A Guide to Healthy Habits for Cleaner Water
Pollution on streets, parking lots and lawns is washed
by rain into storm drains, then directly to our drinking
water supplies and the ocean and lakes our children
play in. Fertilizer, oil, pesticides, detergents, pet waste,
grass clippings: you name it, it ends up in our water.
Stormwater pollution is one of New Jersey's greatest
threats to clean and plentiful water; and that's why
we're all doing something about it. By sharing the
responsibility and making small, easy changes in our
daily lives, we can keep common pollutants out of
stormwater. It all adds up to cleaner water, and it saves
the high cost of cleaning it up once it's dirty.
prohibiting various activities that contribute to stormwater
pollution. Breaking these rules can result in fines or other
penalties.
As a resident, business, or other member of the New
Jersey community, it is important to know these easy
things you can do every day to protect our water:
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As part of New Jersey's initiative to keep our water
clean and plentiful and to meet federal requirements,
the Borough of Glen Ridge has adopted ordinances
Limit your use of fertilizers and pesticides
Properly use and dispose of hazardous products
Keep pollution out of storm drains
Don't litter
Dispose of yard waste properly
Clean up after your pet
Don't feed wildlife
For more info, visit www.glenridgenj.org/planning.htm.
Our Troubled Trees
Our tree-lined streets
have gone from being an
esthetic pleasantry to an
environmental
imperative in this time of
global warming. A single
tree can sequester some
1,200 pounds of carbon
dioxide in a 50-year
lifespan. The shade from
that same tree, in its
maturity,
will
reduce
solar radiation by 90%,
making it equivalent to
10
room-size
air
conditioners running 20hours a day. It also removes up to 8.4 pounds per year
of air pollutants, making trees the most efficient and
cost effective way to improve air quality. In addition,
trees act as a blotter by filtering microscopic organisms
and pollutants from our ground water. And, yes, it is
estimated that they add about 6% to the real estate
value of our homes. But, unfortunately, our trees are in
serious trouble.
wounds to trees do not heal; they merely seal. Within that
seal, decay will proceed, possibly causing the tree to remain
fundamentally flawed and a potential risk as it grows taller
and heavier.
Naturally, the municipality is responding to this crisis with
an aggressive tree planting and maintenance campaign; but
your help is sorely needed:
The NJ Shade Tree Commission has concluded that
most street trees in the state survive a mere 7 years; if
one looks closely at the saplings in our town, it is easy
to see that, by and large, they are not thriving. What is
more, the removal rate has exceeded the town's ability
to replace them in recent years. This is largely because
Glen Ridge has an overabundance of maple trees, and
these are increasingly subject to the phenomena of
"maple decline," characterized by reduced twig and
foliage growth. Symptoms include a poor root system,
depletion of the crown and early fall coloration. Sadly, it
is not only maples that are now suffering this decline.
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Watering a tree is the key to its survival particularly during the first three years. A slow
trickle from a hose during dry spells is ideal.
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Bark or wood-chip mulch is beneficial to a tree but only a 2” to 4" layer in a donut shape. Never
pile up a cone of mulch against the trunk; such
"volcanoes" kill trees. Instead, keep mulch at least
6" away from the tree.
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Do not use de-icing compounds, such as rock salt
or lawn herbicides around the base of trees.
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Avoid fertilizing trees until at least late spring of
the second year following planting. Also, be careful
not to expose trees to over-fertilization as
fertilizers can "burn" roots or stimulate crown
growth faster than the roots can supply water.
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You might also consider underwriting the cost of a
replacement tree in front of your residence. The
cost is typically $250 to $450. For more
information, contact the Department of Public
Works at 973-748-8400 ext. 223.
Borough Leaf Collection
Residential leaves are to be placed between the curb
and sidewalk in biodegradable bags or in clear
plastic bags which can be purchased at Town Hall.
Experts believe that this condition is caused by stress
from drought, absorption of road salts, root damage
due to either road or sidewalk construction or more
commonly, damage from landscapers' mowers or wire
whips. This stress, in turn, makes trees far more
susceptible to secondary organisms, such as root rot,
twig blights and decay. If the damage encircles the tree
- as it often can with saplings - it has the same fatal
effect as girdling. Making matters worse is the fact that
Leaf pick up will coincide with your normal garbage
schedule. Leaves should not be blown, raked, or
placed in the roadway, as they may cause traffic or
flooding hazards.
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