Author: Barbara Silzle

Hello Lansdowners,

Welcome to my final email to you all. It has been a great pleasure serving on Lansdowne Borough Council and chairing the Environment Committee, a committee that was newly formed when I joined Council. I want to thank you all for your commitment to the environmental efforts of the borough and the planet. Over the last 4 years, the borough’s diversion rate (the amount of trash diverted from the trash stream and to the recycling stream) has increased from 13% to 28%. That’s some serious improvement. We added recycling cans at the train stations, throughout the main shopping corridor and in our parks, and at public events like the Farmers Market and the Arts Festival, and we increased the Yard Waste program so that that very heavy waste gets diverted out of the trash stream (where it gets weighed and we all pay the County a fee for the pleasure). While I decided not to run for another 4-yr term on Council, other Lansdowne residents decided to step forward, and I’m delighted to say that one, Marianne Henry Saylor, will be taking over the helm of the Environment Cmte effective January 1st. And I’m thrilled to say that she has agreed to take over these periodic email reminders so we’ll all know when to put out our yard waste and rake our leaves.

So, here’s my final e-news.

YARD WASTE WEDS.

This coming Weds. 12/7, is Yard Waste Wednesday. Be sure to put out your paper bags (no plastic!) or trash cans full of clippings etc., and have them out to the curb Tuesday night. Please don’t put them out days in advance. And please, if you have a neighbor who is trying to do the right thing and puts out yard waste but does it incorrectly (days early or in plastic bags), please reach out and let them know the drill. Sometimes folks just need to know the procedures in town and they’re more than happy to comply. Hey, it takes a village, right?

YARD WASTE WEDS EXPANDED!

Great news. In one of my previous emails I mentioned that Yard Waste Wednesdays will take a hiatus in January and February. A resident wrote back to me and asked if there’s any chance the borough could collect during those months because he inevitably has debris and would rather not put it in the trash, and certainly didn’t want to have to hold onto it until March. His request was perfectly timed, as the borough was able to add those collections and do it in time to have those dates on the 2012 trash and recycling magnets. So, there will now be year-round Yard Waste collections in Lansdowne! November through February will have one collection per month, and March through October will have two. Keep your eyes out for the schedule on the magnet. This program saves us all $$ in that County fee, and it’s great for the environment.

LEAF COLLECTION

We’re entering the final days of leaf collection. Please go to http://lansdowneborough.com/leaf-collection/ to see the schedule and make sure your leaves are out in the curb in time. If you have a stubborn tree that doesn’t give up it’s final leaves until after the leaf collection, you can gather and put them out with your Yard Waste.

FINAL WORDS

Serving on Council has been an incredible experience. I’ve met so many of you who care deeply about Lansdowne, who volunteer your time, support our local businesses, care for your neighbors and neighborhoods, and who push us in the government to do better. I love that the elected officials in Lansdowne don’t get paid, we on Council and the Mayor volunteer our time, and it’s an honor to serve. When I think of democracy, I hear Lincoln’s powerful words: “….government of the people, by the people, for the people…” And that’s how it works here in Lansdowne. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to play my part. And thank you for playing yours.

See you around town!

Take care,

Barbara

Barbara Silzle

Lansdowne Borough Council

Chair, Environment Committee

Hello Lansdowners,

Well, it’s that time of year when we’re retreating indoors, so yard waste collections are cut back and outdoor activities are less frequent. But there are a couple things I thought I’d share.

A WORD ABOUT YARD WASTE

There’s one collection in both November and December, and none in January and February. The schedule will be on the 2012 magnets, so keep your eye out for yours. The November pick-up day is Wednesday the 16th (not this Weds., but the next). So round up those twigs and dead summer plants and toss them directly in a trash can (no plastic bags!), or a paper yard waste bag, and get them to your curb bright and early that day, or the night before. Please don’t leave your bags of yard waste at the curb for more than a day. Besides being against borough code, it’s unsightly. Some folks may be under the mistaken impression that the collection is every week, and put their bags out on the curb days or even weeks before a pick-up. Be a good neighbor and let them know. They may just need to pick up a magnet at borough hall so they’re aware of the schedule.

LEAF COLLECTION

Yup, the leaves are finally falling. Rake your leaves into the curb so the borough crew can come by and scoop them up. No branches or rocks, please, as they can cause problems for the machinery. The borough prefers that you utilize this service rather than putting leaves in with your Yard Waste. A friend of mine actually runs his lawn mower over the big sycamore leaves that gather on his lawn, so it’s free mulch for his lawn and saves him tons of time. That’s a win-win, for sure.

TO BLOW, OR NOT TO BLOW. THAT IS THE QUESTION

I’ve heard from some of you who are annoyed by the VERY LOUD leaf blowers that can blast your ear drums and disturb your peace. To many, leaf blowers are noisy, dirt-flying menaces, that make your neighbors stay in their homes, cancel outdoor events, lose sleep and cause allergy attacks. And others are concerned about the environmental impact of using a blower. Whether it’s being done by the resident or a lawn service/landscaper, let’s try to operate this loud machinery during times when it’s least disruptive to everyone who can hear it. Or use a rake and make your neighbors happy.

A TREE GROWS IN INTERBORO PARK // Saturday, November 12 / 8:30 AM

Volunteer Tree Planting and Tree Care Workshop

The Lansdowne-Yeadon Elm Street Program is hosting this event next Saturday. Come join the Borough of Lansdowne Parks & Recreation Board and Tree Advisory Board in kicking off their annual tree planting event at Interboro Park. They’ll be planting new trees in Lansdowne’s Interboro Park (located between Fairview and Bartram Avenues and S. Wycombe and S. Union Avenues) as part of the regional TreeVitalize effort to Plant One Million trees throughout Southeastern PA. Local Tree Tenders will demonstrate how to plant a tree, discuss how to keep it healthy, and answer your questions. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes that you don’t mind getting dirty. Bring your gardening gloves and favorite digging tool — or you can share theirs if you don’t have any. Refreshments will be served. Interboro Park is in Bethel AME Church’s ‘backyard’ and has a popular basketball court as well as a nature trail with a small stream. Enter the park from Walnut Avenue off of Fairview or Bartram. There is a small parking lot off of Bartram Avenue.

http://lansdowneyeadon.org/events/tree-care-workshop/

CALL FOR ARTISTS AND CRAFTERS

Below is an opportunity for you artists who want to interact with nature. It kind of takes up the rest of the space, so I’ll just say take care and enjoy the Fall!

Barbara

Barbara Silzle

Lansdowne Borough Council

Chair, Environment Committee

Artist Call for Submissions

The Schuylkill Center’s Environmental Art Department seeks artists and crafters for a family craft event this December 4, 2011. We are looking for artists and crafters who work with eco-friendly materials or with nature themes to create handmade, original items for sale.

Merry Making, A Winter Craft Event is geared towards families and will include a series of craft workshops for kids to make their own gifts or holiday decorations. Each artist selected will have a 10 x 10 foot space inside our main building. Artists may share their space, but anyone planning to sell work must be listed on the application. Organizations, collectives, or businesses may also apply.

Deadline for Submission: EXTENDED to November 11, 2011

Event Date: Sunday, December 4, 11:00 am – 4:00 pm

Location: Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, 8480 Hagy’s Mill Road, Philadelphia, PA

Vendor Fees – REDUCED!

Option 1 – $20 per space.

Option 2 – FREE for vendors who lead a craft workshop! *

* You can skip the vendor fee in exchange for leading a 45-minute craft workshop – a children’s version of the kind of work you do. In addition to furthering our mission as an educational institution, we believe that your workshop will draw audiences to the show and specifically draw kids and their families to your table. Materials for workshops will be reimbursed up to $15.

We will ask ALL participating artists to donate one work for a raffle, the proceeds of which will support the Schuylkill Center. Please select an item in the price range of $20 – $50.

To apply and for more information, please download the complete APPLICATION FORMand send it with your images. Please submit 3 – 10 images of your work. If more than one person is applying, we must see at least 2 images from each artist. All images must be jpeg format, approximately 600 x 600 72 dpi.

(If you mail or fax your application, don’t forget to email your images, to

[email protected].)

Please feel free to visit us in person, Monday through Saturday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, or online at www.schuylkillcenter.org.

Hello Lansdowners,

YARD WASTE WEDS

This Wednesday is Yard Waste Wednesday here in Lansdowne. Get all your bags, cans and bundles out to the curb bright and early. In fact, it’s best if you put it out the night before as the crew gets started really early (I think 7am). This is a real $$ saving borough program, so snip and yank and take advantage of it. There’s only one Yard Waste collection per month in November and December (and then none in January and February), so this one will have to last you until November 16th. Of course, the dates are on the magnet that I hope you have on your refrigerator and can easily reference.

LEAF COLLECTION STARTS THIS WEEK!

Yup, a true sign of Fall is when the leaf truck starts working its way through the streets of Lansdowne. The borough’s truck sucks up leaves that are raked into the curb area 4 times in October and November. Please use this service for leaves rather than putting them in with the yard waste. And don’t have sticks or rocks mixed in with the leaves as they can damage the machinery. For more information about the schedule, go here:

http://lansdowneborough.com/leaf-collection/

INFO FOR NEW NEIGHBORS

If you have a neighbor who you think may not know about the borough’s environmental programs such as Yard Waste, Leaf Collection and Recycling, feel free to share the attached piece I put together that has all the information in one place.

I hope you’re enjoying these glorious fall days!

Take care,

Barbara

Barbara Silzle

Lansdowne Borough Council

Chair, Environment Committee