Today is the first day that I’ve really felt Fall in the air. The leaves are changing and there’s that earthy smell I love. Did you know that Fall is one of the most important seasons for gardeners? Learn what you need to do to get ready for Winter with Master gardener Paul James.

Don’t forget that rubber curbing or rubber mulch are ideal ways to create a beautiful low-maintenance yard.

Here are 4 landscaping tips for Fall

1. Plant trees and shrubs. Ideally, you should plant evergreens roughly six weeks before the first hard freeze, but deciduous plants can be planted anytime, even during the winter months, as long as the ground isn’t frozen.

Take a walk or drive and look at which trees and shrubs offer the best fall colosr. Also consider the shade needs of your home.

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Sunland Builders in North Carolina tries to do their part on construction jobs by recycling wood, metal and cement. Now they can do even more with a new grant they’ll upgrade their backhoe so it produces less air pollution.

They got the grant money through the N.C. Clean Construction Leading to Early Adoption Diesel Emission Reductions program. It comes through the EPA. Sunland received $16,125 or about 25% of what it costs to get the new equipment.

The incentives help in this economy that’s been tough on builders. Most use equipment that is 10-20 years old. Construction equipment contributes about 18% of the nitrogen oxides, 16% of the volatile organic compounds, and 5% of the fine particle pollution in North Carolina.

These are elements that create ozone and contribute to bad air quality – esp. in the summer.

See http://www.jdnews.com/articles/span-78144-style-color.html for more information

Rubberecycle recognizes companies who do their part to recycle. We recycle tires into useable products such as rubber mulch surfaces used on playgrounds and for other purposes.

Now it’s too bad I’m not referring to the oil slick from the Gulf of Mexico but now you can buy or sell used motor oil. The oil there wasn’t used, it was new. The online marketplace to buy/sell used motor oil was created by Recycle Markets of Mount Ida, Arkansas. Interesting, it’s not environmental concerns as much as economics that drives this engine. Instead, they want to help used oil generators understand the right price they should be asking for their oil. The price for used oil fluctuates a lot.

“Used oil has value, but that value can vary widely based on the quality of the used oil, the quantity available and where the used oil generator is located. In many cases, the generator has to rely on the service truck to establish a price. That price may or may not reflect accurate market conditions.”

Check it out the used oil stock market of sorts at www.usedoilmarket.com

It’s free to register – sort of like eBay you pay fees when you sell. But unlike eBay it is not an auction. Great efforts to reuse, reduce and recycle.

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Kudos to Cincinnati Parks & Rec for their efforts to recycle, reduce, and reuse in city parks. The city started by replacing the department’s 40-year-old heating and air conditioning system to a more energy efficient model. This step resulted in energy conservation and cost savings.

Another thing they did is replace wood mulch with longer-lasting rubber mulch at Gower Park’s playground. A new design will utilize more green space and decreasing the amount of mulch needed in the future.

The city received more than $11,000 in a grant program “to implement or continue innovative waste reduction and recycling programs that significantly reduced the grantees’ waste stream.” Recycle Sharonville’s goal “was to reduce waste while increasing awareness of recycling and its positive effects on the environment.”

The project included:

*  26 recycling containers placed next to trash cans in public areas with multilingual signs next to those receptacles to promote recycling to all residents;

* distribution of a flyer and brochure, educating residents about the program;

* established a collection system to empty recycling containers at dropoff centers at the Community Center. The materials donated were re-used for craft classes, saving money for projects at many adult and senior classes;

Great job! I hope more cities take note and follow Sharonville Parks and Recreation example.

Source: http://communitypress.cincinnati.com/article/20100401/NEWS/4010316/1001/NEWS/Reuse++recycle+new+practice+at+Sharonville+parks+and+rec

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