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for larger version       On The Bayfront The ocean and bay is under constant pressure from our ever-growing population's desire to live and recreate near the coast. Today, 70% of us live within an hour's drive of the coastline.A0Des pite recent improvements in environmental conditions in our waters, significant problems remain.A0These prob lems include: habitat loss and degradation, toxics, pathogens, floating trash, and nutrient and organic en rich ment. The impacts of these problems range from the decline in fish and shellfish populations to fish consumption advisories and the intermittent closure of bathing beaches.A0 Our society has long believed that water pollution is caused by industrial and sewage treatment plant discharges, otherwise known as Point Source Pollution.A0In fact, the everyday activities of each one of us has an enormous collective impact on water quality.A0Some examples of Non-Point Source Pollution includes fertilizer and pesticide runoff from lawns and farms, silt carried off construction sites and the street-litter that ends up in our stormwater drains.A0These pollutants find their way into the nearest body of water and may eventually reach the ocean, degrading our water quality all along the way. This creates a sensitive, dynamic balance between ocean and man; the desire to keep up with our increasing growth and development as a society while protecting the ocean that sustains life as we know it.A0Our responsibilities in protecting the ocean and sealife are crucial, not only for the safety of all those dependent on the vitality of the ocean but also that we might preserve, for the future, all that we treasure within it. As the growing season is underway in our area, consider using less fertilizer on your lawn, reducing the amount of fertilizer that ends up in the storm drains. I personally add two containers of Epsom salts to my fertilizer and reduce the spreader amount by half the recommended rate. The weeds still die and the grass is greener because of the Epsom salts. Less chance of burning the lawn this way too - for those who have been unsuccessful at fertilizing their own lawns in the past, just like me. Jerry Baker, the "Master Gar dener" televised on the Public Broad cast System is the one who gave me the idea about the Epsom salts. Since we live around the Jamaica Bay watershed, what we do around our house ultimately affects Jamaica Bay - good and bad. Although Jerry's website boasts lots of things he wants to sell you, if you look up "article ar chives", you can get free tips on a wide variety of topics - including all the ingredients to make the tonics he boasts. His website is www.jerrybaker.com . One last fascinating thing to consider about organic lawn care and our environment is this: did you know that chewing tobacco is an effective means of pest control for the garden? | |||||
