Earth Day is right around the corner, so all month long we want to make sure to show some extra love to the Earth. We spent a lot of time with our friends at Surfrider this weekend at Spyder’s Surf Fest, and we want to share some info with you about how our actions affect the environment and how that in turn affects our health. Surfrider Foundation celebrates Earth Day all year long by working to protect our oceans, waves, and beaches to ensure that they’ll be around for all of us to enjoy for a really long time. Surfrider was started 25 years ago by three Malibu surfers who learned that one of their favorite waves was in danger of being destroyed. They came together to save it, and now Surfrider is protecting our coasts in 15 countries!
Have you ever thought about how your garden is affecting the ocean? Surfrider does, and their program, “Ocean Friendly Gardens,” is geared toward raising awareness about how you can make sure that your garden is both beautiful and kind to the Earth.
Urban runoff from gardens and hard surfaces is the #1 source of ocean pollution. Contaminants like pesticides, car exhaust, and dog poo make their way into waterways which is bad for the environment and ultimately bad for your health.
How do you prevent this? Just do a little CPR! That is, Conservation, Permeability, and Retention.
Conservation of water, energy and habitat through native plants (add allow some climate adapted plants), spaced for mature growth.
Permeability through healthy, biologically active soil, and utilizing materials for – or making a cut in – driveways, walkways and patios that allow water to percolate into the soil.
Retention devices like rain chains, rain barrels and rain gardens retain water in the soil for the dry seasons or save it to water veggies, preventing it from running off the property.
A healthier Earth makes for a healthier you, so when you start planning your spring gardening, don’t forget CPR.
For more information on Ocean Friendly Gardens and how you can get involved with other Surfrider programs, check out Surfrider.com.
Happy Earth Month!
