Learn about composting, rain barrels and planting a rain garden
As Earth Day approaches this Friday, April 22, arrange to take advantage of the eco-friendly programs we’re lucky to be offered once again by the Town of North Hempstead. Green initiatives available throughout spring and summer at Clark Botanic Garden in Albertson include the Composting Cooperative, Recycle the Rain and Rain Garden programs.
“It is such a wonderful benefit to our town that our very own Clark Botanic Garden hosts these classes for our residents on environmentally friendly practices such as using a composter and rain barrel, and creating a rain garden,” said Supervisor Judi Bosworth.
Reduce Waste
The 30-minute instructional composting class will teach you how to get started and upon completion, participants can purchase a composter at the reduced rate of $50.
Composting recycles yard and kitchen waste, and is a critical step to reducing the volume of garbage needlessly sent to landfills. If everyone participated, composting could remove more than 15 percent from the solid waste stream.
Using compost also promotes the return of valuable organic matter to the soil, eliminates the need for chemical fertilizers and promotes higher yields of vegetables in your garden.
Participants will learn how a proper balance of green organic materials, such as vegetable food scraps and grass clippings, which contain large amounts of nitrogen, and brown organic materials, such as dry leaves, wood chips and branches, which contain large amounts of carbon, will decompose into a natural soil enhancer for your garden.
Composting Cooperative classes will be held on Thursday, May 12, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, May 14, at 11:30 a.m.; Wednesday, June 8, at 11:30 a.m.; Thursday, July 21, at 10:30 a.m.; Saturday, July 30, at 11:30 a.m.; Wednesday, Aug. 17, at 10:30 a.m.; Wednesday, Sept. 14, at 10:30 a.m.; and Thursday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m.
Preserve Water
Residents can save water and money by participating in the town’s Recycle the Rain initiative. Instead of water running off your roof during a storm, rain barrels, which are made from recycled plastic, capture and save rainwater as it runs through your gutters. The average homeowner can preserve as many as 1,800 gallons during just one summer season.
The water conservation program teaches participants the benefits of rain barrels and, after taking the 30-minute class, residents can purchase 50-gallon rain barrels at a discounted rate of $50.
Recycle the Rain classes will be held on Thursday, May 12, at 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, May 14, at 11 a.m.; Wednesday, June 8, at 11 a.m.; Thursday, July 21, at 10 a.m.; Saturday, July 30, at 11 a.m.; Wednesday, Aug. 17, at 10 a.m.; Wednesday, Sept. 14, at 10 a.m.; and Thursday, Sept. 15, at 6:30 p.m.
Create a Rain Garden
The Rain Garden Program, which began last year, instructs residents on the environmental benefits of rain gardens and how to create one.
Rain gardens are positioned near a water runoff source, like a downspout, driveway or sump pump to capture rainwater, keeping the fresh rainwater out of the sewer system and in the ground. By rerouting runoff, the rain garden helps to reduce pollution by filtering out contaminants as the water slowly seeps into the ground. This program costs $25 and participants will receive several plants that will flourish in a rain garden.
Rain Garden classes will be held on Thursday, June 9, at 6:30 p.m.; and Saturday, Sept. 24, at 10 a.m.
All classes will be given at beautiful Clark Botanic Garden, located at 193 I.U. Willets Rd. in Albertson. Residents must register in advance for these sessions, which will be held rain or shine. To register or for more information, call 311 or 516-869-6311.
For additional ways to save the planet, click here.
