Grassy lawns in Salt Lake City are borrowed from a whole different ecosystem than the one we live in. Maintaining a perfectly green lawn not only requires copious water but also application of chemical fertilizers and pesticides that can be hazardous to people and pets as well as wild birds and pollinating insects. If fertilizer gets into lakes and streams it can cause toxic algae blooms like the one that shut down recreation in Utah Lake last summer. In an effort to reduce chemicals in the environment, SLC Green (Salt Lake City’s Department of Sustainability) has launched a new initiative for pesticide-free yards. The new Pesticide-Free Yard Guide features happy bees on the cover and offers practical tips for how to create attractive pesticide-free landscaping. Take a pledge to go pesticide free and SLC Green will send you a yard sign with a picture of those happy bees. And mark your calendar for the 8th Annual Bee Fest, June 16, of which CATALYST is the proud new organizer.
Pesticide Free Yard Guide: SLCGreen.com/pesticidefree