Tag: fertilizer

A man spreads fertilizer on a lawn, for an LCA post about proper lawn fertilization to avoid nutrient runoff.

Fertilize Lawns and Gardens Carefully To Avoid Nutrient Pollution

Spring is in full swing, and many of us are getting our lawns and gardens ready for the growing season. One springtime ritual, however, regularly leads to green, polluted waterways: over-fertilization of lawns and gardens. Plant fertilizers contain nitrogen and phosphorus, nutrients that are major sources of pollution in waterways. When too much fertilizer is…

No back yard? No problem – you can compost almost anywhere

At 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…

Little oysters, big job

  Maybe you’ve heard the saying, “Pearls before swine,” but you probably haven’t heard “pearls after pollution.” According to an article in Pollution Online, New Jersey is looking at employing oysters in their battle against polluted waterways. It turns out these mighty mollusks can help clean up water because they filter water constantly. It’s part of…

A history of nitrogen pollution

A University of Washington study of 36 lakes has found evidence of nitrogen from human activities in more than 75 percent of them. Some of the lakes, which range from the U.S. Rocky Mountains to northern Europe, are “thousands of miles from the nearest city, industrial area or farm.” And the pollution dates back to before the…

Chesapeake Bay cleanup shows results, but more watershed work is needed

LCA has written before  about how things that happen upstream have a compounded effect when they end up downstream. Fertilizers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and even mud and silt from development all, eventually, end up in the ocean. In Pennsylvania’s case, this often happens via the Chesapeake Bay. According to a new report, there’s been some progress…

Polluted runoff has far-reaching consequences

Over the past few months, we’ve written about buffer zones and source water protection in an attempt to outline the importance of keeping our water supply clean. A recent study by the University of Georgia, however, drives home the fact that the effects of polluted water reach far beyond local watersheds. Researchers there found that…