SOUNDING OFF: Letting leaves be will help soil

Recent coverage from and about the climate workshop is hopefully giving impetus for positive changes in the “eco” arena.

Since we lost another big tree in the canyon, the urge to recommend tree planting is irresistible. Starting this fall, it would be encouraging if an incentive for planting (and continuing to properly maintain) trees along parking surfaces for cooling, CO2 absorption and beautification could be enacted.

Hopefully soon, the city could OK a survey of plant species on flat canyon land zoned open space with parking and an irrigation system already in place, but degraded by invasive weeds. In this area, excessive ground green waste and fine mulch or topsoil could be layered on top of invasive exotic species, thereby providing an area to propagate desirable trees. This land could also serve as an educational, demonstration, and distribution site for eco ideas in general.

Little leaves and leaf litter are seen as messing up the scene.

They are viewed as ruining the view.

Everyone has his or her pet peeves.

For many, it is fallen leaves.

It’s best to leave the leaves there. It’s ideal if they’re everywhere.

Make useful, decorative mulch. Don’t bury leaves deep in a gulch. Aid the worms and make compost. From free provision… make the most. An abundant life we envision when we tend and dress Earth’s skin.

In the garden, we may be extended a pardon. It’s OK to rake over a lawn, but the fallen leaves need not be gone.

For thorns and disease there are ways to deal with ease, but for most leaves we don’t even need to roll up our sleeves. But we do need to recycle the leaves.

Without blowers it is quiet and clean. We don’t need to haul away the green.

As long as a drain does not strain to strain, leaves reign with rain helping nature’s domain.

Don’t be mean to the garden scene, and everything will be more serene.

Ultimately, a certification process permitting gardeners to operate without a homeowner’s presence could also be useful.

“Gardeners” should be knowledgeable of ordinances and recommendations. They should be able to read warnings on pesticides (technically it is already required to have a license to use pesticides in business) and be able to communicate basic gardening concepts with homeowners.

These concepts would include proper pruning methods, the value of mulch and its difference from compost and water wise gardening methods. Yes, we need more enforcement to stop blowers, water running down the street and unlicensed “gardeners.”

Licensing will aid subsequent certification. Eventually certification would be required for licensing. This may be minor in the state of affairs, but it’s an improvement.

Waste Management needs to be challenged. If we are charged by the container size and frequency of pick-ups, we will prevent diesel exhaust, methane and other greenhouse gases and other unneeded expenses.

The above ideas are just a few possible initial successes that could get the ball rolling for Laguna’s eco-aspirations.