In keeping with Earth Day we think it’s important to point out some of the other practices we can put in place to reverse some of the impact we have on the earth we reside in, we think it’s fitting to be concerned about the toxic waste we generate as well as our carbon footprint.  You can protect our waterways from toxic run-off by using care when maintaining your yard, auto as well as pets, such as:


Checking cars on behalf of leaks—use sawdust or cat litter to soak up spills.  Double bag as well as put in trash.


Using a drop cloth as well as container to collect fluids when doing routine maintenance.


Recycling fluids at an authorized collection site.


Washing your cars over gravel or grass.  Use a minimum of water as well as biodegradable phosphate free soap.


Never pour oil, anti-freeze or other toxic substances into your home’s wastewater drain, outside storm sewer or nearby water bodies.


Don’t ignore pet waste—if it’s your pet, pick it up when walking; then flush it.  Bury pet waste 6” deep.  Keep waste away from vegetable gardens, wells or nearby water bodies. 



Keep horses responsible: 


Collect manure as well as soiled bedding from stalls daily


Compost manure in a dry location with a covered plastic sheet—or haul offsite


Fence horses out of streams, wetlands as well as ponds


Maintain your septic system:


Inspect it annually as well as service outlet filters


Have your system pumped by a licensed company every 2-3 years


Use non-toxic cleaning products


Avoid using septic tanks cleaning compounds


Watch utilize of your lawn fertilizer:


Try organic lawn seed as the first step.  It is naturalized on behalf of your climate zone as well as doesn’t require extensive watering as well as chemicals to stay lush.


If you must utilize fertilizers as well as pesticides, utilize them according to instructions to prevent water quality problems.


Test the soil—only feritlize based upon your soil needs. (restest every 3-5 years).


Never apply fertilizer to frozen ground or dormant turf.


Only  utilize what you need—more is NOT better.


EXCESS FERTILIZER WASHES INTO WATERWAYS AND PONDS CAUSING ALGAE BLOOMS AND KILLING FISH, WILDLIFE AND FLORA.


Have a watering schedule


Morning is the best time (discourages disease)


1-1/12 inches per week is plenty on behalf of an estimated all lawns


Water slowly—wet the soil to a depth of 4-6 inches


Make sure sprinkler heads are aimed at greenery—not pavement


Avoid water run-off


Avoid light, frequent watering


LANDSCAPE WITH NATURALIZED DRAUGHT TOLERANY GRASSES, SHRUBS AND TREES


You can also reduce run-off by using pervious pavers instead of concrete, as well as asphalt. Landscape with berms (in the natural building movement, berming refers to piling earth against an exterior wall to create thermal mass or reduce the visible footprint of an earth-sheltered home).and swales  (swale is created by digging a ditch on contour as well as piling the dirt on the downstream side of the ditch to create a berm. In arid climates, vegetation (existing or planted) along the swale can benefit from the concentration of runoff.
Alternatively, the term swale may refer to a very shallow ditch dug between building lots to direct overland flow to storm sewer inlets)to catch as well as filter run-off.  Definitions courtesy of Wikipedia.


Plant native grasses, trees as well as shrubs to slow run-off, prevent soil erosion, as well as increase water absorption


Plant vegetation using a concave approach—water flows toward the plant as well as flows into the ground.


Don’t overmow


In the summer, cut grass to a height of 3 inches—in the Spring/Fall cut to 1 as well as 1/2 inches


Grasscycle—leave grass clippings on the lawn—they return the nutrients as well as reduce the require on behalf of fertilizer.  


Keep mower blades sharp.