Location(s)

"Real Costs, Real Paybacks, Real Stories!"

Come see the new bronze certified club house at Big Met and tour their greener greens. Shortly after 4pm a presentation will inform participants of the green features of the building and the costs involved. A tour of the facility will follow and then refreshments. Big Met will also offer twilight fees (arranged at the clubhouse) to those who wish to take full advantage of the wonderful golf course. Cleveland Green Building Coalition members pay $25 and non-members pay $35. Register by check to the Cleveland Green Building Coalition, 3500 Lorain Ave., Suite 303 Cleveland, Ohio 44113. Also watch the www.clevelandgbc.org for a paypal button for the event.

Location(s)

Gang Green member Chuck Ackerman will host a rain garden workshop, led by local gardener Lisa Warner, at his house. Learn how to create a rain garden and about its benefits for the environment. Bring a shovel and work gloves.

Location(s)

No charge for this event.

Reservations are required.

RSVP to planetorganics@aol.com

Location(s)

Evelyn Bryant (Education Coordinator, Certified Horticulturist) New Agrarian
Center, George Jones Farm

Topics include
-Using organic and natural gardening products vs. herbicides
-Fundamentals of composting (vermi-composting)
-Bed and soil preparation
-Building a stronger and more sustainable regional food system in Northeast
Ohio

Free and open to the public.

Food and drinks provided by Nature's Bin.

Drawings to win organic gardening products.

Seating is limited. RSVP to Lindsey by Friday, May 16.

Call or email for details 440/582-5200.

Location(s)

Areas landscaped with perennial native plants that don’t mind getting “wet feet”, rain gardens are an attractive way to reduce the impact of stormwater on streams and Lake Erie. Rain gardens are designed to capture and filter stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces such as rooftops and driveways. Learn about these systems and take home a guidebook containing information on how to select a site, construct your own, what type of plants work best and more.

Visit www.oldwomancreek.org or call (419)433-4601 for more information.

What does your yard say about you? Do you desire big, showy flowers that crave lots of attention (and make the water department happy)? Or are you satisfied with subtle variations of green or maybe hardier plants that are native to the region?

The good news is, you can have it all—avoid the energy-intensive managed landscape while crafting an attractive, resource efficient yard.

Start thinking about how with this page, “Tips for more sustainable landscapes”.

The following "Tips for more sustainable landscapes" come from Salsbury-Schweyer, an Akron landscape design company.

Plantings

• Select the plants best suited to the site and soil conditions
• Plant for diversity using variety; avoid monocultures
• Incorporate native/indigenous plants
• Design for energy conservation (i.e. windbreaks, shade trees).
• Avoid use of invasive plants such as English ivy, purple loosestrife, barberry, privet, Norway maples, and some euonymus, especially near natural areas

Lawn

• Reduce amount of lawn and consider alternatives
• Fertilize and water minimally
• Adjust your attitude...tolerate a few weeds instead of heavy pesticides
• Mow high (3") and leave clippings

Provide for ecosystem

• Recycle organic material and create healthy soil using compost
• incorporate water, food and habitat for wildlife

Conserve resources

• Water deeply and infrequently
• Slow flow of, or retain, rainwater on site. Consider rain barrels, rain gardens or roof gardens
• Reduce paving and lawn, which encourages runoff
• Avoid use of mowers, blowers, hedge shears, etc.

Use eco-friendly materials

• Use compost instead of topsoil to improve soils
• Avoid toxic pesticides, use an integrated pest management approach to pest control
• Incorporate recycled materials, local materials and easily re-used materials
• Consider what "environmental footprint" results from the manufacture/disposal of product material

Create long-term value

Location(s)

“Go Organic” seminar and open house at Royalton Supply Landscape Center.  

Free “Organics 101” Seminar at 10 a.m. on what organic really is, why you should use organic landscaping products, how to properly apply them to your yard, and what products you will need this spring and throughout the season. The seminar will also include food and beverages, drawings to win Royalton Supply products, and complimentary trees in honor of Earth Day.

Seating is limited. RSVP to Lindsey Whited at 440-582-5200 or info@royaltonsupply.com.

Location(s)

Speaker: Bob Kehres, Ohio Prairie Nursery

Topic: Native Plants - Uses and Benefits

9:30 a.m. - Cofrfee and conversation

10:00 a.m. - Speaker

Location(s)

Spring Tea Benefit:  A party and a fundraiser for the Ohio Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides.

Featured speakers:

• Harvey Wasserman nationally respected alternative energy activist, senior consultant to Greenpeace and author of Solartopia will speak about wind, solar and other renewable energy topics. 
• David Beach, director of EcoCity Cleveland will speak about the new partnership of EcoCity Cleveland and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and other hot environmental issues affecting the Cuyahoga Bioregion.

Refreshments catered by the Mustard Seed Market.

Donation at the door. Tax-deductible contributions can be made out to NCAMP or sent to OCAMP at 13507 Ardoon Ave. Cleveland, Ohio 44120.

For information: OCAMP@neo.rr.com or 216-291-3424.