It’s your watershed

Growing Green: Finding Bay-Friendly Landscapers

March 11th, 2009 Posted in March 2009

Are you concerned that the landscapers in your community are using fertilizer and pesticides that are harmful to the Chesapeake Bay? If so, read on!

The West/Rhode Riverkeeper (W/RR) has a wonderful new program aimed at informing the public about landscaping companies that are Bay friendly.

Coined the “Growing Green” lawn care program, you can ask your landscaper to sign the Growing Green Lawn Pledge to use Bay-friendly techniques. If they don’t want to sign on, the West/Rhode Riverkeeper may be able to point you to contractors that have.

When you switch to a Bay-friendly contractor, the folks at W/RR will give you a nice sign you can place on your property that says you support healthy rivers. Don’t be surprised if your neighbors take a favorable interest in you for doing so.  : )

One of the nice things about using natural products on your lawn as opposed to man-made (synthetic) chemicals is that your lawn requires less maintenance overall. Synthetics kill the helpful microbes that provide fertile soil and give you a lush lawn. If you are using synthetic fertilizer, you then have to apply it more often.

Help This Program Get Adopted in Your Neighborhood!
The staff at W/RR, who are based outside of Annapolis, MD, would like to see this pilot program take root in other communities, but they need your help in doing so. Urge your local watershed or environmental agency to adopt this program in your neighborhood. Contact me if you need help finding your local environmental organization.

The West/Rhode Riverkeeper staff are available to help organizations Grow Green! Contact them today.

  1. 2 Responses to “Growing Green: Finding Bay-Friendly Landscapers”

  2. By Becky on Mar 12, 2009

    That is a great idea- love anything that works and is also safe for the environment. I have been focusing on trying to find alternative cleaning agents to replace the harmful toxic-filled cleaners that I use in my home. Beth Greer so far has the best information on
    Green Health and has even written a book on it titled, “Super Natural Home.” Thought you might want to check it out also.

  3. By Valerie on Mar 17, 2009

    @Becky:
    I have not read Super Natural Home but thank you for your recommendation. I have read Living Green by Greg Horn, which is probably similar.

    You can find information about safe household products at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation: http://www.cbf.org.

    I use vinegar, borax and baking soda when cleaning my house. Inexpensive AND safe.

    The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) now has a program aimed at making it easier for the public to find safe cleaning products. If a product has a label that reads “Design for the Environment/U.S. EPA,” then it is guaranteed to meet the EPA’s “Design for the Environment” program guidelines. You can read more about it here:

    http://www.epa.gov/dfe/pubs/projects/formulat/formpart.htm

    Now go read about nanoparticles and in particular, nanosilver, which is currently used in countless products (socks, hand rails, ATM buttons…). No one knows whether this new technology is safe. Let’s hope it is!

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