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Nothing feels better than doing the right thing or saving money. Well, there is an easy way to do both. This year I ask all residents to consider mulching their leaves and leaving them on their lawn. This will not only provide natural fertilizer to your lawn but it will also reduce the manpower hours that Irvington needs to cart your leaves away as well as potentially reducing the tipping fees we pay Westchester County to haul our leaves away.
I cannot take credit for this idea. The Irvington Green Policy Task Force has spent many hours educating homeowners (me included), landscapers and building managers about the program. They have been recognized for their efforts by the Town of Greenburgh as well as Westchester County. So you can learn more, I have included their letter to homeowners below. If your landscaper is skeptical, as mine was last year, have them contact me and I can put them in touch with the Green Policy Task Force. So, give it a try, it really works!
In an unrelated note, I would like to personally welcome back the Irvington High School Classes of 1960, 1961 and 1962. That group was in town this past weekend celebrating their 50th high school reunion. So, I hope you had an opportunity to say hello to some old friends or make some new ones as they reminisce about the good old days and enjoy our wonderful village of the present.
Brian Smith, Mayorbsmith@irvingtonny.gov(646) 265-3950 (Cell)
Dear Irvington Homeowner,
Heres a practice that can save you money and effort, keep your property healthier, protect the environment, and help keep your taxes down.
Fall leaves are a valuable resource that most homeowners let go to waste by having them blown into piles on the street or raked into bags stacked curbside for village pickup. Leaf collection, hauling, and disposal are a huge annual cost to both our village and the county! In addition, the nutrients in the leaves are lost instead of being returned to nourish the soil and the grass or plants on your property.
Solution? Love Em and Leave Em!
The best thing you can do with your leaves is Leave them on your property! You can:
Shred them with a lawn mower and leave them in place on your lawnCompost them in a pile or container (with or without shredding)Shred them and use them as mulch on your borders and flowerbeds
Benefits?
Save money: Help keep your taxes down (the Village of Irvington spends about $100,000 every fall for leaf pickup and disposal). Youll reduce your need for commercial fertilizers, and never buy mulch again.
Save effort: Many homeowners (and landscapers) find that mulching leaves in place actually is easier than raking or blowing them to the curb.
Help keep your property healthy: Leaf mulch recycles nutrients into your soil and helps retain moisture, reducing the need for watering in dry spells.
Help the planet: Transporting and disposing of leaves from your curb wastes energy and contributes to pollution.
How to Love Em and Leave Em?
For more information and/or questions about mulching-in-place and composting of leaves, go to www.irvingtonny.gov/green. You can also email us at green@irvingtonny.gov.
The Irvington Green Policy Task Force
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