Reduce Pesticide Use
Pour boiling water or white vinegar on small weeds. For larger areas where you don't want any growth, lay down old fabric or newspaper. There are about 110,000 human poisonings from herbicides, insecticides, and pesticides in the United States each year.
Earth Day 2009
The Kent County Humane Society, the Town of Chestertown, and the Center for Environment & Society at Washington College collaborated on this year's Mutt Strut and Earth Day Festival in downtown Chestertown on April 25.
There was live music in the Park, eco-friendly exhibitors and vendors on Memorial Row, a petting zoo, and a variety of pet and Earth Day activities on both lawns of the Kent County Courthouse. Washington College students featured face-painting, t-shirt tie-dye, and a coloring contest with frogs, fishes, and butterflies. Downtown merchants and eateries were open, the Chestertown Elks #2474 grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, and Rose Greene of Church Hill fired up the griddles for funnel cake and fried fish.
The popular Farmers' Market was also underway that morning, as was the Town's "green window" and meter decorating contests. As part of its Chestertown Goes Green campaign, the Town arranged free services for paper shredding and recycling of fluorescent bulbs and tubes that Saturday.
The Mutt Strut and Pet Fair is the spring fund-raiser for the local Humane Society. "Proceeds go toward the animal shelter and the care of the animals waiting for new homes," says Dr. David Newell, chair of the board of trustees.
Heron Point also celebrated Earth Day earlier in the week, educating residents on composting and other green activities.
To view more photos, visit the Center for Environment & Society website.
Heron Point residents explore different methods for composting food scraps and coffee grinds.
Resident Kent Kerbel discusses Earth Day activities at Heron Point with Briggs Cunningham, Climate Action Coordinator at the Center for Environment & Society at Washington College.
Mayor Margo Bailey and Heron point dining staff review the compost operation at Heron Point.
