TOXICS INFORMATION PROJECT (TIP)

P.O. Box 40572, Providence, RI 02940

Tel. 401-351-9193, E-Mail: TIP@toxicsinfo.org

Website:  www.toxicsinfo.org

(Lighting the Way to Less Toxic Living)

 

 

LESS TOXIC LANDSCAPING CAMPAIGN 

PRESENTS MAY DAY COMMUNITY GARDENING FAIR

 

As part of its Less Toxic Landscaping Campaign & Contest, Toxics Information Project (TIP) will present an LTL Gardening Fair on Saturday, May 1, 2004, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Rochambeau Library, 708 Hope Street, Providence.

 

At the Fair, people will be offered a variety of ways to learn about less toxic gardening and landscaping techniques.  The TIP area will feature a nook with organic gardeners available to give advice, books and articles, and a Protecting Pets table with information about protecting your pet from lawn and other chemicals.  There will be a variety of children’s activities, including bug-making, seed starting, coloring books, and a working watershed model.  The Children's Librarians will read books about gardening and the environment on the front steps of the library, storytimes at 11:30 and 1:30.

 

Exhibitors include: Butterfly Society of RI, Clean Water Action (CWA), Gro-Pro Organic Landscaping, RI Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM), RI Resource Recovery Corporation (RIRRC), RI Tree Council, RI Wild Plant Society, Save the Bay, Southside Community Land Trust, Thompson Organic Landscaping, The Worm Ladies of Charlestown.

 

In the library conference room, talks by experts will be given and “Gardeners’ Gabfests” - open discussions - will be held on healthy gardening and problem-solving.  Neighborhood walks will be offered on various topics.  See schedule below.

 

Attenders will be invited to sign a pledge in support of the Less Toxic Landscaping Campaign’s goals ­ to reduce the use of lawn chemicals and encourage creative, healthy landscaping alternatives to lawns.  TIP will have LTL bumper stickers, lawn/window signs & T-Shirts available, to help publicize and support the cause.  A composter donated by RI Resource Recovery will be raffled off.  Some Hope Street retailers and restaurants will be offering special one-day discount offers in conjunction with the Fair.  Details of the upcoming Less Toxic Landscaping Contest will be provided, along with a sign-up sheet.

 

SCHEDULE OF TALKS AND WALKING TOURS.

 

A.  10:15-10:45 a.m.  Slide Show Presentation:  “Alternatives to Lawn” Kate Lacouture, a landscape architect and principal of Green Circle Design in Providence, will discuss ecologically sound (and more interesting) alternatives to lawn, including groundcovers, wild lawns’ and planted terraces.  Other topics include using native plants to increase wildlife habitat, avoiding the use of invasive plants, and planting edible landscapes.

 

B.  11:00-11:45 a.m.  Walking Tour: “Neighborhood Street Trees”. Margie Ryan, a landscape architect for the City of Warwick Planning Department, and Vice-Chair of the RI Tree Council, will provide some tree identification, visit a notable tree in the area, show examples of good and bad street trees, and discuss how Providence handles their street tree program.

 

C.  12:00-12:45 p.m.  Discussion:  “Organic Lawn Care”.  Paul Thompson, of Thompson Organic Landscaping will offer advice on caring for your lawn naturally.  He will discuss organic pest control products on the market and answer questions about organic landscape maintenance.

 

D.  1:00-1:45 p.m.  Walking Tour:  “Native Plants for Bird Habitat”. Marnie Lacouture, one of the original founders of the RI Wild Plants  Society, will offer advice on attracting birds to your yard.  She will discuss  native plants that make good bird habitat and some common landscape  maintenance practices to avoid.

 

E.  2:00-2:45 p.m.  Discussion:  Pets & Toxics:  "Is Your House Pet Proof?"  Vet-tech Denniea LaFarr will address concerns about health effects on pets of household and garden chemicals.