Green Ideas
Islands in the stream are making it clean
October 22, 2017In the land-locked state of Iowa, there’s a whole new twist on island life: the city of Dubuque is installing floating islands in Bee Branch Creek. This isn’t a tourism gimmick: the city is using specially constructed mini-islands that remove excess nutrients from the water. What’s more, these islands — 14 of them — are…
County has new, safer options for prescription drug disposal
September 21, 2017If you’ve been flushing unused medications down the toilet, it’s time to stop. Doing so in the past has led to widespread contamination of water supplies, because wastewater treatment plants were not designed to remove these compounds. Throwing drugs into the trash or leaving them in the medicine chest, though, is also problematic, because it can…
How are you celebrating Water Quality Month?
August 19, 2017August is National Water Quality Month, a time to celebrate — and appreciate — the role that clean, drinkable water plays in our lives. We’ve compiled a list of 9 things that you can do show your appreciation for, and commitment to, clean water. But don’t just do them this month: Every month should be…
Toxic algae blooms, runoff, and robots
August 6, 2017The good news is that there’s a new ally in the fight against toxic algae: underwater robots.The bad news is that the algal blooms on Lake Erie “are expected to be worse than normal this year, well above the size at which they can potentially become harmful to aquatic life and even humans,” according to…
Clean waterways are healthy waterways
July 23, 2017We’re blessed with an abundance of waterways in the Lehigh Valley — ponds, lakes, rivers and streams all give us ample opportunity for swimming, boating, and fishing. Anglers are especially lucky, as the region boasts a number of high-quality trout streams. There are steps we can all take in order to keep these waterways healthy,…
Watering properly is key to healthy plants — and conservation
July 12, 2017We’ve been fortunate this summer — so far — with a fair amount of rain that’s been keeping lawns green and gardens growing. Still, there are times when plants need a little more than Mother Nature is providing. We’ve blogged many times about using rain barrels to help conserve water, but watering properly also helps…
Fireflies could wink out without some bright conservation ideas
June 24, 2017Some summer rituals are universal: picnics and red, ripe watermelon; afternoons in the water to beat the heat; and chasing fireflies across the lawn as they light up the night. Yet one of those rituals is in danger of vanishing. Over the past decade, and probably much longer, fireflies have been blinking out of existence….
Love Monarchs? Consider creating a butterfly garden to save them
May 25, 2017Monarchs are probably among the most well-known butterflies — they’re certainly easy to identify with their orange and black wings. We’re seeing fewer every year, though, and scientists are concerned enough that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering protection under the Endangered Species Act. Why? Mainly because of climate change and a shrinking…
No back yard? No problem – you can compost almost anywhere
April 24, 2017At LCA, we’re always looking for ways to reduce the use of fertilizers — and it’s no secret we’re big fans of composting. But not everyone has an ample back yard, and not every municipality allows compost piles. So what can a would-be composter do? Here are a few ideas. Drop it off A number…
Green up the garden, not the waterways – over-fertilization causes nutrient pollution
March 29, 2017With spring comes the greening of lawns and gardens — and, by extension, the greening of rivers, streams and other bodies of water. The first is a good thing. The second — well, that’s decidedly bad. As we finally dust off the winter doldrums and head outside to start gardening, it’s easy to…