LauderScape 2012

On Saturday, May 12 from 9 am to 1 pm, the City of Fort Lauderdale will host its second LauderScape at Holiday Park Gymnasium.  Last year’s LauderScape was a great success and this year’s should be even better!  Almost 200 people have already registered online (see the form at the bottom of the page).

LauderScape was conceived to encourage outdoor water conservation through Florida-Friendly Landscaping.  Florida-Friendly Landscaping uses 9 principles to promote landscapes that not only save water but are good for the Florida environment.

Three experts in their fields will speak on the Florida-Friendly 9 Principles, Sustainable Pest Management and Plant Nutrition, and Rain Barrels and Water Conservation.  Attendees will get a chance to win one of four rain barrels or native trees plus many other goodies to help them landscape their yards properly.

Registration closes soon so please register immediately.  For questions or additional information about LauderScape, please e-mail lauderscape@fortlauderdale.gov or call 954-828-4757.

Questions or Comments

Gene Dempsey, City Forester

Environmental Services

Office - (954) 828-7704 Fax - (954) 828-7897

GDempsey@fortlauderdale.gov

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Happy Arbor Day!

Today is Arbor Day!  Celebrate Trees!

Hug a tree!

Plant a tree!

Admire a tree!

Record-setting Trees

• One of the tallest soft wood trees is the General Sherman, a giant redwood sequoia of California. General Sherman is about 275 ft or 84 m high with a girth of 25 ft or 8 m.
• The 236 ft or 72 m high Ada Tree of Australia has a 50 ft or 15.4 m girth and a root system that takes up more than an acre.
• The world's tallest tree is a coast redwood in California, measuring more than 360 ft or 110 m.
• The world's oldest trees are 4,600 year old Bristlecone pines in the USA.

For more fun facts on trees:  Trees are Good

Questions and Commments

Gene Dempsey, City Forester

Environmental Services

Office - (954) 828-7704 Fax - (954) 828-7897

GDempsey@fortlauderdale.gov

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Easy way to save half-a-million trees

One more day to National Arbor Day!

save the trees, please.

You already know about the importance of saving on paper and using recycled paper, but lots more of your daily wastage grows on trees. Non-recycled toilet paper, paper towel and tissues are made from virgin fiber, which may even come from the old-growth forests that have been cleaning our air since the beginning of time. Over 500,000 trees could be saved each year if every U.S. household replaced just one roll of virgin fiber toilet paper or paper towel. Think of the difference you could make by finding recycled options for all of your paper products. Much of the recycled toilet paper is even available cheaper than the luxury, virgin brands. Look for 100% recycled products with a percentage coming from post-consumer sources. (www.greenissexy.org)  

Questions and Comments

Gene Dempsey, City Forester

Environmental Services

Office - (954) 828-7704 Fax - (954) 828-7897

GDempsey@fortlauderdale.gov

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It's Time We All Started Rooting for Trees

Continuing with the Arbor Day theme…

It's Time We All Started Rooting for Trees

Here's how we can.

By Brian Merchant
Brooklyn, NY, USA | Tue Feb 23, 2010 

When was a last time you stopped to think about a tree? They do, after all, purify the air, provide shade, induce evapotranspiration, reduce stormwater runoff, cool the climate, aid in energy conservation, and amp up property values--all right in your very own neighborhood. And while trees that line your street provide all of those nifty services--many of which just so happen to be integral to our survival--they remain largely under-appreciated.
How often do you stroll by a tree lined street, after all, and think 'Thanks guys. Keep up the photosynthesis." And not that you should be doing explicitly that, or saying something like that out loud. Especially if you have neighborhood watch in your community. But a fundamental sense of appreciation of trees is indeed important in some senses, especially in urban areas.
Trees play a larger role in enhancing air quality and generally have a more powerful correlation with human health and well-being in dense urban areas; put simply, they're far fewer in number in such places. Take, for example, New York City. The city is so tree-starved that Mayor Bloomberg announced an initiative to plant 1 million trees in vacant areas.
But community awareness must be kept raised if such productive initiatives are to continue into the future. And one group that's taken to keeping the importance of trees in the limelight is the nonprofit Root for Trees. Their mission, according to their website, is to use "art and creative campaigns to raise environmental consciousness. Our mission is to create a connection between people and nature. The intention is to reconnect city dwellers to their natural roots by calling their attention to one of nature's most majestic symbols."
To accomplish this, the group has a number of initiatives in place, including creating signage to remind folks of the value of trees. Anyhow, the group is on the rise, and is just getting started in their arboreal activism--especially if you live in New York, this is a group to watch.
Questions and Comments

Gene Dempsey, City Forester

Environmental Services

Office - (954) 828-7704 Fax - (954) 828-7897

GDempsey@fortlauderdale.gov

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Trees are amazing. Go plant one.

In honor of Arbor Day…

Plant 20 Trees this Year, Be Carbon Neutral + 4 More Reasons to Plant a Tree Today

Trees are amazing. Go plant one.

By Josh Peterson
Los Angeles, CA, USA | Jun 08, 2009

 There are about one million great reasons to plant a tree. You can use them to build houses, make paper and canoes from them, swing from them and some will yield fruit. So if you're not doing anything at the moment and have some time available, you should go outside and plant a tree.

And if you have to ask why? Then I have five great, green answers for you.

5 Green Reasons to Plant a Tree (like you really need one!)

 

1. Trees Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
   A tree will process about one ton of carbon dioxide in its lifetime. That's not a whole lot. That's only about 5% of your annual footprint. But if you were to plant twenty trees a year, you'd essentially negate your footprint for the year. That is, of course, if you are an average emitter of carbon.
2. Trees Lower Your Energy Costs
   Trees planted strategically around the home can cool the home in the summer and provide protection from the wind in the winter. You can also use trees to shade your air conditioner. This will increase your AC unit’s energy efficiency by 10%.
   
   "The net cooling effect of a young, healthy tree is equivalent to ten room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day."—U.S. Department of Agriculture.
3. Trees Provide Cleaner Water
   Like a rain garden, trees can reduce runoff pollution, a major source of water quality degradation. Trees are most effective at reducing runoff pollution during small storms. A single tree can capture 2380 gallons of water a year. Trees catch the rain in their canopy and release it, clean and fresh, back into the atmosphere through evapotranspiration. Trees also bolster against runoff erosion.
4. Trees Prevent Erosion
   Trees act as windbreaks. On farms, trees are used to preserve that precious, precious topsoil. They also protect buildings from wind damage and flying debris. In the winter, trees will keep the snow from building up on the side of the house.
5. Trees Provide Greater Air Quality
   A mature tree can remove up to 240 lbs of particulate and gas pollution in a year. Tree canopies in cities can also lower smog levels by 6%.

http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/5-green-reasons-plant-tree.htm

Comments and Questions

 

Gene Dempsey, City Forester

Environmental Services

Office - (954) 828-7704 Fax - (954) 828-7897

GDempsey@fortlauderdale.gov

 

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A Brief History of Arbor Day

National Arbor Day is this Friday, April 27^th.  Arbor Day was proposed by J. Sterling Morton in Nebraska in 1872.   Morton as a transplant to Nebraska missed trees and started a personal crusade to plant trees.  Farmers liked the concept of planting trees because trees were a natural defense against the wind for newly planted crops. The first Arbor Day or tree planting day was April 10, 1872 and on that day more than 1 million trees were planted in Nebraska.
In 1885, it was made a legal holiday in that state and recognized on Morton's birthday, April 22. Nationally it is celebrated on the last Friday in April, although some states choose a date that is best for planting.  Florida’s Arbor Day is the 3^rd Friday in January, which is an opportune time to plant in north Florida.  Many South Florida Cities wait and celebrate Arbor Day in April since it is closer to the start of the rainy season. 
You can find more in information on Arbor Day at the National Arbor Day Foundation.

Email Comments and Questions

Gene Dempsey, City Forester

Environmental Services

Office - (954) 828-7704 Fax - (954) 828-7897

GDempsey@fortlauderdale.gov

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Recycle Electronics Safely

Recycle Electronics Safely

If you have unwanted electronics collecting dust around the house, safely recycle them for free at South Florida HHGregg and Staples stores.  This is a great way to keep old junk out of landfills and prevent toxic materials, such as lead and mercury, from polluting Mother Earth.  HHGregg's event runs through this Sunday and Staples' program is year-round.  (Doreen Christensen, Sun-Sentinel ) 

To find out more on why electronic recycling is important check out - http://www.ecyclingcentral.com/why.php

http://muttscomics.com/default.aspx

Six Words for the Planet

This looks like fun.  Have a great Earth Day!

Six Words for the Planet: What are Yours?

2012 April 2

by bteam

By Jessica Orquina

Have you heard of six-word essays or flash fiction? It’s a unique genre of writing that focuses on sharing a meaningful story or idea in just six words. The idea of very short stories began before the digital age, but has begun to thrive recently as people share their stories via social networks. Six-word essays recently came to my attention and I thought it would a great way to celebrate the environment.

Today at EPA, we are launching the Six Words for the Planet project in partnership with SMITH Magazine. To start off I wanted to share a few six-word essays written by my coworkers and me here at EPA.

Here are my Six Words for the Planet:

Many nations. One planet. Our home.

Here are six-word essays about the environment written by my fellow EPA employees:

Healthier families, cleaner communities, stronger America.
Lisa P Jackson, EPA Administrator

Breathe; A moment in nature. Breathe!
Danny

Our only. Our one. Home planet.
Jeanethe

Now it’s your turn. What are your Six Words for the Planet? Write your six-word essay and share it at http://www.smithmag.net/planet. Throughout the project, we’ll feature your Six Words for the Planet on the EPA.gov homepage and EPA social media channels.

Visit SMITH Magazine and share your Six Words for the Planet today!

Who can participate?

To participate in Six Words for the Planet you can be a citizen of any country, living anywhere. As long as you’re 18 or older, you’re welcome to enter. If you’re younger than that, please ask your parent or guardian prior to entering.

• You can enter your Six Words for the Planet any time between now and June 30, 2012.
• Your Six Words for the Planet must be original.
• You cannot enter a six-word essay that belongs to or has been copyrighted by someone else.
• Your Six Words for the Planet cannot contain obscene, indecent, or profane language.
• Your Six Words for the Planet cannot contain threats or defamatory statements.
• Your Six Words for the Planet cannot contain hate speech directed at race, color, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, religion, or disability.
• Your Six Words for the Planet cannot advertise, promote, or endorse a product or service.
• The topic of your Six Words for the Planet cannot be nudity, drugs, violence, or symbols or acts of hatred.

By entering your Six Words for the Planet, you agree to all of the above. EPA and SMITH Magazine reserve the right to disqualify or not consider any entries for any reason.

About the author: Jessica Orquina works in the Office of External Affairs and Environmental Education as the social media lead for the agency. Prior to joining EPA, she served as a public affairs specialist at another federal agency and is a former military and commercial airline pilot. She lives, works, and writes in Washington, DC.

Email questions, comments and your 6 words (if you like to see them here) to GDempsey@fortlauderdale.gov

 

Gene Dempsey, City Forester

Environmental Services

Office - (954) 828-7704 Fax - (954) 828-7897

GDempsey@fortlauderdale.gov

 

Think before you print!

 

Earth Day History

It’s funny, I can still remember seeing some kid’s Weekly Reader (I don’t think we got them in the 5^th grade) and it had a photo of a bunch of children playing with this huge blow-up globe announcing the first Earth Day.  Now, Weekly Reader has a website about Earth Day - http://www.weeklyreader.com/earthday/earthday.asp .  I’m not sure I knew that the first Earth Day led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts.  Read more about the history of Earth Day below.

 

From EarthDay.Org:

 

About Us > Earth Day Network > Earth Day History

Earth Day: The History of A Movement

Each year, Earth Day -- April 22 -- marks the anniversary of what many consider the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970.

Earth Day 1970 capitalized on the emerging public environmental consciousness, channeling the energy of the anti-war protest movement and putting environmental concerns front and center. 

The idea came to Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, then a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, after witnessing the ravages of the 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Senator Nelson announced the idea for a “national teach-in on the environment” to the national media; persuaded Pete McCloskey, a conservation-minded Republican Congressman, to serve as his co-chair; and recruited Denis Hayes as national coordinator. Hayes built a national staff of 85 to promote events across the land.

As a result, on the 22nd of April, 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment in massive coast-to-coast rallies. Earth Day 1970 achieved a rare political alignment, enlisting support from Republicans and Democrats, rich and poor, city slickers and farmers, tycoons and labor leaders. The first Earth Day led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts. "It was a gamble," Gaylord recalled, "but it worked."

As 1990 approached, a group of environmental leaders asked Denis Hayes to organize another big campaign. This time, Earth Day went global, mobilizing 200 million people in 141 countries and lifting environmental issues onto the world stage. Earth Day 1990 gave a huge boost to recycling efforts worldwide and helped pave the way for the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. It also prompted President Bill Clinton to award Senator Nelson the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1995) -- the highest honor given to civilians in the United States -- for his role as Earth Day founder.

http://www.earthday.org/earth-day-history-movement  

 

Please send questions and comments to GDempsey@fortlauderdale.gov.

 

Gene Dempsey, City Forester

Environmental Services

Office - (954) 828-7704 Fax - (954) 828-7897

GDempsey@fortlauderdale.gov

 

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Another Earth Day Celebration

Marando Farms http://marandofarms.com/  in Fort Lauderdale is also having an Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 21^st from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.  Marando Farms is located at 1401 SW 1^st Avenue.  Activities include farm tours, food trucks, music and speakers from GMO (genetically modified organism) Free Florida, plus raffles. 

http://marandofarms.com/earthday.html

Gene Dempsey, City Forester

Environmental Services

Office - (954) 828-7704 Fax - (954) 828-7897

GDempsey@fortlauderdale.gov

Think before you print!

Earth Day, Every Day - Sea Oats planting

As part of the Earth Day Every Day event, over 2900 sea oats will be planted on Fort Lauderdale Beach north of Sunrise Blvd and the eastern edge of Birch State Park.  Sea Oats are play an important role in stabilizing our dunes and beaches.

The planting will begin at 8 a.m.  Please come and volunteer.  Bring gloves and a hand spade if you have one.  Also, you will be in the sun so dress appropriately and wear sunscreen.   Planting volunteers will get first dibs on the tree give-away. 

Earth Day Every Day 2012

Learn How to Make Earth Day Every Day!

This all-day extravaganza offers engaging activities that celebrate the values of sustainability, community, and fun!

Festivities will include:

• Sea oat planting and dune restoration
• A variety of organic and vegan food
• Ecologically-focused workshops/activities for children and adults
• Volunteer opportunities -- Sea turtle rescue and more
• Free giveaway of 100 native trees
• Live entertainment - featuring Teri Catlin, the Didgeridoo Band, and a sunset Drum Circle
• Educational displays by local sustainable businesses and organizations

Also, attend the City of Fort Lauderdale’s new, exciting "Mix It, Curb It" Recycling Program Workshop! Learn how Fort Lauderdale residents won't have to sort recyclables; instead they'll be able to mix them up in one big, blue cart.

For more information go to:  http://earthdayhughbirch.com/everyday/

Please email questions and comments to GDempsey@fortlauderdale.gov .  Let me hear about what you are doing for Earth Day this year.

Gene Dempsey, City Forester

Environmental Services

Office - (954) 828-7704 Fax - (954) 828-7897

GDempsey@fortlauderdale.gov

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Earth Day, Every Day Free Showerhead Exchange

Earth Day is Sunday, April 22^nd.  During this week, I will highlight Earth Day activities.  The City of Fort Lauderdale has partnered with Birch State Park’s Earth Day, Every Day.  One of the activities to assist City of Fort Lauderdale residents in going green and saving water is a showerhead exchange.  You can bring in your old showerhead and get a new low-flow head free! Here’s the details:

 

 Save Water, Save Money with Free Showerhead Exchange at Earth Day Event

 

The City of Fort Lauderdale is sponsoring a FREE showerhead exchange for City utility customers at the Earth Day Every Day event on Saturday, April 21^st .  The Earth Day Every Day event, which has activities for the entire family, is taking place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, located at 3109 E. Sunrise Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. To receive a new, high-efficiency showerhead, simply bring a copy of your Fort Lauderdale utility bill and your old showerhead to the City’s booth and exchange it for a new one. There is a limit of two showerhead exchanges per household, and they are available on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last.  There are even hand-held models available. The showerheads for the exchange are being offered through Conservation Pay$, which is rebate program developed by the Broward Water Partnership (BWP). The BWP is comprised of 18 municipalities and water utilities that are committed to providing opportunities and incentives to encourage our neighbors to save water.

For more information about the showerhead exchange, please contact the City of Fort Lauderdale 24-hour Customer Service Center at (954) 828-8000 or online at www.fortlauderdale.gov/customerservice. You may also contact Customer Service via LauderServ, the City's Android application.

For more information about Conservation Pay$, please visit www.conservationpays.com.

 

For more information about the Earth Day Every Day event, please visit www.earthdayhughbirch.com.

 

Please email questions and comments to GDempsey@fortlauderdale.gov.

 

Gene Dempsey, City Forester

Environmental Services

Office - (954) 828-7704 Fax - (954) 828-7897

GDempsey@fortlauderdale.gov

 

Think before you print!

 

5 Furniture Rescue and Redo Tricks

Here’s some “green” weekend projects for you.  Not so sure about the denim covered couch but the rest of the projects are pretty cool. 

5 Furniture Rescue and Redo Tricks

Don't throw that old ugly furniture away! Fix it up!

There are so many ways to restore or reclaim old ugly furniture. Whether you have furniture hand me downs that need work, or have found a beat up piece of furniture with good bones in the thrift store, here are some great transformations to inspire you.

 1. Decoupaged Yellow Dresser
Paint and cheery yellow fabric make this 45 year old dresser better than new.

 2. Denim Covered Couch
Grab a bunch of thrifted jeans and sew up a patchwork slipcover. Leave some of the pockets in for handy remote control storage.

 3. Side Table Transformations
Here are two great reconned tables: one is hand painted with a beautiful damask pattern, and one has a wonderful mosaic top.

 4. Marble Mosaic Top
Take an inexpensive thrift store table, paint it a bright color, add brightly colored flat backed marbles, and you've got a one of a kind showpiece for your home.

 5. Painted Hutch
Nothing fancy here: a little repair work and a few coats of paint gave this stunning hutch a new lease on life. Simply painting an item can make a huge difference. Give it a try!

http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/furniture-rescue-and-redo.html 

 

Gene Dempsey, City Forester

Environmental Services

(954) 828-7704

 

Think before you print!

 

 

The Secret Life of Garbage

The Secret Life of Garbage

• The average American produces 10 times their body weight in garbage every year.
• Enough trash is produced in the U.S. every year to cover the state of Texas twice.
• Americans throw away enough aluminum for the entire auto industry to build new cars for a year.
• Only 1 in 5 plastic bottles are recycled in the U.S.
• Over the last 30 years, recycling plastics has saved 150 million barrels of oil.
• The world throws away over 750 million tons of garbage each year, and not all of it ends up in landfills.

Learn more at http://www.cnbc.com/id/38830389/  and http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/recycling/stories/the-secret-life-of-garbage-infographic 

•  

Clean your Cubicle the Eco-Friendly Way

How to keep your workspace spic, span, and sustainable.

By Megan Cohen
San Francisco, CA, USA | Tue Jan 20  2009

Keeping your cubicle clean helps you stay organized, present a professional appearance to your colleagues, and just plain feel more on top of your job. Check out these green tips for maintaining an eco-friendly workspace, and you'll be well on your way to a neat, tidy and totally sustainable workday.

Recycle at your Desk
Maximize your efficiency by setting up a station for recycling at your desk. Having a recycling center right in arm's reach lets you banish trash the earth-smart way, and get rid of any and all recyclables cluttering up your space, without even standing up. Talk about streamlining!

The Eco-Friendly Way to Clean your Keyboard
Ditch that can of compressed air in favor of a simpler, and greener, solution that doesn't require lots of packaging. How about you try cleaning your keyboard with a small reusable brush, or a rag?

Make your own Green Office Cleaning Products
DIY cleaning products are a snap to make, can help shrink your ecological footprint, and will improve your indoor air quality. Instead of grabbing a commercial product as an answer to your grime and grit, make your own easy, all-natural wood polish for your desk, or a simple borax-based surface cleaner. Once you've made your green cleaning kit, try leaving it in an office common area, so your colleagues can match your green commitment.

Use a Feather duster to Green your Cubicle
Dust is one of the biggest maintenance problems in a workspace, especially if you have the kind of job where you end up leaving your file cabinets dormant for a while. Instead of grabbing an energy-sucking vacuum or dustbuster to banish the bunnies, just reach for a good old-fashioned feather duster. It's reusable, and just as easy and effective as an electricity-powered solution.

http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/eco-friendly-clean-cubicle.htm

Please email questions and comments to GDempsey@fortlauderdale.gov

Gene Dempsey, City Forester

Environmental Services

Office - (954) 828-7704 Fax - (954) 828-7897

GDempsey@fortlauderdale.gov

 

Think before you print!

 

10 Houseplants that clean the air

Having plants in your house and office can create a much healthier environment.  Here are 10 suggestions for indoor plants.

10 Houseplants That Clean the Air

• Michelle Schoffro Cook
• April 5, 2012
• Care2.com

Indoor air quality has become a real problem. Indoor air often contains formaldehyde from carpets and adhesives, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from paints, petrochemicals from fragrances, and a laundry list of chemicals from fabric softeners. While it’s always important to let some fresh air in, research by NASA found that many houseplants are capable of reducing harmful toxins in the air, such as: benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene (TCE), toluene, and more.

Benzene is a cancer-causing agent found in many glues, solvents, paints, and art supplies. Formaldehyde is a cancer-causing agent that off-gases from furniture and carpets. Trichloroethylene is a solvent used with metal parts, dry cleaning, paints and paint remover. Toluene is found in nail polish and nail polish remover as well as foam.

Here are some of the best air-purifying houseplants and the toxins they are most effective at reducing:

1. Bamboo Palm (Chamaedorea seifritzii)—benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene (TCE)

2. Chrysanthemums or mums (Chrysanthemum morifolium)—benzene, formaldehyde, TCE (the most effective plant against TCE according to NASA)

3. Common Ivy or English Ivy (Hedera helix)—benzene, formaldehyde, TCE, toluene, octane, terpene (the most effective plant against benzene according to NASA)

4. Ficus tree or Weeping fig (Ficus benjamina)—benzene, formaldehyde, TCE, octane, terpene

5. Mass cane (Dracaena massangeana)—benzene, formaldehyde, TCE (the most effective plant against formaldehyde, according to NASA)

6. Peace lily (Spathiphyllum)—benzene, formaldehyde, TCE (Avoid lilies if you have cats – they can be toxic)

7. Purple heart (Tradescantia pallida)—benzene, TCE, toluene, terpene

8. Red Ivy (Hemigraphis alternate)—benzene, TCE, toluene, octane, terpene

9. Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum, Chlorophytum elatum)—formaldehyde, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide

10. Wax plant (Hoya carnosa)—benzene, TCE, toluene, octane, terpene

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/10-houseplants-that-clean-the-air.html#ixzz1rdXv1yyc

Please email questions and comments to GDempsey@fortlauderdale.gov.

Gene Dempsey, City Forester

Environmental Services

Office - (954) 828-7704 Fax - (954) 828-7897

GDempsey@fortlauderdale.gov

Think before you print!

Trees and Energy Reduction

 

Trees and Energy Reduction -

 

The net cooling effect of a young, healthy tree is equivalent to ten room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day. —U.S. Department of Agriculture

Landscaping can reduce air conditioning costs by up to 50 percent, by shading the windows and walls of a home. — American Public Power Association

If you plant a tree today on the west side of your home, in 5 years your energy bills should be 3% less. In 15 years the savings will be nearly 12%. —Dr. E. Greg McPherson, Center for Urban Forest Research

Trees properly placed around buildings can reduce air conditioning needs by 30 percent and can save 20 - 50 percent in energy used for heating. —USDA Forest Service

So get out there and plant trees!  National Arbor Day is Friday, April 27. 

Please email questions and comments to GDempsey@fortlauderdale.gov .

 Gene Dempsey, City Forester

Environmental Services

Office - (954) 828-7704 Fax - (954) 828-7897

GDempsey@fortlauderdale.gov

 

Think before you print!

 

 

Pick Up Neighborhood Trash

I think this is a very good thought. It always amazes me how people throw all types of items out their car windows with no thought of the impact.  First make a commitment to not litter, and then "Make a Bold Green Move."

 Make a Bold Green Move: Pick Up Neighborhood Trash

By Brian Merchant
Brooklyn, NY, USA | Sept 11, 2008

The "Make a Bold Green Move" series is all about going the extra mile for green—even if it's not always going to be pretty. Today's suggestion for boldly living a greener life may find you going out of your comfort zone—and into trashy territory.

Try designating one day a week—one day when you'll be out of the house, at least a little—to pick up every piece of garbage that crosses your path. The difficulty of this green move may vary, depending on where you live: well-kept suburb, maybe not so tough; metropolitan New York, potential day-long disaster. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't try.

In fact, the inspiration for this post is a neighbor of mine in Brooklyn, who picks up all the trash he comes upon, at least on our street. He's doing this just about every time I see him, and he’s going for all of it—even soggy stuff stuck in the gutters, mashed cigarette butts, and abandoned food packaging. And he makes no big deal of it, either. It just seems like something he feels he should do—he’s never asked anyone else to do the same.

So the least the rest of us can do is one day, right? Picking up trash has some very real eco-advantages—it can help prevent gutters from being clogged and flooding, prevent water contamination, protect the local plant and wildlife, and simply make your neighborhood more aesthetically pleasant.

Let's all give it a go—pick one day to designate to ridding your neighborhood of all the trash you happen to spot. It might not be pretty, or easy, but you'll be doing a big part in greening your neighborhood.

Email comments and questions to GDempsey@fortlauderdale.gov

 Gene Dempsey, City Forester

Environmental Services

Office - (954) 828-7704 Fax - (954) 828-7897

GDempsey@fortlauderdale.gov

 

Think before you print!