Who (or what) influenced you to be “green”?

I’ve often mentioned on this blog why I started being more eco-friendly in my landscape. The primary reasons are: wildlife and my husband.

I have always liked having birds and butterflies in my yard but until I really started doing some research, I didn’t realize that I would attract a lot more of those critters by getting rid of chemicals (although that one seems really obvious now) and planting native plant species.

As for my husband’s role, he has always been very concerned about the environment, primarily because he likes to fish. He is the one that explained the whole groundwater connection to me. How everything that goes into the ground can end up in the local water supplies, etc.

My husband isn’t a scientist or anything. He’s a builder. And a hunter. And a fisherman. Before I met him, I thought I was the great Bambi-loving environmentalist and he was “the enemy – the hunting/fishing/building destroyer of the environment.”

The first time I saw him nurture an ailing plant, or gently release a fish back into a stream, I realized how dumb it was to ever categorize anyone by their habits or their occupation.

Between the influence of hubby and the hummingbirds, once I started to be a “green gardener” I was pretty much hooked.

Our gardens give us so  much joy, juicy food, fragrant herbs, beautiful birds and butterflies, that just want to keep learning more and more ways to keep things “green”.

So, who (or what) helped influence you to make “green” changes to your yard? Who talked you into your first rain barrel? Or taught you the joys of native plants? Or the pleasures of gardening for butterflies? I would love to share some of your answers.

Goldfish in a rain barrel?

Hmmm. Just found a post online (and several more about the topic once I started searching) that said that you can put goldfish in your rain barrels to keep the mosquitoes under control. This doesn’t sound like a good idea AT ALL, to me, but I would be interested in hearing some other opinions.

Sure, we all know the benefits of rain barrels. They help to capture rainwater for future use and also help cut down on stormwater runoff.

Since they do hold standing water, some people are concerned that they may be breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Since all of our rain barrels are the kind that are closed at the top, and fit directly to the downspouts on our home, we are not aware of them ever being a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

However, some people use a different type of rain barrel to capture their rain. These barrels are completely open at the top, and the opening is covered with screen to keep debris and small critters from getting in the barrel. I ASSUMED that these were the  type of barrels that some people add goldfish to, to help control any mosquitoes that lay eggs in the water. However, I found at least one post online where it looked like people were adding goldfish to a CLOSED barrel.

I don’t really know much about fish, but I am a critter lover. So my questions are: would goldfish in a closed rain barrel get enough oxygen? What about light? What happens when your rain barrel runs low on water? Or when its raining so hard that the water is just gushing into the barrel?

I know that these small fish are just sold as “feeder fish” for larger critters, anyway, so maybe people see them as expendable. But if they die, how do you keep the fish from clogging up your spigots?

Any fish experts out there care to add an opinion?

Here is the original post I read: Did you know? Goldfish and Rain Barrels

Eco-Friendly Paving Solutions

This is a topic that I haven’t written about for awhile but its another way that you can make a really positive change in your home landscape – choosing eco-friendly paving solutions.

One of the goals of a good, eco-friendly landscape is to allow water to percolate down and stay ON the property, rather than running off into storm drains. When water runs into storm drains, it can not only take chemicals and pollutants with it, but it can also cause flooding during times of heavy rains.

Here’s a great article that I found online recently entitled Eco-Friendly Paving Solutions.

The article says, “A host of paving products let water percolate through to the ground underneath, limiting water runoff, preventing erosion, filtering out pollutants, and improving the health of soil and vegetation. If you are planning a driveway, patio, sidewalk, or garden path project, consider permeable pavers or concrete to allow for natural drainage while providing a solid surface strong enough to handle vehicles and people.”

The article goes on to list several products, with great photos and more details, for porous pavement, open concrete grids, and permeable pavers.

It’s a great article if you are planning any major landscape design changes in the near future.

Read the full article here: Eco-Friendly Paving Solutions.

Previous post on similar subject: The benefits of permeable surfaces are finally starting to soak in!

Rain Barrel Workshop, July 28th

Rain barrels are a great benefit to any eco-friendly landscape. They not only help conserve water, but they also allow us to re-direct rain water, helping to cut down on stormwater runoff, which can cause flooding and water pollution. To learn more about the benefits of rain barrels, plan on attending the Rain Barrel Workshop, being hosted by University of Maryland Extension Prince George’s County.

What: Rain Barrel Workshop

When: Saturday, July 28, 2012, 9:30-11:30am

Where: University of Maryland Center for Educational Partnership,6200 Sheridan St., Riverdale, MD 20737

Connect with other concerned citizens for a workshop to learn how to recycle rainwater for use on your property while also combating stormwater pollution entering the Chesapeake Bay.

Information session with rain barrels provided at completion

Workshop Only: Free
Workshop plus 1 rain barrel: $70
Workshop plus 2 rain barrels: $140

Register at http://recycletherain.eventbrite.com

Contact Christie Balch at cbalch@umd.edu or at (301) 779-2806 x706 for more information.

Soaking up more info about rain gardens

I still haven’t started my rain garden yet, even though it is definitely something that I would like to get done before it becomes too hot this year. Rain gardens are such a great way to help prevent stormwater runoff, which is a leading cause of flooding and local waterway pollution.

Since a picture is worth 1000 words, I’m hoping that some of you who do have rain gardens will enter photos in our Green Gardeners Make a Difference Photo contest so I can gain a little inspiration from your success stories. You can help educate and inspire others and you have the chance to win some great prizes (top prize is $700 worth of garden goodies).

In the meantime, I found a great article about a rain garden success story and it also has some links for more information.

The article is in the Severna Park Patch and is entitled Rain Gardens ‘Spring’ Back to Life by John Dawson, who is currently taking training at the Watershed Stewards Academy to become a watershed steward.

I encourage you to check out the article.

And whether you have a rain garden or not, I encourage you to take a walk around your yard, with your camera, and take a photo to share in our Green Gardeners Make a Difference photo contest. A native plant, a rain barrel, a butterfly on a flower – any of these things help to illustrate the eco-friendly aspects of your garden and we would love to share them with our readers.

Disconnect and redirect – Earn $50 and enter our photo contest

I often mention the problems that can be caused when rainfall from our roofs flows directly into storm drains. Even during short rainfalls, a huge volume of water rushing in from streets, parking lots, and other paved areas can contribute to flooding and sewer overflows in waterways such as Rock Creek, the Anacostia and the Potomac Rivers.

To help alleviate this problem, the District Department of the Environment and Rock Creek Conservancy are sponsoring The Downspout Initiative: a do-it-yourself rebate program to offer District residents $50, per downspout, for the disconnection and redirection of downspouts which are contributing to this problem.

If the downspouts on your home or garage are directly connected to a storm drain pipe, or if the water flow is  directed to hard surfaces, they may be contributing to stormwater problems.

By disconnecting downspouts and re-directing the rainfall to lawns, into gardens, mulched areas, or trees, District homeowners can help water sink into the ground, nourishing landscapes, and naturally infiltrate back into the earth.

The Downspout Initiative website provides step by step instructions for disconnecting your downspout and applying for your $50 rebate.

AND, since you have to provide before and after photos of your downspout disconnection and redirection process, keep in mind that the AFTER photo would be a great entry in our Green Gardeners Make a Difference Photo contest, in which we are encouraging home gardeners to share photos of their “green” gardens.

For more information about the Downspout Initiative rebates, visit the Rock Creek Conservancy page: The Downspout Initiative

For more information about the Green Gardeners Make a Difference photo contest, visit the contest page on Facebook. 

Ocean Friendly Gardens

I’ve mentioned Bay Friendly Gardens before and Wildlife Friendly Gardens, but today I found out about Ocean Friendly Gardens.

All of these programs are really very similar. They all encourage and recognize property owner’s efforts to create landscapes while considering the effects that their actions have on the surrounding environment.
Ocean Friendly Gardens is a program by the Surfrider Foundation, a charitable organization which was started in 1984 by a group of surfers intent on protecting their favorite surf break in Malibu, California. The organization now has over 50,000 members and 80 chapters worldwide, all focused on protecting the world’s oceans, waves and beaches.

Surfrider Foundation members understand that runoff from gardens and hard surfaces is one of the primary sources of water pollution, which means  that home gardeners play an important role in  protecting the world’s water bodies. They developed the Ocean Friendly Gardens program to educate and encourage property owners to follow the three principles of CPR – Conservation, Permeability and Retention.

The Ocean Friendly Gardens website describes steps that gardeners can take to apply these principles:

• Conservation of water, energy and habitat through native plants (add allow some climate adapted plants), spaced for mature growth.
• Permeability through healthy, biologically active soil, and utilizing materials for - or making a cut in - driveways, walkways and patios that allow water to percolate into the soil.
• Retention devices like rain chains, rain barrels and rain gardens retain water in the soil for the dry seasons or save it to water veggies, preventing it from running off the property.

For more information about the Surfrider Foundation and the Ocean Friendly Gardens program, you can visit the DC Surfrider website.

Ocean Friendly Gardens

The David Stemper Memorial Rain Garden was created using the principles of Ocean Friendly Gardens

Eco-Friendly Benefits of Veggie Gardening

We all know the obvious environmentally friendly benefits of “green” gardening. Green gardeners often work to eliminate all harmful herbicides and pesticides from their yards, incorporate more native plants,  and conserve water by choosing plants that are drought tolerant.

But a recent article on the National Geographic website lists several benefits of veggie gardening  that go beyond these obvious ones.

Here are a few excerpts from the article, entitled How is Growing a Veggie Garden Eco-Friendly, by Fred Decker:

“Infiltration:   Rooftops, driveways, patios and lawns don't allow much water to infiltrate. However, the loose, crumbly soil of a well-worked garden absorbs water like a sponge, especially if it's well composted. This limits runoff, and maintains water quality.

Emissions -  Depending on the time of year and where you live, much of the produce you eat might have traveled thousands of miles to get to your local grocer. Every vegetable garden, and every homeowner growing vegetables instead of buying them, helps reduce [carbon emissions].

Urban Cooling - The high density of pavement and rooftops in urban areas can create "heat islands," places where the sun's energy becomes concentrated. This creates an increased demand for cooling and air conditioning, which is a drain on energy and the environment. …gardens  can  help provide cooling by reducing the number of unshaded heat-reflecting areas exposed to the sun.”

You can read the full text of the article by visiting the National Geographic Green Living website.

May is American Wetlands Month - How to help Protect these Vital Eco-systems

In addition to being Garden for Wildlife Month, May is also American Wetlands Month, a time “to celebrate the vital importance of wetlands to the Nation's ecological, economic, and social health”.
As gardeners, we play an important role in helping to protect local wetlands.

 What are wetlands? As defined on the EPA website: “Wetlands are the link between the land and the water. They are transition zones where the flow of water, the cycling of nutrients, and the energy of the sun meet to produce a unique ecosystem characterized by hydrology, soils, and vegetation—making these areas very important features of a watershed.” Benefits of wetlands:  

• Animal habitat – Wetlands provide habitat for plants and animals in the watershed.
• Water storage - When rivers overflow, wetlands help to absorb and slow floodwaters helping to prevent damage from floods.
• Water filtration - Wetlands also absorb excess nutrients, sediment, and other pollutants before they reach rivers, lakes, and other water bodies.
• Recreation - They are great spots for fishing, canoeing, hiking, and bird-watching, and they make wonderful outdoor classrooms for people of all ages.

But the bad news is, despite all the benefits provided by wetlands, the United States loses about 60,000 acres of wetlands each year. The very runoff that wetlands help to clean can overload and contaminate these fragile ecosystems. As a homeowner, you can help protect wetlands by following other steps that help to prevent polluted stormwater runoff.

• Plant native vegetation in your yard
• Eliminate or limit your use of harmful fertilizers and pesticides which can pollute nearby waterways
• Plant native grasses or forested buffer strips along wetlands on your property to protect water quality
• Direct all downspouts to porous surfaces rather than solid surfaces such as driveways
• Create swales (small dips in the ground) and berms (raised earthen areas) to help divert runoff to porous surfaces.
• Install rain barrels
• Incorporate porous surfaces Whenever possible, use bricks, gravel, turf block, mulch, pervious concrete or other porous materials for walkways, driveways or patios.

For more information: Build a wetland in your backyard. Learn how by visiting the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s web site page: Backyard Wetland Wetlands Walk: A Guide to Wetlands and Wildlife Sanctuaries in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area EPA Wetlands Page

Now is a good time to start your fertilizer diet

My poll question on the blog and our Facebook page this month is about fertilizer, specifically: What time of the year do you apply fertilizer to your lawn? After you take a few moment to add your answer to the poll, you can see what horticulture experts recommend by visiting our page, “10 Tips for a “Green”, Eco-Friendly Lawn”

Fertilizer is “in the news” in the area recently because of the Fertilizer Use Act of 2011 for Maryland, which limits the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus that may be contained in lawn fertilizer products and  also puts restrictions on how and when homeowners and lawn care professionals can apply these products.

Although the Maryland law will not officially go into effect until October 1, 2013, Maryland State Agriculture Secretary Buddy Vance is encouraging homeowners to start implementing these changes now.

"According to our state chemist here at the Maryland Department of Agriculture, about 44 percent of the fertilizer sold in the state of Maryland is applied to lawns - that's a pretty amazing factoid," Maryland Agriculture Secretary Buddy Hance said during a press conference Monday. "Everybody assumes that agriculture is the biggest user, but lawns use almost as much fertilizer."

One of the main changes from the Fertilizer Use Act will be the amount of nitrogen and phosphorous that is contained in fertilizer.

Nitrogen and phosphorus are key ingredients in lawn fertilizer, but can be harmful if used in excess. When it rains, these nutrients can wash into local waterways and eventually into the Chesapeake Bay where they can fuel the growth of algae blooms and threaten underwater life.

Jon Traunfeld, director of the University of Maryland Extension Home and Garden Information Center, suggests that homeowners get their soil tested to determine the exact fertilizer needs of their lawn and also suggested that homeowners use compost to supply these needs.

For More Information: Maryland’s Lawn Fertilizer Law
And here is a link to a similar fertilizer law for Virginia : Virginia’s Fertilizer Law
And here’s the link again to our post: 10 Tips for a “Green”, eco-friendly Lawn

10 Tips for Rain Barrel Maintenance and Safety

I know I’ve written a lot of posts about rain barrels, but that’s because I think they are a real no-brainer for an eco-friendly garden.

Rain barrels are easy to make, easy to install and they help the planet in two ways: by both conserving and protecting our planet’s water supplies.

Rain barrels capture and store the rainwater running off a rooftop. The harvested rainwater can be stored for later use, or used immediately for watering lawns and landscaped areas, filling ponds or fountains, or washing cars. This stored water helps to save money and it really comes in handy during times of mandatory water restrictions.

By collecting runoff from rooftops, rain barrels can also prevent stormwater runoff. Stormwater runoff is caused when heavy rains  run directly into streets and storm sewers, carrying it (and the pollutants it collects) directly to the local waterways.

Rain barrels require very little maintenance. However, to make sure that they remain problem free, here are:

10 Tips for Rain Barrel Maintenance and Safety

1. Rain barrels can weigh about 400 pounds when full, but they need to be elevated for good water flow. Make sure that they are placed on a sturdy, level base to avoid all possibility of toppling over.
2. Make sure that all overflow pipes or hoses are directed to pervious (landscaped) surfaces so that overflow water soaks into the ground instead of pooling where it can create slippery puddles.
3. Don’t drink the water from your rain barrel. There is no telling what substances the rain has collected from your roof or gutters.
4. Use the water in your rain barrel before using other water sources to help prevent standing water in the barrel.
5. Clean your gutters regularly to reduce debris.
6. Once a year, tip your rain barrel over during a dry spell and rinse it out with a hose. You can also put a capful of chlorine bleach into the water to help prevent algae growth.
7. Check your rain barrel on a regular basis to make sure all openings are clean, free of debris and flowing freely.
8. During severe rain storms, check your rain barrel to make sure the overflows are working properly.
9. If your rainbarrel springs a small leak, most can be repaired with aquarium caulk, a clear sealant available at most hardware stores
10. Rain barrels should be drained and removed for the winter months to prevent ice damage.

Related post about rain barrels: The Rain Barrel Response

Rain barrel workshops for Leesburg Residents

The Loudoun Soil and Water Conservation District, in partnership with the Leesburg Environmental Advisory Commission, will offer four rain barrel workshops for Leesburg residents during April and May.

Rain barrels are an economical and practical way for homeowners to conserve water and save money. In addition, they reduce runoff, as stormwater is collected before it picks up sediment and contaminants that pollute area streams and rivers, which drain to the Potomac River and eventually to the Chesapeake Bay.

The rain barrel workshops will be held at Tuscarora Creek Park, located at 425 Solitude Court SE, on Wednesday, April 25; Thursday, April 26; Tuesday, May 15; and Wednesday, May 16. All workshops begin at 6:30 p.m.

Residents can make a rain barrel to take home or purchase a pre-made barrel. Each workshop will last approximately one hour; participants need to attend only one workshop. The rain barrel kits to make on site are $50 each; the pre-made barrels are $65 each, plus tax. The EAC is offering a $20 discount on the purchase of a rain barrel to each Leesburg household as an incentive to promote water conservation. Discounts are limited to two per household.

Participants are reminded to dress appropriately if they will be constructing their own barrels. A registration form can be downloaded from the Loudoun Soil and Water Conservation District website at www.loudounsoilandwater.org. For more information, call Suzanne Brown, education outreach specialist for the Loudoun Soil and Water Conservation District, at 571-918-4530, ext. 105.

2nd Annual Community Clean Water Summit

The Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection invites residents interested in the health of Montgomery County’s streams to attend the second annual Community Clean Water Summit on March 3 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Silver Spring Civic Building at Veteran’s Plaza, One Veteran’s Place, Great Hall, Room 1.   The goal of the summit is to help residents understand how their commonplace actions may contribute to stormwater pollution where they work, live and play. 

Stormwater pollution can result from ordinary actions by residents who may not be aware that they are affecting the health of streams, such as littering or ignoring trash, over-fertilizing lawns and not picking up after pets.  

Register for this free event at http:cleanwatersummit.eventbrite.com, space is limited.

Light lunch will be provided and door prizes include: an REI 3 season tent, rain barrels and more! (must be present to win).

For more information, contact Ryan Zerbe at Ryan.Zerbe@montgomerycountymd.gov or 240-777-7744.

Related post: Protect the Groundwater

Relationship Rule #2 for People and Gardens: Don’t Drown them with Love

In keeping with my Love theme for Valentine’s Day week, I am expounding on some of the rules that I wrote about a few years ago in my post The 12 Relationship Rules for Gardeners. Today’s rule: There is a fine line between showering with love and smothering with love.

In human relationships, everyone likes a little attention from their romantic partner. Certainly, none of us want to be ignored. But there is a fine line when just enough can become too much. And the tricky part is, the line is different for everyone, depending on just how much attention they require to thrive.

For me, a dozen roses and a fancy dinner at an elegant restaurant is almost too much attention. I had a boyfriend who once sent me three dozen roses for Valentine’s Day and, quite frankly, I probably could have bought groceries for a few weeks with the money he spent. On the other hand, a hand-written love note and a home-cooked dinner by candle light will keep nourishing the love in my heart for months!

The same principle can certainly be applied to gardens. Over-doing almost anything in the garden is a bad thing, from water, to fertilizer, to plants themselves.

So how do we know how much is too much? We get to know each other, really well.

Yesterday I wrote about the importance of  getting to know your garden and the site conditions of your landscape. Once you know your garden, you will better understand just how much of everything it needs to thrive.

How too much attention can harm your garden:

Over watering: Over watering is usually a death sentence for plants, especially when accompanied with poor drainage. Waterlogged soils limit oxygen uptake by plant roots, which in turn affects the plant's metabolism, nutrient uptake, water absorption and photosynthesis. Over watering causes runoff, which can wash harmful chemicals from your yard into natural water supplies. Over watering also wastes water resources and reduces water supplies.

Over fertilizing: Too much fertilizer can be harmful to the lawn and plants in your landscape.  Not only can it burn a plant’s roots and make the plant more vulnerable to insects and diseases but it  may lead to water pollution through run-off or leaching of nutrients. Excess fertilizer which finds its way into waterways can cause unsightly algal blooms which reduce oxygen, often resulting in fish kills.

Pesticide Use: In my opinion, any use of chemical pesticides is too much. Pesticides are usually indiscriminate, killing the good bugs as well as the bad bugs. They can also have harmful effects for humans and other forms of garden wildlife.

Over planting: Even the practice of overcrowding a garden can be harmful to your plants. Overcrowding can cause weak growth and reduce air movement, resulting in increased insect and disease problems.

So when it comes to your relationship with your garden, don’t be an obsessive lover. Get to know what it wants and needs and then shower it with just the right amount of affection. That’s the best way to keep your relationship growing!

Trees Tame Stormwater - cool interactive map

Okay. I know I said I was going to quit writing about trees for awhile, but sometimes trees - and great topics about trees - just sprout right up and can't be ignored.

 I found this cool interactive map on the Arbor Day Foundation website that shows you the benefits that planting trees has on preventing stormwater runoff. 

You can use the slider at the top of the graphic to show the difference that trees play in a landscape.

 As the site explains: Rain refreshes the land and nourishes the green landscape. But as houses, stores, schools, roads and parking lots spread and natural tree cover is lost, so is the absorbing effect of vegetation and soil. The welcome rain becomes costly stormwater runoff. Without the benefit of trees and vegetated infrastructure, waterways are polluted as oils, heavy metal particles and other harmful substances are washed away. Fish and wildlife suffer, drinking water becomes expensive or impossible to reclaim, property values are reduced, and our living environment is degraded.

Placing the slider at the far left, with few trees, shows a fairly bland landscape with popup boxes that explain the various consequences such as overwhelmed sewer systems. Moving the slider to the right not only shows a beautifully, wooded town, but also explains many of the benefits that I listed in my previous post of today, 20 More Benefits of Trees Hop on over to the Arbor Day Foundation website and check out the map. They also have beautiful pdf versions of the files that can be downloaded and printed.

20 More Benefits of Trees

I guess it has become obvious that I have plenty of things to say about trees! (Almost as much as I have to say about wildlife). But I promise, this will be my last post about trees for awhile. (Sources for stats and other info are at the end of the post) 20 More Benefits of Trees Financial and Environmental Benefits of Trees

1. Trees increase property values: Trees add as much as 20 percent to the value of your property. Studies also show that home values are higher on tree-lined streets. MC
   
2. Trees increased salability of homes: The majority of realtors surveyed believe that mature trees have a "strong or moderate impact" on the salability of homes. FCV
   
3. Trees increase Tourism - 700,000 tourists visit DC each year for the annual Cherry Blossom Festival. CT
   
4. Trees aid Commerce - Consumers are willing to spend 12% more in stores with trees in front of them than without. CT
   
5. Trees provide Job Opportunities -Natural resource management job opportunities are growing in cities. CT
   
6. Trees decrease heating bills up to 15 percent and cooling bills up to 50 percent. (DDOE)
7. Trees Reduce Noise Pollution - Trees act as buffers against roadways and other noise producing sources by absorbing unpleasant sounds from the urban environment. PT
8. Tree roots protect groundwater - Tree roots help stabilize soil which, if loose and prone to erosion, might be carried away by stormwater runoff. MC
9. Tree Leaves Protect Groundwater - Researchers have found that evergreens, conifers, and deciduous trees in full leaf can intercept up to 36 percent of the rainfall that hits them. MC Trees can keep 35,625 tons of sediment per square mile from entering waterways every year! DC.gov
10. Trees recharge groundwater - Tree roots help to move water from the surface into deeper layers of the soil. This helps recharge the groundwater supply. MC
11. Trees create organic matter on the soil surface from their leaf litter. MDNR Natural organic matter helps eliminate the need for chemical fertilizers
12. Trees provide screening; increasing privacy and reducing the impacts of lights FCV
13. Trees provide a wind break during winter. MDNR
14. Trees provide Healthy Air - The trees of Washington filter 540 tons of harmful, health-threatening pollutants from the air each year. CT One acre of trees absorbs enough carbon dioxide every year to offset 26,000 miles of automobile exhaust! dc.gov
15. Trees give off oxygen that we need to breathe.
    
16. Trees provide Cooling Shade - Trees provide shade and give off water vapor to cool the city in the summer. Homes shaded by trees have 10-30% savings in air conditioning costs compared to homes without shade. CT
    
17. Trees strengthen neighborhoods: When neighborhoods are full of trees, residents spend more time outside mingling with neighbors—building personal ties, stronger communities, and a greater sense of well being. MC Strengthening neighborhoods means people stay closer to home, which reduces environmental strains of commuting.
    
18. Trees improve air quality by removing small pollutant particulates (i.e. sulfur dioxide, ozone, etc.) (DDOE)
    
19. Trees reduce greenhouse gas emissions by taking up carbon dioxide (DDOE)
    
20. Trees mitigate the urban heat-island effect by shading our homes and streets. Urban and suburban temperatures are 2 to 10F (1 to 6C) hotter than nearby rural areas. (DDOE) For more information : Sources: Casey Trees (CT) Montgomery County Department of the Environment (MC) District Department of Transportation (DDOT) District Department of the Environment (DDOE) Fairfax County Virginia (FCV) DC.gov District Department of Transportation (DDOT) Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) Plano Texas (PT) Bowling Green Kentucky (BG)

A Year’s Worth of Eco-friendly Events and Garden Tips

Bookmark this list or print it out! You won’t want to miss these eco-friendly events and garden tips for 2012.

January –

• Celebrate National Bird Day on January 5, 2012 by setting out bird seed for our fine feathered friends and planning your summer wildlife garden.

February –

• February 6^th – 12^th, 2012 is Go Green Week – a national week of action on climate change in schools, colleges and universities. It’s a great week to start planning a butterfly garden with your kids.
• Become a Citizen Scientist by participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count – February 17-20^th, 2012

March -

• World Water Day is March 22, 1012 - International World Water Day is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. Mark the day by adding a few rain barrels to your landscape.

April –

• April is National Garden Month – Every April communities, organizations, and individuals nationwide celebrate gardening during National Garden Month. Trends for 2012 point to more and more gardeners choosing eco-friendly options.
• April 15-21, 2012 – National Environmental Education Week - dedicated to increasing the environmental literacy of K-12 students. Do your part to help grow your own Environmentalist.
• April 22, 2012 – Earth Day – Creating an eco-friendly garden is a great way to celebrate the earth every day.

May –

• May is National Wetlands Month - Support and promote wetlands by informing community members about wetlands' vital roles, "adopting" a wetland, joining a local watershed group, or participating in a wetland monitoring, restoration, or cleanup project. There are many other actions Americans can take to help conserve wetlands. To learn more about what you can do to help protect and restore these valuable natural resources in your state or local area, visit What You Can Do to Protect and Restore Wetlands.
• National Public Gardens Day – May 11, 2012 – a celebration of botanical gardens, arboreta, and other public gardens takes place.

June -

• Create a garden to attract pollinators for National Pollinator Week – June 24^th – 30^th (always last week in June)
• World Environment Day – June 5^th, 2012 - World Environment Day is an annual event that is aimed at being the biggest and most widely celebrated global day for positive environmental action. Celebrate the day by making a pledge to eliminate chemicals from your landscape.

July -

• July is smart irrigation month – Find a watersense irrigation contractor to help tune-up your irrigation system.
• Nude Recreation Week is July 9^th – 15^th 2012 (link is censored – you’ll have to Google that one yourself!) – time for some Bare Naked Gardening

August –

• August is National Water Quality Month. Learn how eco-friendly gardening helps to protect local water supplies.

September

• September 11. 2012 is Protect Your Groundwater Day. Eliminating chemicals, using rain barrels, and picking up after pets are all great ways to protect the groundwater.
• Pollution Prevention Week – July 16^th – 22^nd, 2012 (third full week in September) This week is an opportunity for individuals, businesses, and government to emphasize and highlight their pollution prevention and sustainability activities and achievements, expand current pollution prevention efforts, and commit to new actions.

October –

• October 4, 2012 – World Animal Day - In the garden, Invite the critters. Whether you want to attract butterflies, hummingbirds, beneficial insects other pollinators or wonderful wriggling worms, eco-friendly gardening is your first step.
• Make a Difference Day – 4^th Saturday in October – Acts of kindness can come from the garden, too.

November -

• America Recycles Day – November 15^th - Since 1997, communities across the country have come together on November 15 to celebrate America Recycles Day - the only nationally recognized day dedicated to the promotion of recycling in the United States. Creating compost is a great way to recycle in the garden.

December-

• Christmas Bird Count – December 16^th – January 5^th? Since the 12^th annual Christmas Bird Count is still under way, the dates for the 13^th annual count may not be set yet. But participating is a great way to prove that our eco-friendly gardening efforts are making a difference.

Dog Poop Ain’t Sexy, but picking it up can be

When someone first asked me if they could add dog poop to their compost pile, my immediate response was a firm NO! No Way! NADA!

But just to make sure, I decided to consult an expert. And who better to consult than the self-professed Queen of Dog S*%t, Susan McCullough, author of HouseTraining for Dummies and blogger at the Metro DC Dog Blog.

Susan and I are on similar missions. We both blog about what we love (gardening for me, dogs for Susan) but we also try to encourage people to take care of the planet while they are diggin’ and doggin’. We both know that things like chemicals and dog poop should NOT go into the groundwater.

Anyway, Susan did recommend that people not put pet poop in their compost piles. But since Susan always has the latest scoop on poop, she also went on to tell me about how Cambridge, Massachusetts uses dog poop to power lights in their park and how Ithaca, NY was collecting dog poop for possible future composting.

She also showed me this hilarious video that I just wanted to pass along to my readers, since I know there are a lot of you out there who love dogs as much as I do. I’m hoping this dance will catch on and be the new rage in 2012!

12 Days of Christmas for Eco-Friendly Gardeners

Written by Betsy S. Franz

On the first day of Christmas my garden gave to me
An eco-friendly native tree – (Native plants are often excellent choices for eco-friendly gardens, since they require less chemicals and less water to maintain)

On the second day of Christmas my garden gave to me
Two new loves – (when you look closely enough, every day in your eco-friendly garden will bring you something new and wonderful to love.)
And an eco-friendly native tree.
On the third day of Christmas my garden gave to me
Three full bins - (kitchen scraps, leaves and garden discards keep my compost bins full)
Two new loves
And an eco-friendly native tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas my garden gave to me
Four hummingbirds – (planting the right plants and eliminating chemicals make hummingbirds regular visitors to my garden)
Three full bins
Two new loves and
An eco-friendly native tree.
On the fifth day of Christmas my garden gave to me

Five less wat-er-ings - (eco-friendly gardens conserve water with adequate mulch, drought tolerant plants, and rain barrels)
Four hummingbirds
Three full bins
Two new loves and
An eco-friendly native tree.

On the sixth day of Christmas my garden gave to me
Six trees a swaying - (Trees protect water quality, clean the air and provide wildlife habitat.)
Five less wat-er-ings
Four hummingbirds
Three full bins
Two new loves and
An eco-friendly native tree
On the seventh day of Christmas my garden gave to me

Seven barrels brimming - (rain barrels not only conserve water, but help keep harmful pollutants out of our waterways)
Six trees a swaying
Five less wat-er-ings
Four hummingbirds
Three full bins
Two new loves and
An eco-friendly native tree
On the eighth day of Christmas my garden gave to me

Eight monarchs milking - (Okay. Monarch butterflies don’t really “milk” milkweed, but their tiny caterpillars need these native plants to grow into beautiful butterflies)
Seven barrels brimming
Six trees a swaying
Five less wat-er-ings
Four hummingbirds
Three full bins
Two new loves and
An eco-friendly native tree
On the ninth day of Christmas my garden gave to me

Nine ladies dancing - (Painted ladies are another beautiful butterfly that you can attract to your DC area garden by planting the right plants for them)
Eight monarchs milking
Seven barrels brimming
Six trees a swaying
Five less wat-er-ings
Four hummingbirds
Three full bins
Two new loves and
An eco-friendly native tree
On the tenth day of Christmas my garden gave to me

Ten worms a creeping - (Worms help aerate the soil while producing valuable nutrients)
Nine ladies dancing
Eight monarchs milking
Seven barrels brimming
Six trees a swaying
Five less wat-er-ings
Four hummingbirds
Three full bins
Two new loves and
An eco-friendly native tree
On the eleventh day of Christmas my garden gave to me

Eleven pipes a piping - (we direct all excess rainwater, and overflow from our rain barrels, into the grass and other permeable surfaces)
Ten worms a creeping
Nine ladies dancing
Eight monarchs milking
Seven barrels brimming
Six trees a swaying
Five less wat-er-ings
Four hummingbirds
Three full bins
Two new loves and
An eco-friendly native tree
On the twelfth day of Christmas my garden gave to me

Twelve weeds succumbing - (chemical free weed control helps keep our weeds under control)
Eleven pipes a piping
Ten worms a creeping
Nine ladies dancing
Eight monarchs milking
Seven barrels brimming
Six trees a swaying
Five less wat-er-ings
Four hummingbirds
Three full bins
Two new loves and
An eco-friendly native tree

Hmmm, how do I wrap a rain barrel?

With lots of green gardeners on my list, I've been busy in my garage workshop making rain barrels for some of my friends. It's a very easy process that just requires a few tools. I buy the empty barrels, add a spigot and holes for the downspout and overflow and BAM! instant water savings and Bay protection in one! But wrapping and getting those babies under the Christmas tree is probably going to be quite a challenge! For lots of great information about rain barrels, including a video on how to make them, check out this post: The Rain Barrel Response. And in the meantime, why not take our poll:

Where do the gutters on your roof drain to?