Colorado Needs "Water Day" Earth Day Reflections

The different domains of the globe can be separated by categories: earth, air, and water. Earth Day celebrates all three domains collectively in an attempt to encourage each of us to nurture and respect our own relationship with the environment. But in Colorado there seems to be a more pressing concern, our water, or better said, the lack of it.

Yesterday afternoon I watched a small dark grey plume of smoke over a ridge in Castle Rock. I later learned that two residential homes were burned but at the time I felt the sickening dread of "fire season". My family was intimately involved in the Hayman Fire in 2000. Dread, fueled by slippery winds and erratic fire paths, toyed with our emotions and our property for days. Would we be spared? Sadly we watched acres of gorgeous Colorado mountain terrain be swallowed up in a voracious fireball.

Our arid climate not only fuels fires but also the pine beetle devastation that has stripped our ski slopes, leaving the scrawny brown remains of the once evergreen, majestic trees. What can we do to preserve the purity of our Colorado water and conserve our water?

Ideas:

"Grass-roots" Green Technology
This idea is personally untried, but our new lawn care specialist is about to help us conserve water on our lawn. The soil beneath our Castle Rock lawn is claylike. The clay chokes plant roots and makes it very difficult for plants, trees, and grass to grow. Each year our new lawn has progressively gotten worse. We watered as much as we were allowed (per water restrictions) but the wind and arid climate seemed to siphon off the water we put on it. We watch our water glaze over our grass, onto our sidewalk and down into the city drain just like a watershed. This fast water path leaves behind our still yellow-green grass. Frustrated, we researched weather-based irrigation systems but then our new eco-friendly lawn management consultant recommended that we put top soil on the grass so that the nutrient rich soil can work its way down into our clay soil and help break up the death-gripe of our dirt. Several applications throughout the summer should not only feed our lawn but also help with water absorption so we can stop watching the run-off pool on our sidewalks.

Advanced "Green Technology"
For those of you attracted to gadgets, our low tech suggestion of adding topsoil may not be that exciting. Many new LEED certified green homes include a water irrigation system that uses a satellite connection to receive weather reports at your home. The irrigation system then self-regulates the amount of water needed to keep your landscaping alive and healthy. Use of the water-weather monitoring software system may mean that you do not need to follow water restriction calendars. Check with your town’s water department to see what the restrictions are.
Looking for more?
Harmony Lawns – Non-toxic lawn care – serving Castle Rock and ParkerThey offer low emission lawn care and their rates are affordable. Contact them now to get on their summer schedule.

WeatherTRAK ET plus system:
Read their article entitled: Is Your Irrigation System Killing Your Landscape?
WeatherTRAK Smart Irrigation - Save Water & Your Landscape
to find out more about their self-regulating water irrigation system.


Ten Steps to Non-toxic Lawn CareThis article is featured on the Breast Cancer Research and Education Fund website.

Colorado Green Living - Green living for your health not just for our beautiful Colorado environment.

Happy Earth and Water Day!