wisdom, and experience to embrace the love and commitment that will bring us closer to a HARMONIOUS society that respects all pieces and processes of earth. ?. Stay tuned to @earthdaynetwork for excellent conversations, actions, and performances to raise awareness- along with our friends at @350_eastside @350org @sustainabilityatcascadia and @sustainableuw to participate in virtual community sharing and solutions that you can apply to your life every day! . Sharing with you some sweet moments from the farm, the piece of earth we lovingly steward. Swipe to see ‘em all!???‍?

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