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Index of Subjects
Here's an email publication that some of you might be intereted in
subscribing to ... the ULS (Use Less Stuff) Report. Directions below. I've
shortened it down to comply with sust-mar posting length. I've ;eft in
articles on lawns, gardens and global warming.
~paul :)
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The ULS Report
Helping people conserve resources and reduce waste by Using Less Stuff
May-June 1998
Volume 5, Number 3
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***TWO GREEN THUMBS UP!***
As the saying goes, it's not just what you grow, it's how you grow it. The
typical gardener with a green thumb is proud of how beautiful everything
looks. We'd like to create the chance for you to earn a second green thumb
based on how little waste can be created along the way: Sort of the more
environmentally friendly way to make lawns and gardens lush and green.
Why are we so concerned about the lawn and garden? EPA figures show that a
whopping 15 percent of municipal solid waste is yard waste -- clippings,
trimmings, leaves, branches and the like. This amounts to about 31 million
tons of stuff annually!
The good news is that with a little foresight, most of this waste can not
only be eliminated, but actually used to make for healthier lawns and
gardens that are both easier and less expensive to maintain. Here's how:
The Lawn
* If you cut your own grass, buy a mulching mower,
which chops the clippings into tiny pieces that stay
on the lawn rather than being raked up or bagged.
There are many advantages:
* There's nothing to throw away.
* Mulch acts as fertilizer, keeping your lawn
thick and healthy.
* Since you fertilize less, you save money and
reduce the potential for runoff into streams,
groundwater and aquifers.
* You save time, since there's nothing to rake
or bag and fewer fertilizing occasions.
* If you have a very small yard, consider a person powered reel-to-reel
mower. If this is impractical, consider an electric mower. It's quieter and
cleaner than gas-powered models. Also, any pollution created by electric
mowers occurs at the power plant, which is regulated for emissions. The
same can't be said for gas mowers, which emit pollution individually and
uncontrollably. (We remember an EPA study a few years back indicating that
mowers were worse polluters than cars!)
* Reduce the amount of area covered by grass. This will cut back on the
amount of lawn to be mowed, as well as the quantity of fertilizers and weed
killers needed to keep grass healthy. Put beds of ground-cover, such as
pachysandra or English ivy around trees. This is good for the trees too,
since you won't have to mow as closely and trees are less likely to be
whacked by the mower.
* When watering, consider the following: 1. Check all hoses, couplings and
faucets for leaks, and fix as necessary. 2. Adjust sprinklers as
appropriate so that you don't water the street, sidewalk or house. 3. If
you have an automatic system, check that the heads are clean, in proper
working order and unobstructed by stones, fallen branches, etc. We've seen
too many sprinklers aimed permanently at passing cars, rather than at
thirsty plants. 4. Water in the early morning or evening, not during the
heat of the day. This way, water will soak into the ground, rather than
simply evaporating into the air. 5. Use timers to ensure that lawns aren't
over-watered. 6. Controlling weeds helps reduce water consumption. The
best thing to do is to prevent weeds from growing. To do so, use a
crabgrass "pre-emergent" in the early Spring. Pre-emergents cover bare
spots and prevent weeds from getting a toe-hold in your lawn. Also, seed
and water bare spots so that grass grows in before weeds do.
The Garden
* A good way to reduce waste is to grow plants that are easy to cultivate
in your area. For example, melons don't do well in the North, as cool
August nights and early frosts seriously reduce the chances of a ripe crop.
* Stick to local plant species. Even if foreign varieties do well, they may
end up doing too well. Plants with no natural enemies can thrive to the
point where they begin displacing local species, creating all sorts of
problems. (Just ask your friends in the South about kudzu!)
* If plants call for bright sun, don't expect that they'll do well in the
shade. Many tomato crops have been wasted by suburban farmers who hoped
that a little shade would be alright -- it's not! The same works in reverse
-- many an impatien bed has shown less than optimal results when planted in
too much sun. Plants tend to become lanky, with few flowers.
* It is very important to protect young seedlings. Shelter them by covering
with paper bags, or for a see-through shelter, slice the bottoms off
plastic milk jugs and place the jugs over tiny plants. Cut the bottoms into
strips and use as markers. Recycle when done.
* Save old seeds. The life expectancy of many common seeds is quite long,
such as beans (3 years), cucumbers (5 years), lettuce (6 years) and peppers
(2 years).
* Grow vegetables your family will eat. A bumper crop of zucchini may be
pretty to look at and make you feel good, but if it's not eaten, it'll just
go to waste.
* Reduce water use by covering beds with lots of compost or mulch. Use
soaker hoses and drip systems rather than sprinklers. Also, try to create
level beds, eliminating water runoff.
* Reduce weeds by (a) seeding heavily; (b) looking for plants that block
weed growth by sprouting early, quickly, and producing large leaves or
numerous branches; and (c) weeding when the ground is wet so the roots pull
out easily. This last point is especially helpful for weeds with very deep
taproots like dandelions and pigweed.
* Look for simple and effective ways to reduce the use of harsh or
hazardous chemicals. For example, one way to cut down on the need for
fungicides is to keep from overwatering, since wetness encourages fungus
growth.
Before using insecticides, try spraying aphids and other garden pests with
soapy water. If you have problems with slugs or snails, put out a pan of
something naturally attractive to them, like white vinegar. We
hear that beer works quite nicely, as well.
**Global Warming Will Change the Rules**
For more than 35 years, our communities have been diligently working to
solve their most pressing local environmental problems - too much trash and
too little space; suburban sprawl; and contamination of local groundwater,
streams, and rivers. The weapon of choice? Recycling. In fact, since 1960,
we have seen the recycling rate soar from 6 percent to over 27 percent
today. The mantra has been "Think Globally, Act Locally."
This new-found recycling ethic spawned a whole new morality play in which
heroes and villains were clearly delineated. For example, under this world
view, only the devil himself would build or live near a landfill. Organic,
"natural" products were to be preferred to "synthetics." Plastics were bad;
paper was good. And, of course, recycling was the preferred way to handle
waste, especially versus incineration or dumping.
But now, along comes global warming. We are waking up to the fact that the
world's citizens, and particularly we Americans, are producing and
releasing into the atmosphere far too much carbon dioxide (CO2), a major
greenhouse