Rain barrels help you work WITH Mother Nature

  One of the first suggestions that I make to people who want to start practicing “green”, eco-friendly gardening, is to learn to Work WITH Mother Nature, Not Against Her. What I generally mean when I say that is that one of the best ways to NOT harm the environment in and from your own landscape, is to get to know the piece of property you are working with, including such things as plant hardiness zone, areas of sun and shade, pH levels of the soil, and  plants which are native or invasive. Here is a post  that explains those ideas in more detail: Working With Mother Nature

But another way to Work With Mother Nature is to adapt our gardens and our gardening practices to work with Acts of Nature, which include times of drought, rain, wind and freezes.

The recent near-drought-to-heavy-rain which many of us experienced was a perfect example of how rain barrels are a great way to work with Mother Nature. Those who already have rain barrels installed at their homes now have a good supply of water saved up (depending on the number and size of barrels that they have) to help deal with the next drought.

My husband LOVES his rain barrels.  During our recent rains, he was outside in a raincoat checking on his rain barrels, making sure they were all working correctly, and filling up our very large assortment of watering cans to capture as much of that free water source as he could.

But hubby also knows that rain barrels play another important role in protecting the environment. 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 little maintenance and are a great way to save money and conserve water as a natural resource.

Depending on where you live, you may be able to get a rebate to help cover the purchase price of your rain barrel.  In DC, see the RiverSmart Homes site; In Montgomery County, see Rainscapes Rewards; in Gaithersburg, Rainscapes Rewards; Rockville – Rainscapes Rewards.

Rain barrels are fun and easy to build and there are lots of rain barrel workshops in the area:  Northern Virginia Rain Barrel Registration

You can build your own, without a workshop: Rain Barrel Assembly (pdf)

Or you can buy one, readymade: Local Rain Barrel Sources

Some of Mother Nature’s other Acts are a lot harder to deal with. Rain barrels help to make rain and drought some of the easier ones.

Helping Out the Dragonflies

Volunteer Opportunity with the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission

Saturday, April 28 from 9 a.m. to Noon-“Helping Out the Dragonflies”

The best spot to see dragonflies and damselflies in central Maryland is Brown’s Bridge Recreation Area in the summer.  But they don’t need trash and invasive weed covering up their food sources.  So we need your help to tidy up their favorite spot.  Brown’s Bridge Recreation Area, 2220 Ednor Road, Silver Spring, MD

For more information, visit the WSSC website.

Fantastic Friday – Great Earth Day video to share

If a picture is worth a thousand words, than some of the great eco-friendly videos that are out there online are worth millions.
Here is a great one I found today from EPAGOV

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

Share the Wonder

  I saw a short article on the Huffington Post the other day asking readers to share their photos of something that they consider a Natural Wonder.

As a wildlife lover, I consider all creatures Natural Wonders, so I decided to share this photo of sandhill crane babies that were born on Earth Day, 2008.

I encourage you to get outside and take a look around your home and garden, or go through some of your online photos and share one with the Huffington Post Readers! I’d ask you to vote for my photo, just for fun, but I can’t seem to get the voting mechanism to work!

Here is the link to the page on Huffington Post with my photo.

The Original Earth Day – an idea Planted for the Planet

It’s inspiring to me to read about the history of Earth Day, primarily because the seed for Earth Day was planted by one man.

Back in 1970, this one man, Gaylord Nelson, who was a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, was so concerned about the environmental problems of the times, that he announced the idea of a “national teach-in on the planet” to educate the masses about many of the environmental problems the world was facing. Nelson gathered a small group to help get his idea started: Congressman Pete McCloskey as his co-chair; Denis Hayes as his national coordinator and a national staff of 85 to promote events across the land.

Keep in mind, this was before email and cell phones, Facebook and twitter. But the actions of this small team of 88 people opened the eyes of the entire world.

As a result, on the 22nd of April (1970), 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment in massive coast-to-coast rallies.

The first Earth Day led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts. "It was a gamble," Gaylord recalled, "but it worked." (Earthday.org website)

It is hard to pick up a newspaper or get on the internet without seeing evidence of how this man’s “gamble” has paid off. Businesses and corporations, big and small, are pledging money to environmental groups. Celebrities are putting their names behind their favorite causes. Rallies and events are already being held throughout the country and the world.

According to Wikipedia, Earth Day is now observed on April 22 each year by more than 500 million people and several national governments in 175 countries, but if you visit the EarthDay.org website, you’ll see that the numbers are probably much higher than that.

The point that I hope you will take away from all of this is the power that YOU have, as an individual, to make a difference. Gaylord Nelson took a gamble back in 1970 by planting the seed for Earth Day. Now, we all have the opportunity to help keep this idea growing.

As a Green Gardener, here are some suggestions for how to influence others on Earth Day.

Or you can visit the EarthDay.org website for other ideas about what you can do.

Whatever you decide to do, I encourage you to use the power of social media to let others know about it. Facebook, twitter and other forms of social media are the perfect fertilizers to help keep your positive ideas growing.

Celebrate Earth Day – Get some cool garden goodies

What: Celebrate Earth Day, Plant a tree, Learn about wildlife gardening

When: April 21st, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Where: Chevy Chase Community Center

In partnership with the DC Dept. of the Environment, the Chevy Chase Citizens Association is celebrating Earth Day with a free educational, hands-on workshop to help people create backyard habitats for wildlife. The date is Saturday, April 21 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm in the Chevy Chase Community Center, 5600 Connecticut Avenue, NW.

Topics covered by the Audubon Society and other environmental groups include conservation landscaping, gardening for wildlife, plant selection, and general landscaping design principles. Participants will help plant a tree and a demonstration garden and receive a habitat kit containing a native plant guide, an invasive plant booklet, a book on wildlife gardening, a birdhouse kit and a live plant! If you need more info, email bbaldwing@yahoo.com

Painting the Town Green – How to Influence Others on Earth Day and Everyday

“People don't resist change, they resist being changed.” - Peter M. Senge

I saw a Facebook discussion this weekend in which a gardener was concerned about a neighbor who was spraying chemicals in an adjacent yard on a windy day. The discussion soon led to the inevitable question “How do we influence others?”

As eco-friendly gardeners, or as any environmentally concerned citizen, how do we educate, encourage, motivate and influence others, without offending, angering or annoying them? This, of course, is the answer we all want and need, and it is probably the obvious one: The best way to influence others is to think of what it takes for something to influence us.

What would it take to get you to change YOUR mind about something? Certainly not criticism or condemnation. What, then? What would encourage you to learn? To change? To begin acting differently?

I put some thought into what tactics might influence me, and here are the tips I came up with:

16 tips to help encourage more “green” gardeners

1) Get rid of the attitude "It's My Way or the Highway" - Extreme environmental opinions are a sure way to turn many people off.

2) Do it for them, not for you – It’s easy to look at someone else’s actions and see how they may be negatively affecting you. But that’s probably not the best attitude to take when trying to influence others. Adopt the attitude that you want to help them learn, NOT that you just want them to stop what they are doing.

3) Make friends with them – Most of us are more readily influenced by friends than by strangers. If you want to influence your neighbors, take the time to get to know them. Knock on their door. Smile. Introduce yourself. Take them some flowers or produce from your garden or some homemade cookies.

4) Find out what motivates them - By getting to know someone, you can determine what it will take to influence them. Talk about nature. Talk about money, family, health or yard work. See which topics spark their interest. Knowing how they feel about these topics will let you know what tack to take in educating them.

5) Adopt the “We’re in this together” attitude – Don’t assume the role of educator . No matter how much you think you know about eco-friendly gardening, you probably don’t know everything. Take the approach of learning with them, not teaching them.

6) Ask for advice, don’t give it –Instead of saying “Why are you spraying those awful poisons all over your yard” try asking their advice instead. Say “Do you know anything about eco-friendly pest control? I’m trying to cut down on the chemicals in my yard.”

7) Compliment them – Take a look around their yard and pick out some of the best features. Compliment them on the aspects you see that are eco-friendly. Do you see butterflies? Is there mulch in the garden? Are there permeable paths? They may be helping the environment and not even be aware of it. Teach them by complimenting the benefits of what they are already doing.

8) Keep your own yard looking nice – One of the best ways to influence others is by example. And as green gardeners, one of the best examples we can set is to keep our own yards tidy. In an article, Why Visual Appeal Matters , which I found on a Sierra Club website, writer Arvind Kumar says this: “your garden influences people every time someone walks by or drives by. People form impressions and opinions based on what they see; they are much more likely to emulate you if their impression is favorable”.

9) Show and tell – Invite them to your yard. Show them the things that you have already learned about eco-friendly gardening. Show them how beautiful native plants can be. Explain how your rain barrel works. Show them the caterpillars munching away in your garden and explain to them that they will soon be beautiful butterflies which help pollinate the flowers.

10) Make it about people , not about the planet - Studies show that people are more willing to make the right environmental choices if they understand the benefits to people, instead of the planet. Share what you have learned about the personal, physical dangers of pesticides or herbicides rather than more abstract ideas such as global warming.

11) Share the green goods– Nothing tastes better than fresh, home grown food. If you grow your own fruits, vegetables or herbs, share them with your neighbors or bake them into scrumptious snacks to share. If you have some extra insecticidal soap or other eco-friendly products, offer to share them. Or share your recipes for home-made products. If you have a rooted cutting or seedlings of a native plant, share it with them. Explain the benefits. If you are going to pick up a load of free compost, offer to share it with them, too.

12) Get their kids involved – Your neighbors may not be excited by your earthworms , hummingbirds and butterflies, but their kids probably will be. Converting the kids is often the best way to convert the parents.

13) Challenge them – Friendly competition is a great motivator. Once they start their “green” gardening, make it a competition. Take our Eco-Friendly Landscape Quiz together and compare scores. Participate in critter counts or other Citizen Science programs together. See who can attract the most birds and butterflies or who can achieve all of the steps necessary to get their yard recognized in a certification program such as the NWF Certified Wildlife Habitat Program.

14) Offer to lend a hand – You may have already learned the steps to install a rain barrel or start a compost pile. Offer to help your neighbor with theirs.

15) Show them the money (savings) –Explain how rain barrels can save money. Tell them about some of the local rebate programs or where they can get free mulch in the area.

16) Share The Metro DC Lawn and Garden blog and other websites - There is a lot of great information available online. Sharing some of your favorite blogs and websites with them is a great way to help them learn more on their own. Maybe they’ll even learn something that they can teach YOU!

Five Ways to Help the Earth – From WSSC

Mother’s Day is in May, but April is a great month for remembering Mother Earth. The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) is hosting a variety of fun and educational Earth Month events that you and your whole family can enjoy. And, in some cases, students can earn service learning hours.

H2O Fest – Saturday, April 14, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Western Branch Wastewater Treatment Plant, 6600 Crain Highway, Upper Marlboro

Join your friends, neighbors and environmentally minded local agencies this Saturday and celebrate how thinking green can protect blue. Included in the free festivities is the chance to tour the Western Branch Wastewater Treatment Plant for an up close look at what it takes to run waste treatment systems. People of all ages can learn how to help preserve and protect our water sources through a variety of activities and resources, including: WSSC Demonstrations, Green Building and Green Products Information, Children’s Activities, Environmental Cars and much, much more.

Partnering with WSSC for this event are Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Maryland Department of Transportation, Prince George’s County Planning Department, Department of Environmental Resources and Master Gardeners.

Creating a Better Woods - Saturday, April 21, 9 a.m. to Noon, Scott’s Cove, 11000 Harding Road, Laurel

Scott’s Cove has such a lovely woods that kudzu has decided to move in. We need your help in removing this unwanted visitor. We will be providing gloves and garden snips.

Celebrate Earth Day by Giving Back - Sunday, April 22, 9 a.m. to Noon, Scott’s Cove, 11000 Harding Road, Laurel

Help us mulch and water 250 small trees and plant wildflowers as WSSC celebrates Earth Day.

Seneca Wastewater Treatment Plant’s Open House - Saturday, April 28, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 12600 Great Seneca Highway, Germantown

See how wastewater is treated so it can be safely released back into the environment. 

Helping out the Dragonflies - Saturday, April 28, 9 a.m. to Noon, Brown’s Bridge Recreation Area, 2220 Ednor Road, Silver Spring

The best spot to see dragonflies and damselflies in central Maryland is Brown’s Bridge Recreation Area in the summer. But they don’t need trash and invasive weeds covering up their food sources. We need your help to tidy up their favorite spot.

For more about service hours or to register for any of these family friendly events, visit wsscwater.com and click on Earth Month Events.

Information provided by Kimberley M. Knox, WSSC

Green Gardening Twitter Chat – April 19th

Arlington County's Department of Environmental Services (DES) will be hosting its first ever "Green Gardening" live Twitter chat on Thursday, April 19 from 12 - 1 p.m. in recognition of Earth Day! Join us and get answers to all of your questions related to landscaping and lawn care, native plants, and water conservation.

We will give away a free rain barrel to one lucky participant who submits a question in advance or during the live Twitter chat!

To join the conversation, follow #ARLEarthDay. You can submit questions in advance to @ArlingtonDES or on the Arlington County Environmental Services Facebook page. For more information, visit http://www.facebook.com/events/333485840033661/.