Greenversations

About the author: Lina Younes has been working for EPA since 2002 and chairs EPA’s Multilingual Communications Task Force. Prior to joining EPA, she was the Washington bureau chief for two Puerto Rican newspapers and she has worked for several government agencies.

If you live along the Eastern seaboard, you probably were overwhelmed by the incessant rain we had experienced for the two previous weeks. I guess many people suffered from cabin fever due to the dreary weather. Nonetheless, there are some benefits from the rain that we are now enjoying. What benefits, you may ask? Well, prior to these storms, there were areas in Maryland and other Eastern states that had deficits in precipitation for 2009. Groundwater levels had been approaching potential drought levels which seem to have been erased with the recent rains. Furthermore, just prior to these storms tones of brown and chartreuse dominated the landscape of lawns and gardens due to the various pollens in the air. Now, everywhere you look, the gardens have been painted with lush greens and bright spring blooms. Another added bonus, at least during the rain, the pollen is at its minimum—a temporary reprieve for allergy sufferers.

In spite of the benefits of spring showers, we should also be mindful to reduce runoff and non-point source pollution after the rain. Here are some tips:

·    Consider greenscaping to protect the environment.

·    Consider planting native shrubs and trees in your back yard to reduce erosion.

·    Wait for the storm to pass before fertilizing.

And lastly, one final benefit after the storm? We can always look forward to the sunshine. Have a great day!

Tags: greenscaping, rain, runoff

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