Earthship Logs

Leave Leaf Burning Alone

It was a warm Saturday morning in late summer when Captain Redbird woke up. Everything outside seemed to be still, yet he heard a soft crackling sound coming in through the window. As he looked out, he saw smoke and ash drifting on the air.

"Fire alert!" he shouted as he flew out through the open window, and headed for the Envirocruiser. Before he could get there, he saw his neighbor John Daryl at the curb, burning leaves.

"Stop! Stop! What are you doing?" the captain shouted as he swooped down toward John.

"I'm getting rid of the leaves I raked in my garden," John said. "I've always burned them to get rid of them. What's the big deal?" John seemed truly surprised by Captain Redbird's reaction. The captain settled down as he realized that John did not mean to hurt the environment.

"Well, John, I think this might be a good time for us to talk about leaf burning and the problems it can cause. Why don't we call some of the other neighbors and have a little chat?"

As neighbors gathered around the front lawn of John's house, Captains Bluegill and Earthworm arrived to join Captain Redbird on the porch steps.

"With fall approaching," Captain Redbird started, "all of us are concerned about the leaves piling up on our lawns and sidewalks. We all know how to collect them, but do you know what to do with them after that?"

"We could burn them," answered Mattie Green. "That's what we've always done."

"Not at ALL a good idea," responded Captain Bluegill. "Why don't we tell you about some effects of burning leaves?"

"You might think that leaf burning helps keep the environment clean by eliminating unnecessary waste. However, leaf burning can lead to serious problems like air pollution, health problems, and fire hazards. Just think of all the air pollutants released by one pile of burning leaves. Carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and particulate matter are some of them. If breathed in, these chemicals may cause cancer, heart and lung diseases, and even trigger asthma attacks."

"We sure don't want that to happen to us," John replied, "but what do you suggest we do with all the leaves, then?"

"Composting," Captain Earthworm announced. "Composting, composting, composting. Composting is another way of recycling; leaves and grass are changed into soil, which is called "compost."

"Using compost helps the soil stay moist and makes it more fertile. It gives us earthworms and the insects jobs to do in the kind of surroundings we like. Put your leaves and grass into a pile or a bin. Keep it damp and stir it around from time to time to circulate air through it. Eventually, you'll create great fertilizer for your garden."

"Wow," cried John. "That's amazing. I can recycle my old leaves and get fertilizer for my tomato plants. I wish I had known about this last year. I could have had my own compost for my garden this year."

The three captains headed back to their TREE headquarters as the neighbors strolled back to their homes telling one another they would not burn leaves again in their neighborhood, and John went into his backyard looking for a place to build a compost pile.

Captain Earthworm's Composting Tips

• Never burn leaves or grass clippings.
• Create a compost bin. Keep it evenly damp and stir it from time to time for best results.
• Add freshly cut grass to create a mixture than can be used later as a fertilizer.
• Use compost as mulch in flowerbeds and around shrubs. Add it to soil as a conditioner or spread on lawns as top dressing.
• Try creating a vermicomposting bin inside your house to observe the composting process.

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