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Live Green in Plano Volunteer News
April 2009 |
Dear Live Green in Plano Volunteers,
Live Green Expo 2009 promises to the largest environmentally-focused event in Texas. Come hear the star of "Living with Ed," celebrity and environmentalist, Ed Begley, Jr.; local organic gardening expert Howard Garrett, The Dirt Doctor; green building panelists including Chris Miles of "House Talk"; featured garden experts; and a chance to share your thoughts and hear from other participants at our new Share and Connect venue. Children will be entertained by professional kite flyers, storyteller, eco-magician, artists, and actors from Rover Dramawerks. Local foods will be showcased and more than 150 exhibitors will expand your green IQ.
Volunteers make the event run smoothly from set up to take down, from parking to welcoming, from providing important information to helping children explore their talents at a craft station. Sign up today to have fun, learn something new, and be part of this important community event.
Deb Bliss
Sustainability volunteer Coordinator
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Guardian Gardeners Recognized
by Erin Hoffer and Deb Bliss |
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Lone Star Salute will honor Plano Live Green and Master Composter Volunteers Brenda Steib, Jan Eppard, and Barri Montgomery. These women have provided more than 1100 of the 1700 volunteer hours devoted to the Plano Community Garden last year.
When asked why she got involved, Barri fondly recalls gardening a plot in an Austin vacant lot during college. She moved to Plano in the eighties and always thought such a progressive city should have a community garden. When she heard plans were being made, she jumped right in. "Working the garden is a very grounding experience. It connects us to one another and to our agrarian roots," she says.
Brenda explains: "It's a good feeling to be providing fresh food for those in need. Working in the garden gets me outdoors to enjoy the fresh air and provides exercise."
Jan finds joy in providing food for folks who need it. Being out in nature helps her reduce the stress of corporate life. "Last week I saw two very well-fed bunnies using our tomato cages as an obstacle course. Surprises like that make my day." Jan extends an invitation to everyone to "Come out and try it." You'll learn a lot working alongside these ladies.
Because of their dedicated work, the garden has expanded to include two large community beds that have been used as the "P" patch (potatoes and peas) and the "That's Italian" garden (tomatoes, basil, garlic, oregano). Ever the builders, they are also responsible for a harvesting table for rinsing and drying the produce and several reclaimed and reused park benches and chairs for restful seating.
As mentors and garden guardians, they are an invaluable resource to new gardeners. They keep abreast of developments in the organic gardening world and are always eager to experiment with vegetable crops and cultivation techniques, sharing their successes and failures. Without their enthusiasm, other gardeners might have been hesitant to try planting baby bok choy, loofahs or bush beans.
They are welcoming and supportive of those new to community gardening. Some projects have guardian angels. We have garden angels who cultivate plants, volunteers, and relationships, bringing each to full bloom.
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Eco-Toilet Retrofit 
Editor's Note: Live Green in Plano Volunteer Clyde McManus is always on the lookout for ways to green his home. After installing his own radiant barrier, he was ready for a project on ground level and found this kit to reduce his household's water usage. This toilet retrofit kit allows more water for flushing solid waste, less for liquid.
The FlushChoice retrofit kit sells for about $70 plus $10 for shipping and comes with all the parts needed, including some items that vary with particular toilet types and instructions for installation.
Overall, the product does what it says and seems to be well made. I did find the installation to be more difficult than I expected, with the switchbox being the main source of difficulty. All together it took about 4 hours to get everything installed and the leaks fixed. In all fairness, I must admit that plumbing has never been one of my strong points. So depending on your skill level you could find the process to be much easier than I did.
It will probably take several months to be able to determine the actual amount of water savings from using the product. I'll be comparing the current month with one year ago and will let you know how it turns out. |
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| Click here to read Clyde's useful step-by-step procedural document.
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| How Much Water Does My Yard Really Need?
by Patty Sipe
Water deeply and infrequently... Water for shorter amounts of time... Water 1" a week... What does all that mean?
First You need to Know Your Yard:
1. Know the Areas Covered by each sprinkler zone/station.
2. Know Shaded versus Sunny Areas.
3. Know Your Soil.
4. Know Your Sprinkler Heads
Know the Areas Covered -- For automatic sprinkler systems, run each zone/station to determine exactly what area is covered by each station. Know flower bed zones versus grass zones. Grass roots grow to an average depth of 4", bedding plants can vary from 6" to 12" or more. Different root growth means water needs to sink to different depths. Shallow roots (grass) needs less watering time. Deeper roots need more watering time, but the water needs to be absorbed - that means giving flower beds 2 "drinks" with time to absorb the water in between the waterings.
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| Rain Water Harvesting |
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Do you want to capture some of that rainy day water for use when the sun shines for weeks at a time? Learn how to start and discover where to find materials for rain water harvesting in Texas.
Monday, May 18, 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Maribelle M. Davis Library
7501 Independence Pkwy.
Plano, TX 75025 | |
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 Fieldtrip: Eco-Community Montgomery Farm
Our orientation to Montgomery Farm began with a trip down memory lane through photos, maps, and land-use drawings. The project is a candidate for Leadership in Energy Efficient Design (LEED) Neighborhood Development. CEO Phillip Williams reminisced fondly about visiting the horse farm of his great-grandfather which became a weekend get-away for his father's family of six children. When urban development spread towards the property in the 1980's, the family established the first nature conservancy in North Texas, 76 acre Connemara. This protected green space continues to be an important piece of the eco-community that is taking shape.
Using the resort business model, the plan for development of Montgomery Farm allows easy access to homes, recreation, work, shops, and schools, all connected by walking and bike trails. The master plan will connect those trails to neighboring cities. A conservation model incorporates environmental sustainability regarding air, water, and an energy matrix. Homes in this development are LEED certified. Trees and materials in the common areas have been reclaimed from construction sites around Dallas and have taken on new life through adapted re-use. Rather than installing deep, wide storm basins, the land has been sculpted with berms and bio-swales to reduce noise pollution from Bethany Rd. and to slow falling rainwater. Community green space works as recreation and flood control, containing, retaining, and polishing or cleaning the rainwater that falls on the property. Public space is treated as public art. The site hosts a dry-land tree farm and aquatic plant nursery in a pond. Future plans include a shuttle service to transport residents off site and a community garden. Allen, Texas is home to this model community providing useful lessons in a sustainable lifestyle.
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Tell your friend and neighbors about these upcoming classes.
Spring will provide opportunities to take all 4 of the Yardwise classes in one day on Saturday on May 9, Worm Composting on May 14, and Compost 101 and Family Worm Composting on May 16. Registration is through Plano Parks Department or by calling (972) 769-4234.
Learn to "green" your lifestyle, live healthier, and save money! Register for these classes running 6:30-7:30 p.m. at 4120 W. Plano Parkway through Plano Parks Department :
- Hazards in Your Home - June 1
- 10 Steps to an Energy Efficient Home - June 8
- Breathe Easier: Ways to Improve air Quality - June 15
- E-Waste: Toxic Trash & What You Can Do About It - June 22
Home Energy Efficiency: Be Green, Save Green
Saturday, June 13, 9:00 - 11:00am, Plano Municipal Center. Register required through melissab@plano.gov .
Live Green in Plano Volunteer Training will be available in a 3 day format June 4 and 5 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. and on Saturday, June 6 from 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. Register at debb@plano.gov or by calling (972) 769-4313.
Sincerely,
Deb Bliss
Sustainability Volunteer Coordinator City of Plano | |
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