by Connie Oswald Stoko Last week I published an article on “National Recycling Day is Nov. 15: What to do with electronic devices.” EeVeE from Buffalo responded with this comment: “We at Unity Buffalo’s EarthCare Animal Ministry team are considering bringing more ‘recycling awareness’ to our church and community. I am wondering if there is a program where you can have someone come to our church and give an informed guidance on how the process works and how to get…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko If you’re reading this, you’re using an electronic device. At some point that device will be obsolete. What will you do with it then? National Recycling Day is Nov. 15, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) offers two tips here on how to keep your old equipment out of a landfill. Old cell phones In New York State, you can take your old cell phone to any wireless service provider’s retail store…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Although this garden isn’t particularly large, it appears spacious because of the many plants and decorative items throughout the area. I had the pleasure to visit the landscape of Terry and Mike Brummett in July. Terry was one of the two winners in our Celebrity Level drawing earlier this year, and I enjoyed what they have created. Tip: If you want a chance of being featured in Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com next year, sign up for the Celebrity Level…....
Get ideas for holiday decorations with materials that you already have in your garden. Nancy Walker, Master Gardener trainee with Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County, has compiled tips on using natural materials. Some of the materials she lists are: Read her article here. Tip: You can get the Master Gardens Journal and updates from the Master Gardeners in Orleans County by signing up here. See more holiday ideas here:…...
Did you paint a fence or garage? Did you coat a deck? What will you do with the leftovers? Paint products can harm the environment if not managed properly and there have been few options for reuse or recycling, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Now there’s a network of paint retailers, local government facilities and reuse stores where you can drop off your leftovers. It’s provided by New York State’s Paint Stewardship Program. The DEC oversees…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Every month, when I ran out of my prescription medicine, I would get a new supply of pills in a new bottle. Then I would throw the empty bottle from the previous month into the trash, and it would end up in a landfill. I would throw out another bottle the next month. And the next month. And the next. I hated to throw out the bottles, but the recycling company in our area doesn’t take…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Have you accumulated extra paper bags since the ban on plastic bags at stores went into effect in New York State? I have. And I’ve done it on purpose. The other day I stopped into a store and bought one small item. It wasn’t raining out; I could have easily carried the item to my car with no help from a bag. But when the cashier asked me if I wanted a bag for just a…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Do rabbits make nests in your garden? Do cats use your garden for a litterbox? Here is one tip to solve both problems. Make the space less appealing by breaking it up with sticks. In addition to sticks from a tree, you can recycle disposable chopsticks, Popsicle sticks, old plant tags and plastic forks and spoons. In my garden I have a metal spoon that was damaged when it fell into the garbage disposal. Don’t go…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Phyllis Lobbins, a Master Gardener from Cheektowaga, had a swing frame that might have gone out to trash, but she came up with a great use for it: She made it into a trellis for her cucumbers and squash. “I used regular garden twine because that was all I had on hand at the time,” Lobbins said, “but I would prefer using nylon string, or something that would not break down as quickly as twine. “I…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Now that we can’t recycle as many kinds of items as we did before, can we find ways to reuse them in our gardens? We already use lots of odds and ends in our gardens, but today let’s reach a little higher. Let’s look specifically at items that you can’t recycle anymore — items that get thrown in the trash and end up in a landfill. And let’s look at things that you were throwing into…...
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