Fall is here and Ossining residents are throwing away their readily available no-cost mulch and soil amendment – leaves.  Information about the benefits on leaf composting/mulching, as many Westchester communities are actively pursuing positive change in the current costly, wasteful and environmentally unsound practice of street leaf pick up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xX7BhcFqxwE

Some info:

Westchester Love ‘em and Leave ‘em: http://www.leleny.org/

Cornell Cooperative Extension PDF: http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/westchester/PDF/ASimpleGuidetoLeafComposting.pdf

Westchester County pdf:  http://www.westchestergov.com/parks/pdfs/COCArchives/leaves_gilliland.pdf

Bedford: Leave leaves alone: http://www.leaveleavesalone.org/

Irvington: http://www.irvingtonny.gov/index.aspx?NID=228

Leaf Blowers – create noise & air pollution, and destruction of topsoil.  Rye imposed a seasonal ban – which is a good start, although leaf blowing at any time is detrimental to topsoil and all the living organisms which it supports: http://www.egovlink.com/public_documents300/rye/published_documents/Police/Resident_Notice_Leaf_Blower_0ver3.pdf .