SADL Newsletter May 2006

SADL_Newsletter
A Word from the President - Jeanne Kavanagh
Welcome! Please read our newsletter attentively to keep abreast of important issues arising in ourcommunity. Pick up any magazine in the past two months and they all feature articles on climate changesdamaging the planet at an alarming rate and environmental ‘green’ issues. Time, L’Actualité, CanadianHouse and Home,The Gazette and Journal de Montréal all are urging citizens to wake up and act. Let us doour bit in SADL starting today!Look for the Association’s blog atwww.sadlenviro.blogspot.com.This site established by Sue Gourley givesyou news, views and help for SADL.You can keep up-to-date with articles written by Marcelline Sainte-Marie and published in the Journal de Prévost.M. Laviolette, a citizen of SADL has graciously set up a website where citizens can keep abreast of news andgive their opinions at www.sdmf.biz/sadl (Comité des Citoyens de SADL).

Annual General Meeting!Saturday, June 17, 10 a.m. -Paroisse SADL. The date islater than in past years in an effort to attract moreparticipants. (intersection of chemin Fournel et cheminSADL). Coffee and muffins will be served!After the meeting, for your interest, citizensmay remain and listen to M. Claude Bourque,president of the Comité régional pour la protectiondes falaises who will give a short update onthis dossier.

The Association ways in on the MOSQUITO SPRAYING issueWE ARE AGAINST IT!
‘Toutes les espèces qui existent de fait ont le droit d’exister lesêtres humains ont le devoir de les protéger et de ne pasprovoquer leur extermination.’ Hubert ReevesBecause we love nature and have chosen to live here, andbecause we share this immense ecosystem of water, air andearth with all animals, and because each animal and planthave a specific role to fulfill, and because we love our world andfeel responsible to protect it, we are against any aggressiveintervention in our aquatic ecosystem.‘We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belongingto us. When we see it as a community to which we belong, wemay begin to use it with love and respect.’

Biodegradable, eco-friendly PRODUCTS ON SALE LOCALLY!
The SADLDA is happy to announce citizens will no longerhave to trek to Saint Sauveur to buy eco-friendly products.Keep your lake water clean by utilizing phosphate-free, biodegradablecleaning products available at Marché Mon Choixin the Centre des Lilas. Look for our logo! Find productssuch as BioVert, Nettoyeurs Lemieux and Nature Clean.

SADLDA donates books to the library
Visit your library! Look for the newest books available! Get the goodson how to save money and the planet. Have a look at ‘Green Tips’ byGillian Deacon ,‘Greeniology’by Tanya Ha,and ‘365 gestes pour sauverla planète’ by Philippe Bouseiller and Anne Jankéliowitch.Please recommend books you think would be a good addition to ourcollection.

SADL Lake Water Analyses conference - June 10 at 10 a.m.SADL Town Hall
Frédéric Girard, environmental technician, will be hosting aconference explaining the results he accumulated in all lakesthroughout last spring and summer. He will also be giving anin-depth summary of the aging of Lac Marois and Lac Ouimet.Be sure to be present!!! Ask your questions and make yoursuggestions at this conference.

The C.C.U. is working diligently for the citizens of SADL
The members of the C.C.U. (Conseil Consultatif en Urbanisme)assembled for several special meetings to review, discuss and updatethe regulations of SADL. Recommendations were made to thecouncillors.

EDUCATIONAL SECTION

Composting! For the love of the earth!
Compost is nature’s fertilizer. Composting is an important way to Recycle and Reduce the amount of household garbage by about one third! It produces a valuable soil amendment- it increases the soil’sorganic matter content and its moisture-holding capacity... help for our SADL clay soils!!! It improves soil porosity and helps control soil erosion. Enhance plant and flower growth with compost. Use it on your lawn, in your garden and around your trees.

Organic Gardening
There are two benefits to organic gardening:a healthy, chemical free dieta positive environmental impactLawn and garden fertilizers leach into the groundwater and flowinto streams, ponds and lakes causing excessive algae growththat consumes too much oxygen and destroys fish habitats.Chemical pesticides kill all insects, including predator insects such asladybugs and spiders.

MULCHING
While working compost into your soil is a key step in creating a garden,spreading a layer of organic matter as mulch over your soil alsoprovides a wide range of benefits.1) keeps the weeds on lockdown2) seals in moisture3) cools down the soil in summer4) protects plants during winter5) enriches the soil and prevents erosion6) attracts beneficial insects - slug eating beetles and spidersFor good weed control be sure to apply mulch at least a few inchesdeep.Add mulches while ther are wet so they don’t suck moisture fromthe soil.In annual beds, use fine-textured materials such as chopped leaves orgrass clippings because the plants will quickly hide the mulch.In high-visibility areas, such as close to the house, use mediumtexturedmulches such as shredded bark or bark chips. Coarse mulches such as bark chunks can last for several years, so theyare a good choice for tree and shrub plantings. Do not use wood mulch that is dyed to look like cedar. Dye leaches intothe soil!

The mower you know, the better!
Many mowers today incorporate A mulching feature theyare designed to leave behind shredded grassclippings that functions as your lawn’s fertilizer. Itmakes much more sense to use a mulching mowerrather than bag grass clippings!!!

Corn gluten stops weeds before they start!
Researchers at Iowa State University found an amazing use for corngluten meal, a tough sticky by-product of milled cornmeal. Imaginethat it contains an herbicide that inhibits root formation duringgermination - and this effect lasts for months!Timing is everything when using corn gluten. If weed seeds havealready germinated and sprouted, this technique will not work.To protect a newly planted bed from a weedy invasion, work corngluten meal into the top 2 to 3 inches of the soil and water thoroughly.Lawns and existing flower beds can be top-dressed with corn gluten meal.

CONSERVING WATER
Make watering more effective by doing it early in the morningor later in the evening: this reduces evaporation.Rig up a rain barrel to collect water from the gutters!
Vinegar wreaks havoc on weeds!Attack weeds with a directed stream of vinegar mixed with afew drops of liquid soap. This works well for areas in stone orbrick patios where you do not want grass or weeds. Drench theweed leaves in the heat of the day. Cover treasured plants withnewspaper for protection.