Department News & Notices

Start saving batteries for the Village Recycling Challenge!

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3R Bazaar 2019: Reduce, Recharge, Recycle

Save your batteries - 3r bazaar blog

Power to the world’s most convenient, portable energy source: the battery. They come in all shapes and sizes and we couldn’t live without them. But their convenience comes at a cost. Did you know that batteries make up almost 20% of all household hazardous materials sent to landfills? This presents a problem as the elements a battery uses to create power – mercury, lead, cadmium, or nickel – leach out when the battery inevitably breaks down inside the landfill, potentially contaminating the surrounding water table.

Recycling batteries protects our water supply by keeping heavy metals at bay, while simultaneously saving resources.

Batteries – like numerous items – are recyclable, but not accepted at the sorting facility where our residential recycling ends up. To empower residents to recycle beyond our curbside carts, The Woodlands Township Environmental Services Department has selected alkaline AA, AAA, C, D, and 9V Batteries for the annual Village Recycling Challenge held at the 3R Bazaar on Saturday, November 9, 8 a.m. to noon at The Woodlands Farmer’s Market.

If you don’t already have a stash of used batteries start saving them now! The village that collects the most will receive a donation to its scholarship fund from The Woodlands G.R.E.E.N.. Encourage neighbors, friends and family to save their batteries too. You can further support your village by helping collect and weigh incoming batteries  at 3R Bazaar; if you are interested in volunteering contact Environmental Services at enviro@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov.

 Can’t make it to 3R Bazaar? That’s ok! The Precinct 3 Recycling Center (1122 Pruitt Road in Spring) and Batteries Plus accept alkaline and rechargeable batteries all year. For a comprehensive list of where to take other oddities such as Styrofoam, electronics, lightbulbs, paints, pharmaceuticals, and more check out the Recycle More Guide.

Reduce by buying rechargeable! Rechargeable batteries cost more up front, but each rechargeable battery saves money in the long run, substituting for hundreds of single-use batteries. Rechargeables can also be recycled when they’ve outlived their usefulness, preventing unnecessary landfill usage and toxicity to the environment.

For more information about other items collected at the 3R Bazaar, visit www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/3rbazaar.

How mosquitoes find you

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As weather warms, mosquitoes seemingly come out of the woodwork. How is it that they are always able to find you?

Aeae biting

Keen senses

Mosquitoes use a highly tuned sensory system to zero in on their next blood meal. About 200 feet away, mosquitoes get the first whiffs of carbon dioxide we exhale as we enjoy a bit of gardening or a jog down the pathway. Following the plume – whether it is emitted by us, our furry companions, or a mockingbird up in the trees – brings them closer to the potential host.

Once the carbon dioxide has drawn her within sight, she is further attracted by dark colors and high-contrast patterns. Remember this the next time you reach for something to wear to the neighborhood picnic. Long, loose, light-colored clothing with a tight weave is a good first defense against the piercing mouthparts of the female mosquito. She seeks a blood meal, not to feed herself, but in pursuit of protein to make eggs.  You might be surprised to know that mosquitoes drink plant nectar to fuel their bodies, and pollinate plants in the process.

Getting warmer

Cues

When within three feet the mosquito can sense the heat signature of your body, differentiating you from say, a park bench. Investigating further, she hones in on a specific area to land using “smells” she picks up through her antennae. Lactic acid, uric acid, and ammonia in sweat, as well as the scent of fabric softeners, perfumes and colognes can all attract mosquitoes.

Cloaking spray

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Mosquito repellants can employ a couple different mechanisms in your defense. One is to jam chemical signals from reaching a mosquito’s antennae. The other is to be offensive to the mosquito once she lands and can “taste” it with her feet.  Repellents may use one or both mechanisms – termed primary and secondary repellency.

As we each have a unique chemical signature, try a few repellents to find the one that’s most effective for you. Look past the brand name on the front of the bottle to the bottom. There you’ll find one of the active ingredients the CDC recommends: Picaridin, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus, DEET, or IR3535. What works best for you might be different from your partner or kids.

Sensory Trickery

Mosquito_Trap with Lure

The Mosquito Surveillance & Education Program of The Woodlands Township uses the mosquito’s keen sensory perception to our advantage. We use a variety of lures and baits to attract mosquitoes into traps for weekly monitoring throughout the Township. For example, the Biogents Sentinel trap uses a lure that smells a lot like stinky gym socks. It also has a high-contrast color pattern and can be made more appealing by the addition of dry ice to emit carbon dioxide. These three features mimic a human host, drawing the mosquitoes close enough to be sucked into a net by a battery-powered fan. The captured mosquitoes are collected the next morning and sent to a laboratory for identification and disease testing. Tracking changes in the number of mosquitoes caught, species present, and disease trends over time provides the foundation for mosquito control activities in The Woodlands.

Learn more about mosquitoes and how to reduce the risk of mosquito-borne disease at http://www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/MosquitoInfo. To report a mosquito concern email enviro@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov or call 281-210-3800.

Water-Wise Village Challenge – the results are in!

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WWVC Results - FB (2)

The greatest number of households yet took the pledge to turn off automated sprinklers for the winter. Friends and neighbors spurred each other to pledge and shared the benefit of conservation, while Village Associations promoted the Challenge in the hopes of adding to their scholarship funds.

Many thanks to a record 649 households who pledged and congratulations to the following Villages with the most participation:

  • First Place: College Park
  • Second Place: Creekside Park
  • Third Place: Sterling Ridge

Did you pledge to turn off your automated sprinkler system this year? Not only did you save water, you were also a part of accelerating the transformation of thinking about water conservation in our community.

Now that spring is here and hot summer months are just around the corner, consider this: it’s estimated that as much as half of the water homeowners use outdoors is wasted due to evaporation, wind, or runoff, all factors of inefficient irrigation. Take time for a springtime spruce up of your sprinkler system before you set it and forget it.

Sprinkler Spruce Up

  1. Inspect your system for clogged, broken, or missing sprinkler heads that could be water wasters.
  2. Look where the sprinkler heads connect to pipes and hoses—if you find even small leaks, they can waste thousands of gallons of water per month.
  3. Direct your sprinklers to apply water only to the landscape, not driveways and sidewalks.
  4. Select a WaterSense labeled irrigation controller to automatically align your system’s schedule with local conditions and avoid watering during wet weather.

How much more water can you save this summer? Try these suggestions:

summer-infographic

2019 SMARTER ABOUT WATER SEMINAR

Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 11, where we’ll focus on ways to safeguard our watershed – strategies to employ at home, and actions part of the West Fork San Jacinto Watershed Protection Plan. The seminar is free but registration is required. Go to The Woodlands Township calendar page to learn more.

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What is your plastic footprint?

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Earth Day 2019 It's in your hands

Ever feel like you need a PhD to recycle correctly? Here’s a trick for the next time you are about to put plastic in the curbside cart: look for a neck and a number. Accepted plastics are easily identified by their narrow “neck” as seen on a bottle of water, shampoo or detergent. Look closely and you’ll see a number printed on the bottom too – ensure that it’s not #6 and you can confidently recycle that plastic curbside.

Recyclable plastic bottles

What about all the other plastics without a neck or a number? Plastic bags, packaging, case wraps, disposable cutlery, straws, plates and cups cannot be put in the recycle cart. Avoid the temptation to “wishcycle” them – placing them in the recycling bin in the hope that they’ll magically be recycled. Limited markets and sorting technology for recyclables dictate which items are accepted.

Instead seek out a special local recycling opportunity for these other items. Plastic bags and films get tangled in the sorting machinery at the recycling facility, but they CAN be recycled at local grocery stores. Check out all the kinds of film that can be recycled this way – chances are if it stretches it can be recycled.

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Although very important, recycling isn’t the only tool we have to fight plastic pollution. When it comes to disposable items, reducing dependence on single-use plastics and packaging is the key.

Tips to reduce plastic waste:

  • Bring your own reusable tote bags, produce or bulk bags, travel mugs, stainless steel straws, reusable cutlery and water bottles.
  • Purchase products with less packaging such as loose produce and bulk dry goods.
  • Recycle right. Get familiar with what is accepted in your curbside cart and local opportunities for other items.

In the spirit of Earth Day, consider taking an inventory of how much single-use plastic you generate and choose to reduce. EarthDay.org has plastic pollution footprint calculators and an action guide to get you started. For an interesting look at the rise and proliferation of plastics check out this article in the April edition of The Woodlands Community Magazine.

For more information on recycling and waste minimization, contact The Woodlands Township Environmental Services at enviro@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov or 281-210-3800.

Community unites to cleanup The Woodlands

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GreenUp Results 2019 (1)

Sunshine, community pride and teamwork was the recipe for a record breaking GreenUp  

Families, neighbors, local businesses and organizations cleaned up greenbelts, roadsides and waterways at Earth Day GreenUp on Saturday, March 23. An astounding 1,077 participants waded through tall grass and forested thickets to remove 8,676 gallons of trash – the equivalent of 90 of our curbside carts. An additional 4lbs of cigarette butts were cleaned up out of our greenways and recycled with TerraCycle, protecting wildlife and preventing harmful toxins from leaching into groundwater. Construction debris such as metal poles and concrete, coolers, street signs, full pet waste bags, broken lawn furniture and tires were all pulled from The Woodlands’ greenbelts.

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Photo by Rod Prado of http://www.Hellowoodlands.com

The most common type of litter collected at GreenUp was single-use plastics including grocery bags, disposable cutlery and cups, fast food containers and straws. These highly abundant items are easily blown from parking lots, picnic areas and trash barrels into neighboring greenbelts.

So a simple way to cut down on litter is to reduce our use of disposable plastics to begin with.  Remember, when you’re on the go, BYO! Equip yourself with reusable alternatives – travel mugs, tote bags, reusable cutlery, and straws.

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Photo by Rod Prado of http://www.Hellowoodlands.com

The After Clean-Up-Your-Block Party

After cleaning up, participants joined the party at Northshore Park where they were treated to a pizza lunch and received an event t-shirt. Buck Yeager Band entertained with country favorites and original music as Mr. Cirque wowed crowds with his circus arts including juggling, globe walking and more!

Local organizations provided face painting, crafts, live animal demonstrations and environmental education. Exhibitors included All Nations Community School, Bayou Land Conservancy, Citizens Climate Lobby, East Texas Herpetological Society, Friends of Texas Wildlife, H-GAC, Houston Spinstars, Let Them Drum, Plant for Pollinators,  Pure Mutts Animal Sanctuary, Spring Creek Nature Center, Targeting Mosquitoes, Waste Management

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Photo by Rod Prado of http://www.Hellowoodlands.com

GreenUp The Woodlands Year Round!

Consider recruiting a group and organizing your own cleanup anytime of the year. Contact The Woodlands Township Environmental Services Department at enviro@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov to borrow equipment. Please include your name, contact information, anticipated date, number of participants and proposed location.

Thank you for Greening Up with us

A special thank you to all participants, volunteers and sponsors that partnered with us to keep The Woodlands a beautiful place to live, rich in shades of green.

GreenUp Logo. Globe only

Earth Day GreenUp is hosted by The Woodlands Township Environmental Services Department and was generously sponsored by Waste Management, Keep Texas Beautiful, Berkeley Services, Woodlands Joint Power Agency, H-E-B, Howard Hughes Corporation, The Woodlands GREEN, Papa John’s Pizza and Nature’s Way Resources.

Is there a better irrigation plan for your landscape?

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Drip irrigation has some real advantages over traditional automatic sprinkler systems when it comes to saving water and money:

Irrigation Comparison Table 1

Learn how to install drip as part of your own sprinkler system at the Drip Irrigation and Rainwater Harvesting Workshop Saturday, April 6.

Local drip irrigation and rainwater harvesting specialists will provide both classroom and hands-on instruction. You’ll learn how to convert an existing sprinkler head to drip as well as how to install drip irrigation from an outdoor hose bib. With drip irrigation in place, you’ll be “efficiently” prepared for summer watering.

Our wet weather means that rain barrels are another great water conserving tool. At the workshop you will see how easy it is to capture rainwater  in your backyard, and will be able to purchase a rain barrel at a discounted price through one of our workshop sponsors, The Woodlands G.R.E.E.N.

Space for this popular seminar is very limited and registration is required. For more information or to register, see the calendar page.

DI + RWH Workshop

The Woodlands Emergency Training Center, located at 16135 IH-45 South, Conroe, 77385 – about one mile north of Hwy 242 on the northbound feeder road of I-45.

The FREE event has filled quickly in the past, so register early. Visit The Woodlands Township calendar for details and registration information, or call 281-210-3800.

Be part of the community-wide cleanup this Saturday!

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Celebrating its ninth year, The Woodlands Township’s Earth Day GreenUp brings the community together to beautify our parks, pathways, greenbelts, and waterways. It’s not too late to lend a helping hand this Saturday, March 23, joining with hundreds of others in the original #trashtagchallenge!

GreenUP Participants

The Woodlands Rowing Club and their haul of litter, pulled from Lake Woodlands at Earth Day GreenUp 2018

Simply show up at one of the eight participating parks between 8 and 10 a.m. to register and pickup supplies:

  • Alden Bridge: Alden Bridge Park, 7725 Alden Bridge Drive
  • Cochran’s Crossing: Shadowbend Park, 4995 Lake Woodlands Drive
  • College Park: Harper’s Landing Park, 2 N. Blair Bridge Drive
  • Creekside Park: Rob Fleming Aquatic Center, 6535 Creekside Forest Drive
  • Grogan’s Mill: Sawmill Park, 2200 Millpark Drive
  • Indian Springs: Falconwing Park, 5610 Rush Haven Drive
  • Panther Creek: Ridgewood Park, 4192 Interfaith Way
  • Sterling Ridge: Cranebrook Park, 11800 Cranebrook Drive

PLEASE NOTE: All minors will need a parent/legal guardian to sign the waiver to participate – print one here to bring to the check-in location if a child will be volunteering with a group separate from their parent/legal guardian.

All can join the after-party at Northshore Park from 11am to 1pm!

After the clean-up, gather for live music, entertainment, and pizza! Clean-up participants can claim their t-shirt and free slice of Papa John’s pizza. Everyone can enjoy the Buck Yeager Band and entertainment by Mr. Cirque the Acrobat.

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Weather Note

Periodic rain showers are forecasted for Saturday. The event will be held rain or shine. In the event of lightning, we ask that volunteers remain in their vehicle or the park pavilion until it passes. Should severe weather cause a cancellation we will notify all volunteers via email as well as the event page on The Township website and the Township Parks and Recreation Facebook page.  

Click here for more information or contact Environmental Services at 281-210-3800 or enviro@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov

Thank you to our sponsors: Keep Texas Beautiful, Waste Management, Berkeley Services, HEB, The Woodlands Joint Powers Agency (WJPA), Nature’s Way Resources, The Howard Hughes Corporation, The Woodlands G.R.E.E.N. and Papa John’s!

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Hiring! Seasonal Mosquito Technicians

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The Environmental Services Department is looking for enthusiastic, dedicated, independent individuals to join the Mosquito Team. Increase your field and laboratory experience while being an important part of this public health and outreach program.

  • Work as part of a team to monitor for mosquito-borne diseases
  • Deploy traps throughout The Woodlands that target different species
  • Use your interpersonal skills while sharing information with the public
  • Delve into the world of mosquito anatomy and identification in the lab
  • Expand your knowledge of water conservation, recycling right, sustainable landscapes and more supporting Environmental Services programs and events

Positions are from mid-May through end of November with an opportunity to extend the term of employment (can also accommodate students returning to college in August).

Apply today!

Applications will be accepted until April 19, 2019, or until position is filled. Interested candidates are encouraged to submit applications early. View the full job description here.

Questions? Email enviro@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov or call Environmental Services 281-210-3800.

Established in 2005, the mission of the Mosquito Surveillance & Education Program is to reduce the risk of mosquito-borne disease transmission for the protection and wellbeing of The Woodlands residents through the application of Integrated Mosquito Management. Learn what you can do to target mosquitoes.

 

Green fun for the whole family

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Check-In, Cleanup...

Participate in The Woodlands Township community-wide litter cleanup event, Earth Day GreenUp on Saturday, March 23, 2019!

This event is fun for the whole family and an excellent opportunity for team building, meeting neighbors and enjoying the outdoors. Join us in targeting litter on pathways, along waterways, and in greenbelts to keep our community looking clean and green!

GREEN STARTS WITH ME! 2019

 

Help GreenUp Your Community in 5 Simple Steps

  1. Check-in at a designated park near you.
  2. Receive trash bags, gloves, and instructions.
  3. Cleanup litter along a nearby pathway, park or natural area.
  4. Drop off full bags of litter along the pickup route (a map will be provided at check-in).
  5. Head to Northshore Park for the GreenUp Celebration 11 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Join us for live music by the Buck Yeager band, entertainment by Mr. Cirque the Acrobat and games for the whole family. As honored guests, Clean-up Participants receive free pizza, drinks, and 2019 GreenUp T-shirt. Everyone is welcome to share in the Celebration – pizza and drinks are also available for purchase.

Pre-register by Monday, March 11th for a speedy check-in and to ensure equipment for your group. Walk up registration is welcome between 8 and 10 at one of these parks.

Be prepared for cleanup by wearing appropriate clothing – long pants and closed-toe shoes/boots. Remember hats, sunscreen, mosquito repellent and a reusable water bottle – we will have a refilling station at the celebration!

Thank you to our sponsors: Keep Texas Beautiful, Waste Management, Berkeley Services, HEB, The Woodlands Joint Powers Agency (WJPA), Nature’s Way Resources, The Howard Hughes Corporation, The Woodlands G.R.E.E.N. and Papa John’s!

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The Woodlands Earth Day GreenUp is coordinated by The Woodlands Township Environmental Services Department. For more information, call 281-210-3800 or email enviro@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov.

Plant for pollinators this spring!

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At first glance, a pollinator garden may look like any other pretty flower garden. But for a garden to be a haven for native bees, butterflies, and moths, it needs to meet their needs for all life stages. And the most important ingredient are plants rich in nectar and pollen to feed adult pollinators and host plants specific to butterfly species. Here are simple guidelines for creating a pollinator garden that will reward you with three seasons of garden visitors and help protect these vulnerable insects.

Choose a sunny spot.

Most blooming plants require sun. Four hours of sun is ideal, but a minimum of two to three hours will work too. Some great nectar and pollen plants thrive in part shade (two hours of sun with dappled shade the rest of the day).

Plant natives.

Native plants support more than 29 times the number of insect species than non-native plants. Aim for at least 70% of native plants in your garden. (Print the PDF for recommended plant list.)

A hummingbird moth feeds on phlox.
Salvia blooms spring through fall.
Lanceleaf coreopsis.

Plant host plants.

Host plants are where the female butterfly will lay her eggs and her young caterpillars will feed. Some butterfly species—like the monarch and some swallowtails—only have one host plant. It is vital, therefore, to include some of these plants to support these species. Most of our host plants are native, but some are non-natives well adapted to our area. By including these host plants, you’ll welcome more diversity into your garden. (Print the PDF at the bottom for recommended plant list.)

Dill is host for the eastern black swallowtail.
Pipevine hosts the pipevine swallowtail.
The queen caterpillar like the monarch, only feeds on milkweed.

Plant variety.

Adult bees and butterflies like some variety in their diet, just like us. By including different varieties of plants, your garden will attract a diverse assortment of pollinators.

Plant for three seasons.

Pollinators that overwinter in our area start emerging as the weather warms, and that could be late February to early March. As the weather turns cool, bees and butterflies go into hiding. As a general rule, they can’t fly when temperatures fall to 55 degrees. Bumblebees and some solitary bees will hibernate underground; other solitary bees will hibernate in nests they create in rock crevices and dead wood tunnels . Honey bees don’t hibernate, but buzz all winter keeping the hive warm—only the queen hibernates.  The monarch butterfly is the only migrating butterfly in North America and usually leaves its overwintering site in central Mexico in March, returning in November. You can track their migration each season at journeynorth.org.

With pollinators active and needing food spring through fall, it’s important that your garden provide blooms each season. (Print the PDF at the bottom for recommended plant list.)

Plant in dense color blocks.

Avoid planting different plant varieties singly. Go bold! Group a minimum of five to seven of the same plant to create large swaths of color in your garden. This helps pollinators find them. A dense planting has another advantage. When host plants especially, are planted densely, the young caterpillars have a better chance of survival by hiding from predators.

Include a puddle.

If there’s a low area that holds water after a rain in or near your pollinator garden, leave it! These “puddling” areas are great for providing certain butterfly species (like male common buckeyes) with necessary minerals and nutrients. You can create your own puddle by filling a shallow pan or plate with soil, some rocks, and pieces of a kitchen sponge and keeping it wet.

puddler

A simple butterfly “puddler” is easy to add to a garden.

Provide shelter.

Shelter can take various forms, from a nearby fence or trellis, dense shrubbery, or a man-made bee house for solitary bees. It can also be as simple as leaving a pile of fallen leaves and pine needles in a nearby spot. Shelter provides safe places for caterpillars to pupate, and for overwintering pollinators.

Use no pesticides.

In your garden or near it. Period.

 Print a PDF of these tips and recommended plants.

Register your garden!

Register your pollinator garden with The Woodlands Township as part of the Plant for Pollinators program and receive a window cling for recognition and appreciation.

window cling.FINAL

Learn more about registering your pollinator garden.

Important note about tropical milkweed

If you already have tropical milkweed in your garden, be sure to cut it to four to six inches of the ground every October to prevent the spread of OE and interference with normal migratory behavior. Consider planting native varieties of milkweed. Learn more about OE and tropical milkweed, and native milkweed species for our area in our recent blog post.

 

 

 

Save the date!

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Saturday, March 23

Pre-registration is open

GreenUp Logo. Globe only

Join neighbors, family, and friends at Earth Day GreenUp on March 23, 2019. Volunteer to beautify our community by picking up litter on pathways, waterways, and greenbelts. After your hard work, celebrate at Northshore Park with free pizza, face painting, live music, and an event t-shirt. Together, residents keep The Woodlands beautiful and protect natural areas for wildlife by helping in this community stewardship project.

GreenUp invites everyone to take ownership of our environment. Recruit or join a group of your peers – you may find that you’ll meet neighbors and create new friends while enjoying the outdoors. Disposable gloves, bags and maps will be provided during check-in at a designated park in each Village.  Remember to bring a reusable bottle and your favorite work gloves to minimize waste. Ensure equipment for your team by pre-registering by March 11th. See the box below for registration information.

GreenUP Celebrations

The GreenUP celebration is fun for all and begins at 11 a.m. at Northshore Park.

After the cleanup, the entire community is invited to celebrate in the spirit of Earth Day with food, fun and live music for all ages at Northshore Park, 2505 Lake Woodlands Drive. Local organizations will present fun activities and information on how you can make everyday Earth Day. Learn and play games that will teach you that “green starts with me.”

Volunteers will receive a commemorative T-shirt and be treated to pizza. Beverages will be available, but remember to bring your own water bottle. Food tickets will be on sale to the general public.

Key Information

Pre-register: Through Monday, March 11 at  www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/greenup

Check-in:  Saturday, March 23, 8 to 10 a.m. at a location near you.
Walk-ups welcome. Check-in locations:

  • Alden Bridge: Alden Bridge Park
  • Cochran’s Crossing: Shadowbend Park
  • College Park: Harper’s Landing Park
  • Creekside Park: Rob Fleming Aquatic Center
  • Grogan’s Mill: Sawmill Park
  • Indian Springs: Falconwing Park
  • Panther Creek: Ridgewood Park
  • Sterling Ridge: Cranebrook Park

GreenUp:  8:30 to 11 a.m.

Celebrate: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Northshore Park

More Info:  Call Environmental Services at 281-210-3800

 

Remodeling? Plan for water efficiency

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A home remodeling project is a perfect time to consider how to maximize your home’s water efficiency. Bathrooms are where most of our water is used, accounting for more than 50% of all indoor water use.

When it comes to water use, the American mindset is shifting from one less mindful and therefore wasteful, to one more aware that water is a valuable resource to conserve.  We are fortunate to have easy access to some of the safest water in the world and it may be that very ease that results in our taking water for granted. Just how much water do we use? On average, an American family uses more than 300 gallons of water per day at home.

Here’s how it breaks down:

Water Pie Chart

In a 2014 Government Accountability Report, it’s noted that 40 out of 50 state water managers expect water shortages under average conditions in some portions of their states over the next decade. So it just makes sense to replace old or inefficient appliances and hardware with new, more efficient products.

That’s where WaterSense comes in. WaterSense is a partnership program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). WaterSense labeled products meet EPA’s specification for water efficiency and performance, and are backed by independent, third-party certification.

WaterSense label

The WaterSense label on a product certifies that it is 20 percent more water efficient than average products in that category. There are WaterSense Products in many categories, including:

  • Faucets
  • Showerheads
  • Toilets
  • Irrigation controllers
  • Irrigation sprinklers

Stop by the Environmental Services office and receive a free faucet aerator or a replacement showerhead while supplies last. Both meet high water efficiency standards.

Environmental Services Department
8203 Millennium Forest Drive

 

Fix a leak

You don’t have to take on a remodeling project to conserve water. That annoying dripping faucet is more than annoying; five to 10 percent of U.S. homes have easy-to-fix leaks that drip away 90 gallons of water a day.

EPA’s annual Fix a Leak Week is March 18 through 24. You can learn more about how to locate leaks on the EPA  Fix a Leak Week webpage.

Leaks Graphic

Demonstration home

Check out the WaterSense demonstration home at Water University at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension in Dallas. To be WaterSense certified, homes must meet standard criteria in three areas: indoor water use, including plumbing, plumbing fixtures and fittings, and appliances; outdoor water use, including landscape design and any installed irrigation systems (which are optional); and homeowner education.

 

In celebration of trees

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It’s undeniable. There seems to be a universal human response to the majesty of trees. Trees do us a lot of good and not all their benefits are visible by the eye. These benefits are often grouped by their social, environmental, and economic qualities.

(Be sure to see the upcoming Township events that pay tribute to trees listed below.)

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Social benefits

One might say that trees help make us happier. They provide a sense of place and when we are in their presence, we feel serene and peaceful. Trees’ calming effects extend to the workplace, where trees can reduce worker stress. It’s also been cited that trees can decrease recovery time after surgery or illness and reduce crime in urban communities. A large, mature tree imparts a sense of majesty, strength, and even awe. This and their capacity for a long life may be why they are so often planted as living memorials to those we love and have lost.

The oldest verified flowering tree is a 2,293 year-old Sri Maha Bodhi Sacred Fig. It is also the oldest human-planted tree, known to be planted in 288 BC at Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

People are drawn to shaded parks, pathways, and sidewalks, which in turn encourages social interaction and enhances a sense of community.

Environmental benefits

Trees improve the environment by moderating our climate from sun, wind, and rain. Sun is absorbed or deflected by leaves and the larger the tree, the greater its cooling effect. In urban environments, trees moderate the heating effect caused by pavement and buildings. Compact foliage and dense tree plantings provide an effective windbreak. Rain and stormwater runoff is not only slowed by trees, but is reduced by the water trees take up by their roots and store.

Improved air quality is another great benefit—leaves filter the air we breathe by removing particulates and pollutants (such as ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and lead) and replace them with oxygen. They absorb the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide through photosynthesis. Trees are natural air conditioners that can lower temperatures 6 to 8 degrees by evaporating water through their leaves. Their roots stabilize soil and prevent erosion, and improve water quality by filtering rainwater.

Trees can block and absorb sound, reducing noise pollution by as much as 40%.

Finally, trees provide important food and shelter for urban wildlife, including birds, pollinators, and small animals.

Economic benefits

Although determining a “value” of a tree can be very difficult, trees increase in value as they grow. The value of trees is also evident in home sales: homes landscaped with trees sell more quickly and are worth 5% to 15% more than homes without trees. When trees are planted strategically to shade a home, air conditioning costs are lower. And when they form a windbreak they can reduce heating costs in winter.

Native trees

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The native Mexican Plum, Prunus mexicana, has a spectacular spring display that is a feast for the eyes and pollinators as well.

There is a wealth of native trees to use for landscapes in our area. The benefits of native trees are many and can include colorful spring blooms, fall color, or food and nectar for wildlife. Natives are well-adapted to our weather conditions and soil, and once established, require no supplemental water (except for times of extreme drought).

View and print the list of Trees Suitable for The Woodlands. This list is far from exhaustive, but meant to provide a good sampling of those that can be found at local nurseries and provide special benefits.

Upcoming events

Mark your calendar for these events that each in their own way, celebrate trees.

Arbor Day Tree Seedling Pickup
The Howard Hughes Corporation® is excited to host the Arbor Day Tree Seedling Pickup on Saturday, January 26, 2019 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Hughes Landing®. This year, more than 44,000 tree seedlings will be handed out, representing nine varieties including Bald Cypress, Laurel Oak, Live Oak, Loblolly Pine, Overcup Oak, River Birch, Sawtooth Oak, Silky Dogwood and Water Oak.

2019 Community Tree Planting
The community will come together to keep the woods in The Woodlands at the fifth annual Village Tree Planting event Saturday, February 9, 2019, from 8 a.m. to noon at Spindle Tree Ponds Park in the Village of Sterling Ridge. Volunteers of all ages are called upon to help reforest our community. Register now!

Creating Habitat in the Garden and Community
Saturday, February 2, 2019 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Woodlands Emergency Training Center. This free seminar will address how wildlife has been impacted by growth and why home and community habitats matter. Learn how to create habitat for butterflies, bees and birds and help them thrive. Register now!

Helpful resources

Visit the International Society of Arboriculture for loads of great information about trees. View and print their useful guides for planting and caring for trees:

New Tree Planting

Proper Mulching Techniques

Pruning Mature Trees

Insect and Disease Problems

Irrigation can’t replace rain

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You’ve seen it. The luminous post-shower greenness of a lawn; the sudden growth spurt of a plant that didn’t seem to be doing much at all; or the effervescence of new blooms on an otherwise sleepy plant. Why are these effects so evident after a good rain and absent with irrigation?

What’s the magic of rain? It’s all about what it has that tap water doesn’t,  and what it doesn’t have that tap water does.  And this all boils down to chemistry.

Rain water is free of minerals

good elements

Rainwater lacks the minerals usually found in irrigation water. In The Woodlands, the water that flows through an outside spigot is the same as what flows from the kitchen faucet—that is, treated water suitable for consumption. This is of course, what you want for water use in the home, but your landscape can actually suffer for it when used in excess.

Chlorine and fluoride are the first plant-offending additives in treated water. Chlorine is a necessary disinfectant and fluoride helps to prevent tooth decay.  But nearly all plants are susceptible to chlorine toxicity and many are subject to fluoride toxicity as well—especially common house plants.

Another chemical component to tap water is sodium, which can help remedy the pipe-corroding effects of calcium and magnesium, also present. When a white sediment is present on the outside of containers or on the leaves of plants, it’s evidence of calcium and magnesium. Sodium, like chlorine, is toxic to plants.

Rainwater has the right stuff

good elements

Oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide. Rain highly saturated in oxygen goes right to the roots that take up this vital element. Nitrogen is what makes your lawn and plants seem to glow green after a good rain. Air is 78% nitrogen and this element in its nitrate and ammonium forms comes down in rain and is immediately absorbed by plants through their roots and leaves.

Carbon dioxide is also delivered to plants with rain. When carbon dioxide combines with other minerals in the air, it gives rainwater an acidic pH. Acidic rainwater (and we’re not talking about “acid rain” which has excessive pollutants mostly an issue in the Northeast) helps the soil release essential micronutrients such as zinc, manganese, copper, and iron that are vital to plant growth.

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Something can be said about the physical properties of rain too.

Rain penetrates the soil better than irrigation. Raindrops fall at about 20 mph while irrigation droplets fall at about 5 mph. And rain falls uniformly. Both properties help water reach plants’ roots. And they do something else: they help leach salts away from the root zone of a plant where they may have accumulated over time through irrigation. This cleansing effect can have a pronounced effect on new plant growth.

The cleansing effect of rain extends to the entire surface of a plant as well. We can see how foliage glows after a rain washes away mineral deposits, dust and pollutants from leaves. This is a boon to photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is much more efficient when light reaches a plant’s leaves unobstructed by grit and grime.

Harvest it

The benefits of rain water over tap water used for irrigation might even motivate a person to harvest rainwater. So often, rainwater harvesting is presented only as a method for conserving water. Yet it’s more than that. By storing up rain water, you’re also creating a supply of high quality water that your plants crave.

A Drip Irrigation and Rainwater Harvesting class will be offered free by the Township later this spring.