• Replies 13 replies
  • Subscribers 10 subscribers
  • Views 3688 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Related

Do you leave your leaves?

Donnetta Elsasser

Every year about this time there is a new article out about why it is beneficial to leave your leaves in your yard, instead of raking them up and getting rid of them.

Instead of an article this year, I'm going to give you some images to consider. Is this a topic that you might discuss with your students?

        

Parents

  • Hey Donetta -- this is a great question. I think it's a good research exercise for the students. 

    We did some weeding at a local rain garden in September (back when we had some rain) and the DPW picked up the brush. When we asked, it turns out that they compost most green material and leaves at the DPW yard. I was able to verify this information online but I wonder if students could inquire at their local levels of government. If their cities/towns are just dumping them in the landfill, they could influence their elected officials to start composting or even begin efforts on campus. 

Reply

  • Hey Donetta -- this is a great question. I think it's a good research exercise for the students. 

    We did some weeding at a local rain garden in September (back when we had some rain) and the DPW picked up the brush. When we asked, it turns out that they compost most green material and leaves at the DPW yard. I was able to verify this information online but I wonder if students could inquire at their local levels of government. If their cities/towns are just dumping them in the landfill, they could influence their elected officials to start composting or even begin efforts on campus. 

Children
  • in reply to Mike Skomba

    I like this idea,  !

    Very organic civic project (I really did not intend the pun). I know that our city does pick up leaves for a certain window of time, if people push them out of their yards and onto the edges of the street. We never do that, so I honestly don't know how they pick the leaves up or where they go. Our landfill does have a composting site, so I hope that's where they end up. What a great student inquiry.

    I have always thought a composting site on campus would be so great. But much like a community garden, who would tend to it during the summer?

    How do other schools manage this?