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GOD BLESS AMERICA!

ORGANIC NEWS GAZETTE

News From Organic Landscape & Design Co.

OLDC's Katrina Vitale Debates Rush Limbaugh on Energy

Organic Landscape & Design Co.'s Katrina Vitale was recently a caller on Rush Limbaugh's nationally syndicated radio program. While Katrina's views are consistently conservative in the political arena, she showed herself to be a free thinking, intellectual conservationist when debating the importance of government incentives to companies willing to explore alternative sources of energy. Katrina furthered her ecological stance by decrying the dangerous disposal of nuclear waste. In response, Limbaugh asserted that burying waste in a mountain or shooting the waste to Mars was good enough for him, thus throwing in the towel and ending the debate.
Katrina commented, "I totally support President Bush when it comes to most matters, but this problem goes beyond partisan politics and the democrats haven't handled it any better. I find most people misunderstand conservatives to be anti-ecology. That's ridiculous. We all need to get beyond knee-jerk reactions to political labels, rally against special interest groups from both sides of the aisle, and deal with issues simply as Americans."

Ponds Making A Comeback Enjoy Spring Color Early!

In the past the idea of a building a pond in your yard meant plans to commit lots of time, messy chemicals, fighting with algae and eventually giving up and filling the pond up with soil.
However, today ponds are making a hugecomeback. Thanks to modern technology and organic techniques, companies like Organic Landscape & Design co. are building ponds replete with fish and water plants resulting in ponds with their own ecosystem. This allows homeowners the luxury of an idyllic, stress relieving oasis in their own backyard without the upkeep typical of ponds in the past.
Prune some branches off of your forsythia bushes and put the ends in some tepid water for a few hours. The warmth will push out the flowers.
Put the branches in a vase and enjoy some early Spring color even before the snow melts outside!
It's not a weekend on a tropical island but it should help you get though the last few stubborn weeks of a long cold winter.

Sperm Counts Down Cancer For Weeds, And Humans?

In November 2002, Shanna Swan, a professor of family and community medicine, announced findings suggesting that fertile men in more rural areas have lower sperm counts and less vigorous sperm than men in urban areas. Through her most recent study, published in the online edition of the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives,Swan confirmed that men with lower sperm counts and quality had higher concentrations of alachlor, diazinon, and atrazine metabolites in their urine than men with higher-quality sperm. These three chemicals are commonly used in agriculture operations throughout the Midwest. They are also common chemicals used for conventional landscape maintenance across the country.
These chemicals are strictly avoided by certified organic farmers and landscape professionals.
Read the whole article at: www.ewire.com
Each year Americans apply an estimated 27 million pounds of weed killer 2,4-4 to parks, cemeteries, home lawns and anywhere else mown grass is found.
It is thought to be the most widely used herbicide in the world. The appeal is that 2,4-D, chemical shorthand for dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, is selective: It kills broad-leaf plantssuch as dandelions but spares grass. It over- whelms the dandelion's hormone system, causing the weed to essentially grow itself to death. This "uncontrolled growth," says Thomas M. Cahill, an environmental chemist at Trent University in Ontario, Canada, is a kind of "cancer for plants."
The question among environmentalists and medical researchers is: Does cancer for plants also mean cancer for people? The Environmental Protection Agency, which ruled in 1997 that 2,4-D was not classifiable as a human carcinogen, is now reviewing the chemical's registration.
In short the EPA can't say for sure if it causes cancer or if it can be deemed safe. That is causing many communities to ban its use on public property.
In 1991 the National Cancer Institute suggested that 2,4-D might cause a lymphatic cancer in dogs. It also calculated that diagnoses of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma among farm workers had been increasing 75% in the past 20 years. It attributed part of the rise to better diagnoses but also considered 2,4-D a possible contributor.
These concerns are a few of the many reasons more people are moving towards organic landscaping methods.

Go Native, Save Money!

There are many ways you can save money on landscaping this year by incorporating native perennial wildflowers into your plans.
By adding more flower beds in lieu of grass you can cut your lawn maintenance bills. Unlike most turf grasses, native plants does not need as much fertilizer, and the only trimming you will do will be for flower arrangements to set on your table.
Another incentive for going native is the added savings you will incur since you won't be spending as much money on annuals that need to be replaced every year.
You will begin to look forward to the magical appearance of these stunning flowers each spring, and many varieties are deer resistant.
Landscaping with native plant material and matching the plant to the environment is an integral part of sound organic landscaping. Contact Anthony at OLDC for the varieties that will suit the conditions in your yard.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

	ORGANIC NEWS GAZETTE

	News From Organic Landscape & Design Co.

OLDC's Katrina Vitale Debates Rush Limbaugh on Energy
Organic Landscape & Design Co.'s Katrina Vitale was recently a caller on Rush Limbaugh's nationally syndicated radio program. While Katrina's views are consistently conservative in the political arena, she showed herself to be a free thinking, intellectual conservationist when debating the importance of government incentives to companies willing to explore alternative sources of energy. Katrina furthered her ecological stance by decrying the dangerous disposal of nuclear waste. In response, Limbaugh asserted that burying waste in a mountain or shooting the waste to Mars was good enough for him, thus throwing in the towel and ending the debate. Katrina commented, "I totally support President Bush when it comes to most matters, but this problem goes beyond partisan politics and the democrats haven't handled it any better. I find most people misunderstand conservatives to be anti-ecology. That's ridiculous. We all need to get beyond knee-jerk reactions to political labels, rally against special interest groups from both sides of the aisle, and deal with issues simply as Americans."
Ponds Making A Comeback	Enjoy Spring Color Early!
In the past the idea of a building a pond in your yard meant plans to commit lots of time, messy chemicals, fighting with algae and eventually giving up and filling the pond up with soil. However, today ponds are making a hugecomeback. Thanks to modern technology and organic techniques, companies like Organic Landscape & Design co. are building ponds replete with fish and water plants resulting in ponds with their own ecosystem. This allows homeowners the luxury of an idyllic, stress relieving oasis in their own backyard without the upkeep typical of ponds in the past.	Prune some branches off of your forsythia bushes and put the ends in some tepid water for a few hours. The warmth will push out the flowers. Put the branches in a vase and enjoy some early Spring color even before the snow melts outside! It's not a weekend on a tropical island but it should help you get though the last few stubborn weeks of a long cold winter.
Sperm Counts Down	Cancer For Weeds, And Humans?
In November 2002, Shanna Swan, a professor of family and community medicine, announced findings suggesting that fertile men in more rural areas have lower sperm counts and less vigorous sperm than men in urban areas. Through her most recent study, published in the online edition of the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives,Swan confirmed that men with lower sperm counts and quality had higher concentrations of alachlor, diazinon, and atrazine metabolites in their urine than men with higher-quality sperm. These three chemicals are commonly used in agriculture operations throughout the Midwest. They are also common chemicals used for conventional landscape maintenance across the country. These chemicals are strictly avoided by certified organic farmers and landscape professionals. Read the whole article at: www.ewire.com	Each year Americans apply an estimated 27 million pounds of weed killer 2,4-4 to parks, cemeteries, home lawns and anywhere else mown grass is found. It is thought to be the most widely used herbicide in the world. The appeal is that 2,4-D, chemical shorthand for dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, is selective: It kills broad-leaf plantssuch as dandelions but spares grass. It over- whelms the dandelion's hormone system, causing the weed to essentially grow itself to death. This "uncontrolled growth," says Thomas M. Cahill, an environmental chemist at Trent University in Ontario, Canada, is a kind of "cancer for plants." The question among environmentalists and medical researchers is: Does cancer for plants also mean cancer for people? The Environmental Protection Agency, which ruled in 1997 that 2,4-D was not classifiable as a human carcinogen, is now reviewing the chemical's registration. In short the EPA can't say for sure if it causes cancer or if it can be deemed safe. That is causing many communities to ban its use on public property. In 1991 the National Cancer Institute suggested that 2,4-D might cause a lymphatic cancer in dogs. It also calculated that diagnoses of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma among farm workers had been increasing 75% in the past 20 years. It attributed part of the rise to better diagnoses but also considered 2,4-D a possible contributor. These concerns are a few of the many reasons more people are moving towards organic landscaping methods.
Go Native, Save Money!
There are many ways you can save money on landscaping this year by incorporating native perennial wildflowers into your plans. By adding more flower beds in lieu of grass you can cut your lawn maintenance bills. Unlike most turf grasses, native plants does not need as much fertilizer, and the only trimming you will do will be for flower arrangements to set on your table. Another incentive for going native is the added savings you will incur since you won't be spending as much money on annuals that need to be replaced every year. You will begin to look forward to the magical appearance of these stunning flowers each spring, and many varieties are deer resistant. Landscaping with native plant material and matching the plant to the environment is an integral part of sound organic landscaping. Contact Anthony at OLDC for the varieties that will suit the conditions in your yard.