General Landscaping Tips | Garden & Lawn Maintenance
Cleaning up spills if they do happen

• Landscaping and garden maintenance activities can be major contributors to ocean pollution. Soils, yard wastes, over watering and garden chemicals become part of the urban runoff mix that winds its way through streets, gutters, and storm drains before entering the ocean.
• Poorly functioning sprinklers and over watering, for example, waste water and increase the number of pollutants flowing into storm drains.
• Fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides are washed off lawns and landscaped areas. These chemicals not only kill garden invaders, they also harm useful insects, poison fish and contaminate ground and ocean water.
• Leaves, grass clippings, and tree trimmings that are swept or blown into the street are also ocean polluters. These wastes clog catch basins, increasing the risk of flooding your street, and carry garden chemicals into the ocean. As they decompose, they also absorb oxygen that fish need to survive.
• Running your air conditioner for 5-10 minutes each week in the winter helps to prevent your seals from leaking and causing air pollution.

General Landscaping Tips

• Protect stockpiles and materials from wind and rain by storing them under tarps or secured plastic sheeting.
• Schedule grading and excavation projects for dry weather.
• Prevent erosion by planting fast-growing annual and perennial grasses. These will shield and bind the soil.

Garden & Lawn Maintenance

• Do not over water. Conserve water by using irrigation practices such as drip irrigation, soaker hoses, or micro-spray systems.
• In the City of Monterey, place clippings and pruning waste in approved containers for pickup. Or, take clippings to a landfill that composts yard waste.
• Do not blow or rake leaves into the street, gutter, or storm drains.
• Use organic or non-toxic fertilizers.
• Do not over-fertilize and do not fertilize near ditches, streams, or other water bodies.
• Store pesticides, fertilizers, and other chemicals in a covered area to prevent runoff.