MEA Webinar on Environmentally Friendly Lawns & Yards – 3/13

From Helen Dewey –

Medfield Environment Action to Host a Webinar on Environmentally Friendly Lawns and Yards

Homeowners and landscapers are invited to attend a webinar on Wed. Mar 13 at 7:30 pm on Low Impact, Sustainable Yard Care. Included will be presentations on pesticide and chemical free native gardens, use of earth- friendly lawn equipment and information on equipment that is harmful to humans and the earth. In addition, representatives from the Charles River Watershed Association will speak about how to prevent contaminating water and how to conserve fresh water.  Other presenters include Monique Allen, The Garden Continuum in Medfield, George Carrette, Ecoquiet Lawn Care in Concord and Tricia Glass from Quiet Communities. Jeff Hyman, Medfield homeowner, will walk us through how he has transformed his yard into a clean, sustainable and welcoming yard and he will explain how Medfielders can do it in their own yards.

Why is a sustainable yard which has a low impact on the environment so important? Gardening and lawn care techniques have evolved from natural landscapes to green, lush, manicured lawns and trimmed flower beds. The problem is that the fertilizers and pesticides used to create those lawns and gardens degrade the soil, contaminate groundwater, harm microbial life and have safety concerns. In addition, it takes a lot of time, money and lots of fresh water to maintain them. Some of the high-powered equipment used for yard care has very high carbon emissions and the loud, high velocity wind created raises fine particulate matter which is a respiratory and auditory health threat. It is time to return to the garden that flourishes with native plants that are accustomed  to growing in Zone 6 yards and need less water and less maintenance. The result is a beautiful, colorful garden that attracts a lot of beneficial insects and small animals without any negative impact on the environment.

The webinar is presented by Medfield Environment Action in support of Sustainable Medfield’s Action of the Quarter, Low Impact, Sustainable Yard Care.  Preregister at tinyurl.com/YardCareMar13. Any questions, email meamedfield@gmail.com. More tips can be found on the Action Portal at sustainablemedfield.org.