Honoring Earth with Rain Gardens and Flowers
Volunteers planted tulips in tree boxes and got a rain garden ready for spring - just in time for Earth Day.
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Connecticut Avenue got a fresh planting of flowers last Sunday, when volunteers from the Chevy Chase Citizens' Association planted brightly-colored blooms in tree boxes along the street near Chevy Chase Circle, in Washington, D.C.
The Association has been maintaining the tree boxes for about 15 years, says Jonathan Lawlor, the Association's president.
The flowers and other plants in the tree boxes not only make the street look nice, they also help to filter contaminants out of the rain before the rain seeps into the groundwater.
It was a fitting project for less than a week before Earth Day, which is this Friday, but the Association keeps the tree boxes in good shape all year 'round.
"The Association is really proud to be involved in maintaining these types of projects throughout the year," Lawlor said.
Across the street, outside the Chevy Chase Community Center, volunteers with the Friends of Rock Creek's Environment cleaned up a community rain garden, which was planted three years ago by the group.
Like the plants in the tree boxes along the street, the plants in the rain garden help to filter toxins out of the water seeping into the ground. Plants absorb toxins that would otherwise end up in the Chesapeake Bay.
Rain gardens also help to hold excess, runoff water during torrential downpours, lessening flooding effects.
Beth Mullin, executive director of FORCE, which receives a Washington, D.C., Mayor's Environmental Excellence Award at an Earth Day ceremony this morning, encourages Chevy Chase residents to help protect their neighborhood's environment by picking up litter lying in or near street gutters.
"When it rains, that trash can wash through the storm drain system straight to Rock Creek," she says.
Mullin recommends FORCE's website as a great place to learn about specific things that homeowners can do to green their homes for Earth Day.
"And we encourage everyone to join a Stream Team or sign up for our email list so they can learn about volunteer opportunities to help protect Rock Creek,"Mullin says.
