Basically, mulch is tree parts. I know a lot of people go to Lowe's and buy the stuff by the bag, but honestly, anything that falls off a trees (twigs, leaves, pine straw, pieces of bark) makes great mulch.
Mulch is good stuff. Trees love it. I love it. The world -- obviously-- loves it, by the way they seem to pile it on.
But there is a right and wrong way to go about mulching your trees.
Here is the DON'T.
See how this mulch is piled up AGAINST THE TRUNK -- this is BAD. The trunk is buried!!!
Here's where I dug it out -- you can see the trunk is ROTTING!
Here is the tree again, a little further out -- big pile of mulch AGAINST THE TRUNK = BAD
Now this tree is quite glorious, don't you agree? So, why, why, why would someone put it at risk?
Because when you weaken the structure of the trunk, you put the tree at risk of dying, or worse, having a weak trunk, and then it could fall and really hurt something or someone!
Let's save our trees, please!
Here's what mulch is good for:
1. Replenishing nutrients in the soil
2. Keeping the soil moist
3. Preventing soil erosion
(Those are the ultra-uber-basics, the Ground Guys have written it out, shortly and sweetly here)
Because mulch is so good at keeping moisture in, it's exactly why it should NOT go up against a trunk. The trunk does not need the extra moisture!
Think of it like this: Mulch, mulch is good for the DIRT When it touches a tree, it will HURT.
(I just made that up -- I'll try to work on it for you.)
The proper way to put mulch around a tree is to do just that: put mulch AROUND a tree. A half-foot to a foot away from the trunk should suffice, and it will still ensure that the soil is getting what it needs...so that the tree gets what it needs.
THANKS!
P.S. If feeling altruistic one day, go help the improperly-mulched trees in your urban environment by pushing the soil a foot or so back from the trunk -- make a day out of it, and see how good you'll feel! It's as important to CARE for a tree as it is to PLANT one.
Last night I gave my first "Green" Feng Shui lecture at the library in Homewood, Alabama. Here are the highlights as well as my inspirations along the path of living "green":
1. Appreciating nature.
When you have lived and visited the most beautiful places in the world and take the time to get to know the nature there, you can't help to want to protect it...and be moved by it.
2. The Redwood Forest and Julia "Butterfly" Hill. Once upon a time in the 1990s, a 23-year-old woman sat in a Redwood tree because she was tired of big companies cutting them down. After all, only 3% of these 1000-year-old (plus) magnificent beings were left in the U.S. (the only place where they grow), and she (like me) was touched and awed by their beauty, mystique, and wisdom. Once up there, she knew that she could not come down until her job was done and her message was loud and clear. It was TWO YEARS before she set foot upon the ground.
Here is her book about her experience:
3. TreePeople. I was smart and lucky enough to work for this non-profit when I lived in Los Angeles. Andy Lipkis started it when he was only 15 years old, when trees were being killed by -- guess what -- smog. He had a vision to replace the trees....and build community at the same time. Today, forty-three years later, TreePeople is "planting the way" to greener, healthier cities everywhere.
4. Diet for a New America by John Robbins. I didn't touch on this in the speech, but becoming a vegetarian has not only been the healthiest choice for my body, it's also been a major contribution to the planet. This book sealed the deal for me.
5. Documentaries. There are so many people putting the message into the world on what is really happening on our planet, socially, politically, economically, and yes, environmentally.
Here is a short list of the ones that have influenced me: The Corporation FLOW: For Love of Water The End of Suburbia Gasland Who Killed the Electric Car? The 11th Hour Dirt: The Movie Wall-E (not a documentary, but a cartoon with a strong, smart, and very real message)
6. Anna Cummins and 5 Gyres. I met Anna when I was filming CarLess in LA. She and her husband are on the front lines when it comes to plastic, plastic, plastic, having personally been to sea to research. Check their mission out here: http://5gyres.org
7. Senor Enrique Penalosa. Another inspiration from my CarLess in LA days, he implemented bike lanes, parks, better public transportation, and car-free days in Bogota, Columbia, where he acted as mayor. His work has opened my mind to the importance of building cities for people rather than building cities for cars. Today, his message is worldwide.
8. Costa Rica. When I was 19, I volunteered with some friends at various places throughout the beautiful country of Costa Rica. First we helped with the endangered sea turtles, then at an animal rescue reserve, and finally, on an organic farm. Being exposed first hand, and helping first hand, was fulfilling and wholly educational. And fun. No book, documentary, speech, or blog can replace being on the front lines yourself.
9. CarLess in LA.This is the documentary that I'm in the process of making. Again, front lines. Again, priceless. I'm proud that I accomplished this feat and of the amazing, inspiring, brilliant, and caring people I met along the way. Here's a glimpse:
So what is "Green" Feng Shui?
In other words, how does feng shui apply to our greater, collective "home," the planet Earth?
Bottom line: When you practice feng shui in your home, you are in the process of raising your vibration and consciousness. When your vibration and consciousness are at their peak, you are living in joy/peace, which is what we all are ultimately after.
Similarly, when we being to become more conscious of our actions affecting the Earth, we are in the process of raising our vibration/consciousness and moving towards greater joy and peace....
....even if we have to "endure" a bit of "inconvenience" in order to do so.
So yes, recycling, reusing, and reducing is good feng shui.
Driving less and turning off your lights is good feng shui.
Insulating your home is good feng shui.
Making a vow to never buy plastic water bottles ever again is good feng shui.
After all, what if the Earth is crying out to us? What if all the anxiety, depression, addiction, etc. that our society is prone to has a root cause: that we are freaking out because we subconsciously know that we are messing up? Could we all be blocking out her call by our busyness, our pill-popping, and our shopping? (Note: This theory inspired by a section in a book called Dream Tending by Dr. Stephen Aizenstat.)
There are many, many people who aren't satisfied blocking out her call, and they are leading the way in the ways of green. But the tipping point hasn't happened yet.
So now that your mind has been stretched even just a tiny bit, what choices will you make? I believe the tipping point can and will happen. And how cool is it that this generation gets to be such a huge part of it?
Plant a tree.
Buy at the farmer's market.
And spread the word.
It's our collective home, and it will take a collective effort. And it will be well, well worth it. I promise.
A friend of mine had sent me a file of a short story called "The Man Who Planted Trees." I was eager to read it, but I usually save my leisure reading for when I'm curled up in bed ready to go to sleep, and the last thing I want to do is be looking at a computer screen then. He kept asking if I had read it, claiming that I was going to love it, and I kept saying "No, I'm on the computer too much as it is, but I will, I really will."
Finally, fed up, he graciously gave me a hard copy as a gift.
The book is just lovely to hold. I was admiring it, happy to receive such a thoughtful gift, when I exclaimed, "Oh! Andy wrote the forward!" My friend looked at me curiously (as if I was a little nuts really.)
I explained to him that Andy used to be my "boss."
Opening the book to Andy's contribution, I was delighted to see a description of TreePeople where I used to work when I lived in Los Angeles. Andy is the founder of this dynamic and visionary non-profit organization where, you guessed it, we planted trees (well, actually, we guided entire communities to plant trees). Andy was also my neighbor and has become my friend.
TreePeople is an organization close to my heart. And here it was, finding its way back to me in Alabama, where I currently live.
And my friend was right. I love this book. The illustrations are actually wood engravings based on this timeless story about, yes, a man who planted trees (and so much more). It reads like a fable, and an endearing one at that.
And I got to read it the proper way, in bed in my pajamas with just my bedside lamp on. And in one delicious sitting.
If you are looking for something to give this Christmas, I recommend this. It's the perfect holiday read -- short and sweet -- made for sitting by the fire, sipping hot cocoa. And it's printed on recycled paper to boot.
Have a merry one! And plant a tree (or ten) to make up for the one that you purchased for Christmas!
What's an arborist, you ask? To put it simply, I know quite a bit about trees.
While living in Los Angeles, I had the pleasure of working for an amazing organization called TreePeople. My first job there was to educate children about the "city forest." My second job there was as Campus Forestry Manager, where I led tree-planting events with loads and loads of volunteers (parents, teachers, and especially children) on school campuses around Los Angeles. Because I gained experience and knowledge about trees (obviously), I was eligible to become certified as an arborist.
Oh, but that dreaded test!
I sucked it up, studied for D-A-Y-S, took the thing early one Monday morning, and lo and behold, I passed. You have no idea how good it felt to walk out of that testing center knowing that I now have "credibility" when it comes to trees -- and therefore I am able to help them just a little bit more.
You see, I have realized something in my life. It's this: I have a deep desire to leave this planet a little better than I left it. More specifically, I'd like to do my part at helping humans and nature live together more harmoniously.
In all honesty, I think we humans have a ways to go.
But the place to start -- the place where we can all start --- is recognizing the gifts that trees give and go from there. When we develop an appreciation for the things we take for granted, we change for the better.
Remember, trees give us oxygen. They provide shade and transpire through their leaves, cooling the air. They give us food. They give nice animals shelter. They capture rain in their canopies and put water back into the natural aquifer. They lower our bills when planted near our homes, because they cool us off. They raise the values of our neighborhoods. They provide sound buffers for traffic. They clean the air of many pollutants. They are fun to climb. And they are beautiful.
They heal us in ways that the human spirit has yet to understand.
So take care of a tree today. Or make plans to plant one. (Select the right species for the right place, please, to ensure a long life!) Or just take the time to admire one.
And yes, I give you permission to go hug one. Don't worry -- I won't tell.
HAPPY EARTH DAY.
My daughter making friends with an oak outside our home
Admiring the oak in my parents' backyard -- must be over 200 years old!
