| Kinder, Gentler Garden
As a gardener, what can you do to reduce your fossil-fuel consumption and minimize your impact on the environment? There are many possibilities - and they don't all require turning your lawn into a vegetable bed. But you can set a goal to cut your garden's dependence on petroleum, according to Blair Randall, garden education program manager for the Garden for the Environment. The lawn would be a good place to start. Among yard and garden equipment, the power mower ranks as the worst gasoline guzzler. According to one estimate, gas-powered mowers in the United States consume 800 million gallons of fuel per year. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says 17 million gallons of gas are wasted annually while refueling mowers -- more than was spilled by the Exxon Valdez. Spilled fuel and emissions from power tools -- including small ones such as leaf blowers and edgers -- can cause smog; burning fuel also produces greenhouse gas emissions.
University celebrates progress of its "green" Student Activities ...
Chico State University President Paul Zingg (right) listens to Margo Reid Brown, chairwoman of the California Integrated Waste Management Board, comment on the construction of the Student Activities Center during a topping-out ceremony held in the BMU Auditorium Thursday because of rainy weather.(Jason Halley/Enterprise-Record)<p class='dotPhoto'>All Chico E-R photos are available <a href='http://chicoer.mycapture.com/'>here</a>.</p> .
Analyze costs of leasing, buying
Q. Renting space for my growing business is now one of my largest expenses. I have good cash flow, so should I purchase a building? The decision to lease or buy carries significant risks and benefits. The core objectives for any business are to use available capital to grow, make profits and increase its value. With that in mind, you might first want to assess if your space is strategic or not to your operations. .
PLAINFIELD: School receives grant for gardening program
PLAINFIELD-- The King's Daughters Day School has received a grant from the New Jersey School Age Care Coalition to continue a student gardening program for children ages 5 to 12 enrolled in the school's after-school and summer camp programs. Last summer, through a partnership among the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County, the Union County Master Gardeners, 4-H and Bartells Garden Center, the Day School children had an agricultural experience raising tomatoes, cilantro and squash right on the grounds of the school on Front Street. The choice of vegetables was in response to the children's desire to grow a "pizza garden."
Jim Nichnadowicz, a 4-H agent with the Rutgers Cooperative Extension program, has agreed to mentor the group again this year and help the children grow a variety of vegetables and herbs.
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