Environmental Tips: from the Environmental Concerns Subcommittee
Enviro Tips for the Summer
In praise of native plants
What are Native Plants - plants that have evolved over thousands of years in a particular region. They have adapted to the geography, hydrology, and climate of that region. Native plants occur in communities, that is, they have evolved together with other plants. As a result, a community of native plants provides habitat for a variety of native wildlife species such as songbirds and butterflies.
Non-native plants (also called invasive plants, exotic species, or weeds) are plants that have been introduced. In general, they are aggressive, have no enemies or controls to limit their spread and when they are introduced into a community of natives, they generally overtake the natives and develop into a monoculture. Purple loosestrife is a classic example. It colonizes wetland areas, replacing native plants, unable to compete for available sunlight, water and nutrients. Wetlands infested with purple loosestrife lose as much as 50% of their original native plant populations. This limits the variety of food and cover available to birds and may cause the birds to move or disappear from a region altogether. Although hybrid varieties are available that cannot cross-pollinate with other hybrids, they can cross-pollinate with non-hybrids.
Natives don't require fertilizers, require fewer pesticides and less water. Consider replacing a part of your lawn with native plants for year-round color and environmental benefits. You won't have as much lawn to cut and you will help control air pollution. (a gas powered lawn mower emits 11 times more air pollution than a new car for each hour of operation)
For more information and a listing of native plants suitable for this area write: United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Public Affairs, 77 West Jackson Blvd. Chicago, IL 60604 and ask for "Landscaping with Native Plants" or call 800-621-8431 or check them out on the web at www.epa.gov/greenacres/ where you can download the publication.
Smoke detectors
Did you know that the most common type of smoke detector contains a small amount of Americium 241 — which is a radioactive material? Sure, the small amount in your single smoke detector poses little risk to you or others. But, when you consider that detectors have a limited life and are thus often replaced, the smoke detector pile in your local landfill can get pretty high pretty fast.
First Alert (who makes most of the smoke detectors in the world) has a service that deals with the disposal of smoke detectors. Send your old detectors to:
First Alert
Radioactive Waste Disposal
780 McClure Road
Aurora, IL 60504
Enviro tip of the month (May)
In May and June we all get the itch to go out and turn some dirt. There are few things more satisfying to the soul and body than gardening. So here are a few eco-friendly tips from the late Fred Wiche to use in your gardening projects.
- Garden hose: Cut a piece of garden hose and use it to cover the blade of an ax or ice skate. Add more holes to a leaking hose with a flat nail, then use the hose to soak the lawn or garden.
- Birds: Attract birds to your yard to aid in pest control.
Enviro tip of the month (March) The wonders of sustainability.
- The bicycle-the most energy efficient form of transportation.
- The clothesline-runs on solar energy, no wires, no pollution.
- The ceiling fan-the air conditioner of the tropical world. It makes a room feel 9 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than it really is and draws no more than 75 watts.
- The public library-a book that is loaned 10 times cuts not only cost but paper use per read by a factor of 10.
- The ladybug-the average ladybug eats 40-75 aphids a day.
Enviro tip of the month (February)
Inkjet cartridiges
Did you realize that the inkjet cartridges your computer printer uses can be refilled 2 to 5 times? Turns out that many of the companies that recharge laser toner cartridges also refill inkjet cartridges. The charge is usually about 30 to 50 percent less than the price of a new cartridge, and the companies listed below will also clean the cartridge and check it for cracks and signs of wear.
Some office supply stores sell mail-in service kits for sending your cartridge. The kit includes shipping and a box for mailing. It usually takes about a week or two to get your cartridge back (which is nearly how long it takes to get one from a manufacturer). The best maneuver is to keep a backup cartridge available so that the mailing time doesn't interfere with your printing.
There are many vendors who will refill inkjet cartridges. For example:
GRC Inc,
20650 Prairie St.
Chatsworth, CA 91311
800-423-5400
Other vendors provide kits to refill the cartridges yourself. For example:
Computer Friends, Inc.
14250 NW Science Park Drive
Portland, OR 97229
800-275-7422
Encore Ribbon, Inc.
1320 Industrial Ave.
Suite C
Petaluma, CA 94952
800-431-4969
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