While driving through Concord yesterday, I saw countless citizens tidying up their lawns amid a background of falling leaves.  Many citizens were blowing leaves from their lawns into the street.  I didn’t hold it against them, because most people would never do something they knew was harming the environment.  And, like Maya Angelou says, “When we know better we do better.”
 
Blowing leaves and grass clippings into the street does harm the environment,  because they can be carried into storm drains.  Plant material can block storm drainage pipes and cause flooding and enter local lakes, creeks, streams and rivers.  Remember…storm drains and many ditches empty into local bodies of water.  Water that flows through the storm drainage system is never cleaned up before it reaches its destination.  
 
Plant material, like leaves and grass clippings (and even fertilizers and animal waste), contains the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus, which can contribute to nutrient pollution.  When nitrogen and phosphorus levels become too high, aquatic oxygen levels can plummet.  As a result, any organism that breathes dissolved oxygen (fish, crayfish, salamanders, etc) will become stressed or even die.
 
So, now that you know better…here are some tips for doing better!
 
 Share this information with your lawn care service provider!
 
Compost those loose leaves!  Composting is an inexpensive way to use yard waste and food scraps to create a beneficial product for your soil and garden!
 
 
 Bag loose leaves when possible!  Remember to use an UNTIED clear, plastic or biodegradable paper bag!
 
 
Use loose leaves as mulch in flower beds and around ornamental trees.
 
When placing loose leaves at the curb for loose leaf collection, keep them out of the street, out of the storm gutters and away from storm drains.  
 
Place loose leaves out for collection as close to your loose leaf collection day as possible.  That way, there’s less chance for those leaves to be carried into ditches and storm drains.