DIY Builds
Photo: Laura James
How fast do things biodegrade? Vegetables 5 days –1 month Nylon fabric 30–40 years Tin cans 50–100 years Aluminium cans 80–100 years Glass bottles 1 million years 9 more rows •
Metal sheds are more durable as they are fire, insect, rot, and weather resistant. They can rust, but they are more durable to the elements vs....
Read More »
A Guide For Deep Cleaning Your Shed, Barn, or Garage Sweep the Inside. As time goes on, the inside of your shed, barn, or garage is bound to...
Read More »
In nature, different materials biodegrade at different rates. If you throw your apple core into the bushes along with a steel toy car, your apple core will have disappeared in a few months and your toy car will be rusty but still recognisable. It may take many years before the toy car disappears entirely. To be able to work effectively, most microorganisms that assist the biodegradation need light, water and oxygen. Temperature is also an important factor in determining the rate of biodegradation. This is because microorganisms tend to reproduce faster in warmer conditions. Many products that are biodegradable in soil – such as tree trimmings, food wastes and paper – will not biodegrade when we place them in landfills, because the artificial landfill environment lacks the light, water and bacterial activity required for the decay process to begin. The Garbage Project is a study of waste conducted by a group at the University of Arizona, USA. The project has unearthed from landfill hot dogs, corn cobs and grapes that were 25 years old and still recognisable, as well as newspapers dating back to 1952 that were still easily readable!
The fee for an Etsy Plus subscription is $10 USD per month. Etsy Plus subscription fees are deducted from your current balance each month and...
Read More »
The concrete, or slab base, should contain a damp-proof membrane (sized to the entire surface area the shed will occupy). This should be inserted...
Read More »
These are! They guide you every step of the way to complete your dream shed.
Learn More »Respirometry tests work well for newspapers and banana peels, but when scientists test plastic bags, nothing happens – there's no CO 2 production and no decomposition. Why? The most common type of plastic shopping bag – the kind you use to get at supermarkets – is made of polyethylene, a person-made polymer that microorganisms don't recognise as food. So, if there is no CO 2 production for plastic in respirometry tests, where does the 500-year estimate come from? Although polyethylene bags don't biodegrade, they do photodegrade. When exposed to ultraviolet radiation from sunlight, polyethylene's polymer chains become brittle and start to crack. This suggests that plastic bags will eventually fragment into microscopic granules. Scientists do know that many plastic break down into microplastics, as of yet, however, scientists aren't sure how many centuries it takes for plastics to completely break down and 'disappear'. That's why some people give a 500 year estimate, while others prefer a more conservative 1000 year lifespan. According to some plastics experts, all these figures are just another way of saying ‘a really, really long time’. Related content Explore the science ideas and concepts around biodegradability and bioindicators. Bioplastics are a form of plastic that can be made from renewable bio-based resources. Discover more about the difference in meaning between biodegradable and compostable. This article has lots of links to Science Learning Hub resources for primary teachers related to the recycling and biodegradability in the Material World strand of the New Zealand Curriculum. Information to relevant articles, activities and media are grouped under the following headings: The issue of waste
Use a combination of different heavy soundproofing materials (the law of diminishing returns if you simply use more of the same) Attach a...
Read More »
If you have a garden big enough to build another dwelling, then yes, you are allowed to build a house in your garden. You can then provide space...
Read More »
6 Trees Not to Plant in Your Yard Bradford Pear. The Bradford pear tree grows too tall heights very rapidly, offering a decent amount of shade in a...
Read More »
These are! They guide you every step of the way to complete your dream shed.
Learn More »
For new barndominium construction, blanket insulation and rigid boards are the easiest, especially if you are handling the construction yourself....
Read More »