Organic gardens take root in Canada| Reuters

By Julie Gordon

| TORONTO

TORONTO As climate change makes longer, drier summers a reality in many parts of the world, a new trend in landscaping is taking root in Canada.

In Toronto, where precipitation levels were 52 percent below the seasonal average over the past six months, according to government data, residents are trading in their manicured lawns for environmentally friendly organic landscapes.

"Irrigation is a huge issue as water is such a valuable resource," said Claire Suo-Cockerton of landscaping company Aesthetic Earthworks. "We are trying to plant material that is more appropriate today in our climate."

Organic landscapers use drought resistant plants and shrubs native to the region, which encourage the development micro-organisms in the soil. This attracts birds and insects to act as natural pest and disease control.



A well-managed organic landscape is self-sustaining, whereas a traditional yard needs to be watered at least once per week, Suo-Cockerton said.



"It's a drastic lifestyle change for those who incorporate it in their homes," she added.

But the change may be a bit too drastic for average homeowner.

Kevin MacDonald, operations manager of Humber Nurseries near Toronto, said he hasn't seen an increase in the sale of native plants and shrubs. He said the downside to native plants is they are more susceptible to native insects.

"By planting a cultivated variety, t hat is non-native, you may not end up with diseases and insect problems, simply because the diseases and insects that would traditionally https://www.walmart.com/c/kp/lawn-sprinklers attack that plant are not found in the new location," he said.

Still, the main reason why traditional gardens remain popular may be purely aesthetic.

"In most cases homeowners will have a preference for what looks best," MacDonald said.

While the bare shrubs and woodchips of an organic landscape don't quite have the curb appeal of an ornamental garden, commercial and residential buildings looking to go green are picking up on the trend.

"From a developer's standpoint it's a great marketing tool because people are becoming very conscious of the environment," said Melissa Ferrato of the Canada Green Building Council (CGBG).

The CGBG uses the leadership in energy and environmental design (LEED) standard developed in the United States to measure the "green factor" of a building. Avoiding pesticides, lawnmowers and leafblowers all reduce a building's carbon footprint, contributing to a higher LEED score.

"Native, organic plants is what we're all about," said Ferrato. "We really discourage the Sprinkler Installation use of manicured lawns and pesticides."

While organic landscaping is only now gaining popularity in the private sector, it has long been used by city parks departments.

"We've been moving away from traditional lawns for many years now," said Patricia Landry a liaison officer at the Toronto parks department. "We are using plants able to withstand drought, pollution and the changing climate."

Organic landscaping makes economic sense for urban municipalities, Landry said. Less money is spent on labor and irrigation. And reintroducing native plants provides habitat for birds and small animals.

W hile efforts to convert Toronto's ornamental flowerbeds to organic gardens were met with public opposition, some of the cultivated annuals were swapped with native plants.

"It's about trying to keep a balance," said Landry. "Finding different ways to keep those areas a little more environmentally friendly."

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-landscaping-idUSN2563030420071101

Chipotle Will Use Central Kitchen for Some Ingredients After E. Coli Outbreak

An E. coli outbreak linked to the Chipotle restaurant chain has already led to major changes in the company's food production as it works to regain customers' trust.



At least 52 people have been sickened in the multi-state outbreak that officials from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention linked to eating at Chipotle. Those infected ranged in age from 1 to 94 years old and became sick from Oct. 19 to Nov. 13, according to the CDC.

While health officials have not determined which specific ingredient was the source of the outbreak, Chipotle officials and CEO Steven Ells recently announced new food safety measures that could have a long-term impact on how Chipotle sources its ingredients.

Chipotle has long been supportive of using local ingredients fresh in the kitchen, but company officials said they are now doing more in central prep kitchens before food is sent out to stores in order to help guard against bacteria and other pathogens. For example, Chipotle said it is no longer washing and testing whole tomatoes for its salsa before packaging and shipping them to its local stores because it is not realistic to test every one and the testing process might not detect pathogens inside the tomato. Instead, Chipotle said the safest way to prepare the washed tomatoes is by testing them after Best Remodeling Company they are diced. "The tomatoes that are now prepared in our centralized prep kitchens are washed, diced, and then washed again a nd tested before packaging and shipment to our restaurants," the company said.

In addition, the company said its restaurant teams are putting many fresh produce items in boiling water for 3 to 5 seconds to sanitize them before they are used in food preparation.

Chipotle CEO Steve Ells said the company is implementing multiple new procedures to safeguard customers, but that it was impossible to eliminate any risk.

"It is impossible to ensure that there is a zero percent chance of any kind of food-borne illness anytime anyone eats anywhere," Ells told the Associated Press.

The company said last week that it anticipates some local growers will not be able to adhere to the new strict safety requirements during the next produce season.

"Given the heightened requirements for produce -- chiefly the high resolution testing -- we believe that some of our local growers will not meet these enhanced standards," a Chipotle spokesman told ABC News last week. "We 'll certainly look to work with suppliers that do, and to help others where we can, but at the moment, we aren't sure what the local program will look like. What we are sure of is that our commitment to using the very best ingredients we can remains as strong as ever."

Ells has announced that even Best Remodeling Company In Houston with the new safety procedures there would be no price increase for consumers or suppliers.

"This is a cost that we will bear," Ells told the AP.



Chipotle did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment on if the food safety measures would affect all produce or just some items.
< br>Last month, the company announced other new measures it has implemented to ensure food safety and handling, including testing fresh produce with DNA-based tests, and end-of-shelf-life testing to ensure ingredients are safe throughout their shelf life, while also looking to improve the supply chain by measuring performance data of vendors and suppliers, and enhancing employee training in food safety and handling.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/chipotle-makes-coli-outbreak-hike-prices/story?id=35798566

Free Government Money to Start a Business? Don't Bet on It

Last Updated Sep 9, 2010 1:32 PM EDT

Many business myths and urban legends are essentially harmless, but some encourage and support risky or useless practices while others serve to promote outright scams. Enterprises that sell information and assistance purported to help business owners receive government grants are often plugged into the latter category.

Here, for instance, is what Grants.gov, a government clearinghouse for federal grants, has to say: "We have all seen them; late night infomercials, websites, and reference guides, advertising 'millions in free money.' Don't believe the hype!" The site stresses that no grants are available for personal financial assistance, including loans to start small businesses, and directs readers to other resources, such as the Small Bus iness Administration's loan guarantee program, for assistance of that sort.





Yet despite the federal warning, such "millions in free money" claims continue to be made, usually by people offering to sell directories, instructions or assistance in applying for federal start-up grants. At MyGovernmentGrants.com, which bills itself as providing "America's #1 best selling grant search information," visitors are advised: "Anyone thinking about going into business for themselves, or wanting to expand an existing business should rush for the world's largest "one-stop-money-source" where FREE MONEY to start or expand a business is being held for you by the Federal Government."

The reality is somewhat more complicated than either Grants.gov or MyGovernmentGrants.com would have it. There are, in fact, some grants available to small businesses, including even startups. For instance, the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant program awards money to small, high-tech businesses that are developing technologies of interest to the government. These can in some cases include startup businesses. The SBA's website has a useful directory of government entities that award grants.

If you look at all these resources, you will soon become aware that while grants are available, including some to small businesses, the requirements for getting SBIR and other grants are so tight that, for all practical purposes, they do n't exist for any but a tiny handful of small firms. And, generally speaking, government grants that are nominally available for small business applicants, in fact are practically only going to be won by non-profit organizations, educational institutions, research laboratories and the like. And they are usually for highly technical, specialized, cutting-edge services or products. The chances of a typical would-be entrepreneur getting free government money to, say, start a landscaping business are nil.

So if you need help financing your startup, by all means look into the possibility of guaranteed SBA loans to help http://www.vikinggroupinc.com/technical-data/viking-fire-sprinklers you get underway. Those are available and have funded countless new businesses. But waste little if any time looking through Grants.gov for possible grants. An d give no money to anybody who promises to help you get one.

Image courtesy Flickr user Vectorportal, CC 2.0

2010 CBS Interactive Inc.. All Rights Reserved.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/free-government-money-to-start-a-business-dont-bet-on-it/

Lawn care Company Cards: five Customizable Templates

Landscaping your current front yard adds value to your own home. This gets to be appealing and also suited to future sale. That produces an environment that can help in order to make it extremely relaxing. The Particular trees obstruct the actual sunlight from penetrating your own home, thus, which helps make it cooler upon sunny days. Your plants reduce greenhouse gasses and create fresh, climate through the night. Indeed, home landscaping offers a lot of advantages. Here are some suggestions on the way to landscape your house:

The amount of plastics generated exhibits the particular enormous potential for recycled products. nearly 80 occasions more plastics had been generated throughout 2007 in comparison with 1960. Soft drink bottle and also milk jug recycling showed the maximum recycling rate. Your advantage of recycling is the fact Sprinkler System Installation Spr inkler System Installation Arlington Arlington that due towards the naturel of plastic resins, plastics can be continually recycled.

One of your finest approaches to create special landscapes along with lawns is to grow different sorts of plants. Surely, growing distinct plants will https://www.amazon.com/Gardening/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=i:aps,k:Gardening make properties more inviting. But, it will get best associated with all since choosing distinct plants might help create properties pest free. This particular is achievable since some flowers can easily rebel particular pests. by adding these plants on the flower variety, you could create attractive along with safe properties.

We will likely in zero way learn which the actual inventor in the leaf blower is. Yet, we can end up being very without doubt the first commercially ready backpack leaf blower was made inside 1970 from t he Japanese Kyoritsu company that we know nowadays as Echo. the PB-9 Backpack power Blower had not necessarily been the initial blowing machine built simply by Kyoritsu. The Actual company pioneered producing what exactly are called backpack power dusters that were accustomed to bottle of spray pesticides about plants. Your story should go that people began to dismantle the chemical squirt unit and also used the product to blow leaves and also debris from their own property. The idea is a reasonable story. It is not difficult to guess that the business engineers found your need for a factor that blows leaves and designed your PB-9.

As talked about above, different flowers might be attractive. And, one associated with many factors is because of their particular colourful and vivid flowers. Homeowners will make use of these colours to make special features in their properties. for instance, individuals could make use of warm-coloured plants to create a flower pit. This particu lar may assist an individual to produce an illusion of a fire pit within your property that can be really appealing.

Exterior House Paint Color - Ideas And Tips

If you bought a house, moved into an apartment, live using a cigarette smoker or are a cigarette smoker, you may visit a brownish yellowish film on your own walls. I can go into any house and range from room to room and let you know by eye just simply Residential Painter in Bowling Green how much paint you will require to complete the ceilings, walls and woodwork. All the same, you shouldn't plunge into it without a result oriented strategy. They use a spell bounding power to set forth the real elements that evoke imagination.

To learn much more about different color makeovers, and interior decorating paint colors visit Interior Decorating Colors. Pastel paints are suitable if the way to obtain light is less in any particular area especially basement or even the staircase line. Unless you own a bunch of canvas painters cover ups, which are excellent but heavy and acquire pretty dusty and dirty following a few uses, old sheets are the most useful for the furniture and carpet. This means ahead of the colors are mixed, you truly start with all the color red. The only thing you have not selected yet is if to paint the skirting boards first or last, or the way to deal with painting the skirting boards at all.

) Fool-Proof System. If one of your possible painters is pretty booked and says he can't start the job for three weeks or more, you could want to check to somebody that can tackle the job sooner. This will be the area you have to record for each room. Most of well established and professional painting contractors out there'll only ask for that cost of the materials at the start and absolutely nothing more. Use also a different but lighter color than what is used about the walls.

Before painting, ensure you cover your walls using a cloth. One of the initial stuff you should do when getting the exterior of your property painted is to determine whether there is certain ly any prep work that needs to be done ahead of painting. The appropriate type of primer should be used for your surface being painted - wood, metal, plaster or tiles. Another neat trick: Painting the ceiling, that frequently overlooked "fifth wall," a lighter shade of the accent color can make it seem higher. There can be more damage here, with small children running in and out, along with pets scratching at the door.



So, this really is The Way To Design A Domestic Hot Water Baseboard Heating System for Your Home, it will not enable you to install it. St op by www. Paint masonry walls and floors with waterproofing paint to stop water from leaking through the building blocks walls to the basement where it causes the damp, musty odor.

How Eco-Friendly Landscaping Benefits You And The Planet

We all know that the well constructed and managed place generates a good impression. Landscaping is way to improve the visual look of your property and has been done from centuries. Building marvelous structures and exciting places has long been a source of great interest for many people and not the kings. Landscaping adds beauty along with value in your place as well as small landscapes can satisfy your urges for the well managed look.

With the help of landscaping experts, you could make wonderful and appealing landscapes on your property. But, hiring landscaping companies can be very expensive. It can get even worse, if one makes costly mistakes when hiring landscaping experts. To help you, below is a list of the mistakes you should be aware of.



Earlier versions of solar garden lights did not have LED lamps powerful enough to supply the same bright ness that traditional filament bulbs would. But now solar technology has improved in ways that a medium strength solar garden light can create a light equivalent to that of a 40 watt bulb. That makes choosing solar garden lights a good choice.

We will probably never discover who the inventor with the leaf blower is. Yet, we are able to be quite sure the first commercially accessible backpack leaf blower was made in 1970 by the Japanese Kyoritsu company that we believe today as Echo. The PB-9 Backpack Power Blower was not the initial blowing machine built by Kyoritsu. The company pioneered the production of what are called backpack power dusters that have been used to spray pesticides on plants. The story goes that people started to dismantle mit spray unit and used the unit to blow leaves and debris out of their property. It is a realistic story. It is not difficult to estimate that the company engineers saw the requirement for something that blows leaves and designed the PB -9.

Choose the plants you would like to put within the garden. Do you would like to include trees or perhaps low-growing plants? If you are planning to incorporate trees inside https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-IMxDN81yA the garden, make sure it is far enough to not destroy the foundations in your home. The roots can be destructive, which then causes damage to the walls, gutters, and the roof of your home. It will be easier to plant low-growing plants like shrubs, vegetables, or flowers. These are better to maintain and so they look more inviting.

Tips For Lawn Care And Gardening

When you watch a landscaping show on TV, it appears so an easy task to design a landscape to your liking. In today's world, most folks are too busy to take proper care of their lawns and gardens. If you don't know how to consider proper care of grass alone, then you will definitely not know the way to maintain a full landscape.

Finding a good landscape designer . If you fail to water hydro-seed once it is applied, it will still germinate and little tiny grass plants will appear. If you neglect to water hydro-seed once it is applied, it will still germinate and little tiny grass plants will appear. Entering a cost war can hurt your organization profitability and you will use a difficult time staying afloat having a low profit margin. Be sure to enhance drainage and take away all infected grass clipping.

While we now control the grass and maintain it under control with lawn mowing we have missed one vital ingredient required for it's survival and prosperity. To find re lief to so many daily health issues. The pesticide will stop the spread of more bull worms. You will have a good idea about the various pricing for different lawn size and enable you to determine the acceptable budget range to your services.

By: Amy Leigh. The grass clippings can end up about the lawn while they provide the requisite humus and nutrients. A great new collection of fragrant roses has arrived with two inside the traditional style white with yellow cores , Alister Stella Grey and Big Ben plus a handful of peach coloured one's Coral Gem and Always You are my favourites. The fertiliser items are then made to complement the local soils perfectly to give lawns the nutrients they are most in necessity of assistance of. This article was posted on November 12, 2005.

In addition to working your muscles, burning calories and losing weight, you could see increased flexibility, footwork and improved hand-eye coordination as well. landscapebusinessmarketing. If the g ym, or lawn care, isn't your scene, a bit little bit of tennis may be something you could enter as well. Good planning and administration must continually be present. The daily practice of water feeding to the lawn https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSnlcOt4UA4 will make you healthier plus it is likely to be also helpful for your lawn.

EUR Grass Selection: A big step in going green along with your lawn care is making sure that you have grass that's capable of growing without the necessity of your great deal of water. Thatch problems are brought on by excessive fertilizing and watering, infrequent mowing, and frequent pesticide use. You should moderate your lawn to make certain that it will not deal with way too many weeds.

Other lawn care services might include Natural Lawn Care, Organic Lawn Care, Tree and Shrub Care Services, landscaping, Power Seeding, and Mower Maintenance. The rule of thumb is which you should water your lawn by having an inch of water once a week. You can also contact your most trusted lawn care specialist in Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco.