Staunton Green 2020

Stay informed after Earth Day.  Here are a few of my favorite websites that I hope you will enjoy.  Send your favorite environmental websites to us at StauntonGreen@gmail.com.

Join the Food Revolution!

www.jamieoliver.com/campaigns

This is an exciting movement started in Huntington, WVA to bring fresh nutritious foods to our schools and to people all over.  See the website to join the 8,440+ Virginians who have signed the petition.

Environmental Working Group

www.EWG.org

Look here for the latest research to protect you and your family from toxic chemicals in our food, water and air in every day products that we use.  EWG is nationally recognized and they event have a great easy to follow rating system.

Food and Water Watch

www.foodandwaterwatch.org

If you liked the movie Fresh, this is a good website for you! This organization is one of the best for environmental education and enabling individuals to take ACTION. Their mission as a non-profit organization is to work with grassroots organizations around the world to create an economically and environmentally viable future. Through research, public and policymaker education, media, and lobbying, they advocate policies that guarantee safe, wholesome food produced in a humane and sustainable manner and public, rather than private, control of water resources including oceans, rivers, and groundwater. Check them out!

The Good Guide

www.thegoodguide.com

The Good Guide is another great on-line resource that rates healthy green products from food to make-up.

Environmental News Network

www.ENN.com

Sign up for daily emails on the latest worldwide environmental news.

The Daily Green

www.thedailygreen.com

Sign up for The Daily Green e-newsletter promoting environmental responsibility with easy to read tips.

Center for Science in the Public Interest

www.cspinet.org

CSPI publishes an excellent magazine, Nutrition Action, on health and food safety. It’s the largest circulating health newsletter in North America.  This is a concise magazine complete with dos and don’ts and healthy recipes at the end of each edition.

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• Regulation of Toxic Chemicals Faces Tightening (time.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.

Confused? Overwhelmed? Then start here, the first of SG2020 “Action Steps”. This is the first in an ongoing series. These action steps will give you ideas for ways you can make your life here in Staunton, Virginia greener and more sustainable. Implement the steps that make sense for you.

Already crossed this “Action Step” off your to-do list? Please share your knowledge and tips in the comments section.

~ RAINWATER COLLECTION ~

What Is It: A simple system to capture and conserve water.

Why It’s Vital: Worldwide, demand for clean water far outreaches supply. Nationally water prices have raised double-digit percent and will continue to rise thanks to drought and over-development in water-scarce areas. We’re lucky, but we’re not immune to changes in national supply. Virginia is still fighting to keep her water sources clean!

How It Helps You: Collecting rainwater saves money.

How It Helps Staunton: Rainwater run-off runs down the streets and mixes with nasty pollutants and trash (eg. cigarette butts) in the process. If you collect water and use it to water your plants during dry spells, the water will avoid this pollution and be filtered naturally by the earth.

We use captured rain water to feed our flowers.

How To:

You can buy pre-made rain water barrels locally at Young’s Hardware. They range in price, starting at roughly $150+. Here’s how we made our own.

You’ll Need:

• Large container – Barrels work best. You can get a barrel at Staunton Farm & Tractor or second-hand. We found this whiskey barrel last year for $35 at Verona Antiques. Keep your eyes open for good second-hand reuse. A large plastic trash can with lid can also work.
• Drill – (borrow one if you don’t own one)
• Cork – buy a cork that fits the hole you’ll drill in the top. Corking the top when not in use will prevent bug larvae.
• Pipe – We chose a 1/2 inch copper pipe, roughly seven inches long.
• Faucet/Knob - We chose a brass knob at Young’s Hardware.
• Bricks (optional) – Use to place barrel off the ground.

Total Material Cost: ~$50.

Okay, simple stuff folks! Drill a 1/2″ hole in the top of the barrel. Drill a second hole in the bottom-third of the barrel where you’d like a faucet. (Make sure a watering can will comfortably fit underneath, or low enough for a drip line hose, whichever you’ll use more.) The second hole will be the same width as the pipe you’ve selected. Insert the pipe and connect the knob. Position under your gutter and wait for the first rain to fill it up!

Note:

• Do not use rainwater collected from a roof for human or animal consumption. However, your plants and lawn will love it!
• If you use a wooden barrel you may need to wait for the barrel to fill and swell shut before it holds water.
• You’ll need to drain your barrel in the fall before it freezes. Otherwise, it may freeze and burst.

Enjoy!