Springtime Good News for Lake and Lawns

While Geist residents are itching for the return of warm weather, area merchants and lawn service companies are preparing to start the spring growing season by mailing out ads and contract renewals to their existing customers. This spring, however, the Geist Watershed Alliance want residents to be informed about their choices as they begin making decisions concerning how they will maintain their lawns.

A number of new lawn care options are available this year to homeowners wanting to protect the water quality of the lake.

“It’s important that we get the word out about the harmful effects of traditional chemical lawn fertilizers before spring so residents can do what it takes to prevent another toxic algae problem this year,” states Steve Nagy of the Alliance’s Outreach and Awareness Committee. “I know people really would like to do the right thing to improve the health of the lake. They just don’t always know what to do.”

That’s why Alliance members are researching watershed-friendly solutions. They plan on analyzing a variety of lawn care products to determine if they are suitable to receive a “Geist Watershed Alliance Seal of Approval,” explains Dave Sylvester, one of the Alliance’s original organizers. “In the future, homeowners can expect to find products and services certified as safe for the reservoir.

A committee has formed to undertake the research process, but it’s still too early to conclusively recommend specific products and services. In the meantime, for the purpose of this article, a few local lawn service companies were contacted in order to help homeowners make wiser choices.

Curb Appeal Outdoor Services is a full-service lawn maintenance company which offers mowing services as well as “Nature Safe” organic fertilizers, several of which contain no phosphorus – the main nutrient responsible for last year’s blue-green algae. Al Peterson, the company’s owner, is passionate about watershed protection and specifically chooses to use “Nature Safe” fertilizers on his customers’ lawns because they are “all natural, effective and safe for people, pets and lakes.” Ninety percent of his current customers prefer that he use non-chemical fertilizers, and it is his goal to convert all of his customers to organic products by this time next year.

“The key to having a beautiful green lawn using an organic program is to build a healthy root system that doesn’t need excessive nutrients for the brilliant green effect,” Al points out. “Curb Appeal Outdoor Services achieves this by mowing the lawn to the proper height and by using non-water-soluble nitrogen, which stays in the lawn and releases over time without running off when it rains.”

Homeowners interested in joining Al’s loyal customer base (many live on Morse Reservoir) can find out more by calling 800-287-2277. You may want to ask about Curb Appeal’s “family-friendly fertilization program.” If you are considering insect control, Al points out that April 1st begins the brief window of opportunity to effectively treat against them.

NaturaLawn is another lawn fertilization company which specializes in organic lawn treatment and offers the additional service of biennial soil analysis to ensure the turf is receiving exactly what it needs to keep grass healthy and green. Don Havey, the company’s local service provider, explains that NaturaLawn has a history of working with watershed groups. Among their many non-chemical options, they offer a phosphorus-free program, aeration and grub and insect control, which is applied in July.

Tony Besecker, a regional manager with NaturaLawn, said their products were developed specifically to address environmental issues. They have been in business since the mid-1980s and were the first national company to offer organic lawn care to homeowners. Residents interested in NaturaLawn services can call Don Harvey for a free estimate at 317-356-5296.

TruGreen now offers several programs that should interest watershed-concerned residents. According to Bob Avenius, TruGreen’s Region Technical Manager, homeowners can now choose between an organic or traditional chemical fertilizer program, both of which provide phosphorus-free options. He explains that his company also takes an additional measure to protect lakes; they leave a 3 foot buffer zone from the edge of the water when applying fertilizer.

To minimize a property’s adverse impact on the lake, Avenius recommends being vigilant about other common sources of nutrients that can reach the lake, either through a storm water system or direct run-off. For instance, grass clippings, leaves and other organic matter blown into the street wash down storm drains which often lead directly to the lake, or into other waterways that links with it. Another common problem is when sediment from soil and bank erosion enters the lake.

Along with better lawn fertilization practices, homeowners can install runoff and soil erosion prevention measures that double as beauty enhancements. Updated irrigation controls with rain sensors, drainage improvements, rain gardens and patios with porous pavers are features recommended by landscape designer Steve Hiner, who owns Good Nature Inc. For people planning a backyard beautification project this summer, Steve invites you to contact him at 336-7200 to learn more about how proper landscaping can protect the lake. You can also visit his website www.GoodNatureInc.com for further information.

Go Green with Easy Water

What’s the size of a phonebook, solves your hard water problems in a snap, and is green all over? The new Easy Water treatment system, of course! This water treatment system doesn’t use salt so, it is “greener” –good for the environment, and to top it off, the technology is developed by a fellow Geist resident, CEO Bill Freije of Freije Water Treatment Systems. Freije has long been proud of being “green” saying “I was recycling before recycling was cool!” But, the new Easy water treatment system is certainly putting all of his “green” ways to good use.

As a customer, I have to say, there’s good reason why this home product is catching on. You replace your water softener with the Easy Water system — which is comparable in price to better-name-brand water softeners ($849 - $1299) and about the size of a DVD case — and say good-bye to the buying bags of salt. The Easy Water system works by adding electronic current which alters the water particles’ ability to stick to pipes and appliances. Traditional softeners would “soften” water by taking out “good” minerals, calcium and magnesium, and replacing them with a double the amount of salt.

Ask anyone with an interest in the environment, including Bill Freije, and they will tell you salt from your water softener will likely end of in the local water source.

“All the salt you buy from the store and dump into your water softener is equivalent to dumping it into the river behind the water treatment plant!” says Bill. This is also why salt-based water softeners are starting to be banned in heavily populated areas of California and along the East Coast.

The greener mind set is spreading throughout the midwest as well. Indianapolis- based Freije—a leader in “green” water treatment technology since 1986 –was used primarily for industrial and commercial use with large companies such as Frito-Lay and Arby’s. They started testing their product for residential use in 2001 as consumer demand for “greener” alternatives continued to grow.

Now, business continues to grow.

“We have 20 employees now and we plan to add 200 more over the next two years,” says Freije.

So, a success story in business and a champion for the the enviroment. For me, I saved room in my home, did a little more to be “green” and “bagged” buying all of those bags of salt!

Hats off to Freije Water Treatment Systems, and our fellow Geist neighbor, for the new, innovative and useful way to go “green”!

A Slice of Life

Editor’s Note: Geist resident and TV personality Dick Wolfsie will be writing a monthly column for the “atGeist Community Newsletter” starting this month.

I don’t usually have my meals delivered up here in the Geist area.

My pizza restaurant of choice is only five minutes from the house, so it’s not a big deal. I figure that if I’m going to wolf down six or eight slices of pure cholesterol, I should at least get some exercise by driving a couple of blocks.

It was snowy the other night, so I parked myself in front of a roaring fire and decided to arrange for a speedy dinner drop-off.

“Hello, Donatos, I’d like to order two medium pizzas for my family. One with sausage and one with pepperoni and mushroom.”

“Do you have any coupons, sir?”

“Yes, but they are all for a different pizza chain and they expired in June of ‘05.”

“Not a problem. What major intersection are you near?”

“We’re just south of 86th and Mud Creek.”

“One moment, sir. I’ll have to talk my supervisor about this.”

Then, a long silence.

Finally, the boss picked up the phone. “Sir, this is Eugene, the manager. I’ve been doing some checking, and I have some very bad news for you.”

“Look, if you’re out of pepperoni, I can get through this. I’m tough. How about meatball, instead?”

“It’s not that. It’s more serious. This is difficult to say, sir, but according to Mapquest you live in a pizza dead zone.’”

“What does that mean, ‘pizza dead zone’? I feel like I’m talking to Rod Serling.”

“Well, there are four of our pizza chains within 10 minutes of you, but you aren’t in the delivery area for any of them. Pizza-wise, sir, you are nowhere. Pizza non grata, so to speak.”

“Well, of all the luck. Not only am I a liberal who accidentally moved into a neighborhood represented by Congressman Dan Burton, but now I’ve also been gerrymandered out of pizza delivery. What can we do about this, Eugene?”

“You could meet the truck at the edge of the Dead Zone. Do you know where the stop sign is at the intersection of …”

“This is ridiculous. I get my newspaper delivered every morning. The Girl Scouts and the Jehovah’s Witnesses never have a problem finding my front door. I even know the UPS guy on a first-name basis. If Brown can do something for me, why can’t Donatos Pizza?”

“Look, sir, I can’t make any exceptions. If I let you order a pizza for delivery, the next thing you know, the people next door to you will be ordering pizzas. Then the whole neighborhood will want pizza delivered from us. We don’t have time for that. We’re trying to run a business here.”

“OK, Eugene, suppose, just suppose, I wanted to order 100 pizzas with all the toppings. Then would you deliver to me?”

“You mean, ask my employees to enter the dead zone? In good conscience, I don’t think I could do that.”

“Eugene, this is a subdivision in Castleton. Not the Bermuda Triangle.”

“Sir, I’ve just called up some research while we were chatting that may explain this problem from a business standpoint. The data show that if we expanded service into your area it would increase our net profit by only 1.567 percent during the week and only 2.567 percent on weekends.”

“Wow, those are impressive statistics. Is that based on a mathematical extrapolation using advanced calculus?”

“No, we just use a simple pie chart.”

For more columns, visit www.Wolfsie.com.

Geist Fitness Offers 5K Training Program

Geist Fitness is excited to launch its very own 5K training program in conjunction with the Inaugural Geist Half Marathon and 5K race! This $20 program will prepare you and provide support while guiding you to a fitter, faster you!

What: The program will mix lectures and training runs to prepare you to get to the finish line regardless of your goal or conditioning level.

Who: Everybody! From the weekend warrior to the seasoned harrier, everyone can successfully complete the 3.1 mile race. Don’t go it alone; bring a friend! Weather you plan to walk, run or a combination of the two, this is the perfect opportunity to get the camaraderie you need.

When: This eight week program will begin the week of March 24th and run in the mornings, evenings and weekends, leaving no excuses! Fill out the survey and let us know what best works for you!

Where: All lectures will be at the club, with training runs (weather permitting) done on the actual course and around the reservoir.

Benefits: Every person who participates in the program will receive a visor, and binder full of helpful hints and a running log and access to an exclusive “members only” post-race party!

More questions, please see Ryan or Jill with your inquires or call 595-8990!