As someone who checks kitchen garbage disposal function on a weekly basis, I get a kick from the TV commercial showing a do-it-yourselfer with his hand deep in the mouth of the beast as the wife strolls by and starts flicking switches. We don’t get to see what happens next, but it does not appear that the handyman is very confident in his safety measures. In addition to chewing on wayward fingers, our kitchen food waste disposer can also be one of the “green” team members in your household appliance lineup. A wide range of studies from disposal manufacturers, independent laboratories and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency suggest home food waste is best disposed via municipal wastewater systems rather than through the landfill. The U.S. generates more than 34 million tons of food waste each year. The question of what to do with it is a challenge for communities everywhere. The most ecological and economical method for managing food waste is composting at home. This reduces waste transportation costs, makes room at the landfill and boosts production in your garden or landscape.

In my work life before home energy rating and home inspection, I was responsible for quality assurance (QA) in a food process facility. A key lesson we learn in QA is that we can only control what we can measure. If safe, enjoyable products with a long shelf life are to be produced, the manufacturer must have a detailed list of key process items (KPIs) that are closely monitored for deviation from acceptable quality limits. Homebuilding is remarkably similar to food production in this respect. The best builders use detailed procedures and best practices along with checklists to measure actual installation versus rigid quality standards. You can see the results in the improved finish detail and increasing number of amenities and features at affordable price points in new homes all over town. Visible and measurable home components improve at a rapid pace.