Staunton Green 2020

Sunday’s (Apr. 25) Washington Post had a great article about the importance of reducing the amount of fescue (also known as turf  or non-native grass) in our yards. Turf grass is now the number one “crop” in the Chesapeake Watershed. What’s wrong with that? The $5 billion we spend each year ($5 billion just in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed!!) on our turf includes among other harmful substances huge amounts of fertilizers with a terrifying abundance of phosphorous damaging our waterways.

Check out the article here.

Ready to make changes? See Gena Adams’ post on Apr. 23 on native plants.

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• New Game Simulates Impacts on Watersheds, Educates Kids and Policymakers Alike (treehugger.com)
• Report to highlight Chesapeake’s biofuel potential (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• How to create a more earth-friendly yard (bendbulletin.com)

Did you know much of Virginia’s fresh water originates right here?

A new group, Friends of the Middle River has formed to “promote clean water and improve the health of the aquatic ecosystem in the Middle River Watershed of the Shenandoah – Potomac River System.” Find the Friends of the Middle River website here, or join their Facebook page.

Staunton and area residents are lucky to have neighbors who are committed to improving our waterways. Here’s a listing of projects completed in recent years.

Are you aware that improperly discarded medication is polluting our environment, locally and nationally? It’s a big issue relating to clean water and healthy soil.

Augusta Health is sponsoring an event this Saturday (November 7) where you can safely discard old prescription or over-the-counter medication.

Interview with Waynesboro City Councilwoman Lorie Smith (courtesy AFP):

Find more details about Operation Medical Cabinet in an article at Augusta Free Press.

Here in Staunton we’re fortunate to have clean water and regular rainfall. So, it’s easy to take water for granted.  (Check out some of the water improvements locally). However, clean water is rare in many parts of the world (including several areas in the U.S.), and, transportation and storage of water via pumps or water tanks indirectly contribute to climate change thanks to use of fossil fuel.

So, with that in mind here are ways you can reduce water usage in your home or apartment. Your goal is to have your home sip water, not chug it.

Showers, Not Baths
A quick shower will save water compared to a bath.

Aerate
You can inexpensively add an aerator to shower heads and faucets. They are easy to install and you won’t suffer from lost pressure. You’ll simply use less water.

Run Full
If you have a dishwasher, don’t run it unless it is totally full. If you wash by hand, do not let water run freely unless into a stopped sink.

Continue reading at AOL’s Rented Spaces.

What are your favorite environmental tips for the home? Please share in the comments section. Here are ore earth-friendly home tips for your living room and bathroom from SG2020 member Gena Adams:

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• Taking a More Sustainable Shower (takepart.com) -> check out the video!
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Kudos to the Stonewall Jackson Hotel! The hotel recently debuted its rooftop garden in our historic downtown. The hotel minimizes stormwater runoff while also saving nearly 20 gallons of water a day from this project. Added bonus? The garden provides locally-grown food for guests! Click here to download a pdf providing more information.

Says an article from NBC Channel 29:

“The initiative is designed to be a low-cost, high quality alternative to trucking in produce from out of town.

Hamilton says he plans to have much of what he’s growing go from the garden to the dinner table quickly, “Super fresh, it won’t get any fresher–as a matter of fact in some instances it will be just minutes before, between the time the product is picked and actually served.”

The rooftop garden uses water from the hotel’s air conditioning unit to care for the vegetables.”

Show your appreciation for Stonewall Jackson Hotel’s green roof efforts by recommending the hotel to visiting friends and family.

If you’ve wanted to set up an environmentally effective, money-saving rain barrel, here’s your chance. Staunton resident Jenelle Watson is coordinating a large delivery of rain barrels at The News Leader loading dock on June 27th. Your pre-made barrel will cost just $65.

The full article and details:

Here’s the deal: The Rain Barrel Co. supplies product to more than 77 retail stores in 7 states. Their barrels hold 55-plus gallons and are designed with a brass spigot for garden hose attachment. Each barrel has a lid and screen to prevent mosquitoes from accessing the water. They also are equipped with a side-brass overflow and are made from plastic recycled food-grade barrels.

Given the response I got to the idea of a rain barrel workshop last year, I’m willing to bet that Cindy is right. And at a price of $65, I bet there are more than 20 of you out there who share my interest. That’s why, with the help of The News Leader, I’ve tentatively scheduled a delivery date at 11 a.m. to noon on Saturday, June 27 at The News Leader’s loading dock/back parking lot at 11 N. Central Avenue in Staunton. Because Cindy’s truck can hold only 54 barrels at a time, she strongly recommends reservations. Those can be made by contacting Cindyn3@bellsouth.net or (919) 602-6316.

I’ll check in with Cindy next week to see how response is coming. In the mean time, feel free to let me know if you’ve reserved a rain barrel by writing to me at jenellewatson@gmail.com

I’m looking forward to seeing you — and meeting Cindy — on the 27th!

Here are some great things Staunton residents are already doing to protect our water supply.

Did you know the efforts Staunton has already taken to protect and improve our water supply? Here is a partial list of what has been accomplished during the past few years:

I’ll add that private citizens have created riparian easements on private land, too

These efforts show a local commitment to clean water. It proves Staunton citizens can commit to hard work to ensure a brighter tomorrow for all its residents. We’re asking everyone to step up and get involved to reduce our carbon by 20% by 2020 while creating green jobs at the same time. Please sign our petition to establish the City of Staunton’s Green Task Force. Thank you!