So, what can be done?
You’ve probably heard about the “three r’s” — reduce, reuse, and recycle. Wherever possible, seek alternatives to plastic, like glass and paper. Reuse what you have. Recycle whenever possible.
Trees can also be an answer. The U.S. Geological Survey study noted earlier found that rivers and streams with streamside trees, called forested riparian buffers, have lower levels of hormone-disrupting chemicals. These buffers are also known to be one of the most cost-effective practices for protecting and restoring streams, as well as providing flood mitigation and other benefits.
Trees can make a difference. It’s why the Chesapeake Bay Foundation is coordinating the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership, an effort to plant 10 million trees along streams, streets, and other ecologically important areas. Go to tenmilliontrees.org to learn more.
Finally, there are fourth and fifth “r’s”—rethink and regulate. We need to rethink our relationship with plastics with new chemistries that make them more readily biodegradable with less toxic compounds.
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Plastics
The Newtown Board of Supervisors (BOS) approved Comprehensive Plan recommendations made by the Newtown Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) to include promoting reduction in the use of plastic and styrofoam. Specifically, to “Adopt a new item in Strategies and Actions: Support voluntary programs to drastically reduce the use of non-recyclable and single-use plastics, including carry bags, styrofoam, beverage containers, plastic straws and stirrers, and other disposable items with the eventual goal of total elimination.”
Trees
At the Mar 10, 2021, Board of Supervisors meeting, at which the township approved the amended final Newtown Athletic Club (NAC) plan, Supervisor Calabro suggested that because we granted a waiver to the plan to allow the existing plantings on the site to fulfill the required plantings, Mr. Jim Worthington – owner of the NAC - agreed to donate 23 trees to the Township's "Tree Bank."
I did not know we had a "tree bank" and after discussing this with Township Manager Micah Lewis I leaned we do not have such a thing. However, Mr. Lewis indicated that a line item in the budget can be set aside as a "tree reserve" or something like that.
It used to be that we got trees donated from a nursery but that may not be happening currently. In any case, any fund donated to the "tree reserve" or "tree fund" can be used to purchase trees.
Details still need to be worked out. There will need to be some advice from the Environmental Advisory Council, Parks & Rec, and the township planners working in cooperation to decide what trees to purchase and where to plant them.
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