By Francesca Kelly for Go Green Highland Park

Those of us in the Chicago area never quite believe it when spring arrives. Spring teases us for a while, and we certainly have reason to be cynical: we are all familiar with the sight of crocuses bravely raising their heads above newly fallen snow.

But it’s May, so on the calendar at least, spring is here, and those of us with lawns and gardens are finally getting outside to tend our green spaces.

Green practices don’t have to be a huge commitment – environmental stewardship can also mean lots of little gestures that add up to a big impact, especially if we commit to doing them together. Here are a few ways to make spring on the North Shore even greener.

• Don’t remove leaves and mulch from gardens until the temperatures are consistently above 50℉. Pollinators such as bees and “good” garden insects often shelter beneath these outer layers. The Mississippi Watershed Management Organization provides great information here: https://www.mwmo.org/news/help-protect-pollinators-and-clean-water-with-these-eco-friendly-spring-yard-care-tips/#.
• When it’s time to feed your lawn, top-dress the yard with a thin layer of organic compost instead of fertilizer.
• Consider setting up a rain barrel to save water. Water is fast becoming the world’s most valuable resource. When drought occurs, you’ll have a supply of water for your most vulnerable plants.
• Grow native plants to help keep ecological balance. Plants such as milkweed, bee balm and coneflower attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. The Chicago Botanic Garden offers advice on landscaping with native plants on its website at https://www.chicagobotanic.org/plantinfo/landscaping_native_plants.
• This spring, join the North Shore Plant Club to purchase your native plants and raise money for Go Green Highland Park. A portion of all sales will be donated to our award-winning) environmental organization. Find details and order today at www.Northshoreplantclub.com/fundraiser/GoGreenHP
• Use electric equipment – or ask your landscaper to do so. Gas-powered lawn mowers and leaf blowers release an astonishing amount of pollution, according to one EPA study: https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-09/documents/banks.pdf.  
• Let this be the year you start growing your own vegetables! Try starting with tomatoes or cucumbers, as they’ll happily grow in a pot if you don’t have a garden space. So will most herbs. Here’s some advice on that: https://www.bhg.com/gardening/vegetable/vegetables/planning-your-first-vegetable-garden/ 
• Or sign up to get regular deliveries from a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) participant, where a farm puts together a box of local produce for you that is always seasonal. You can find local producers on the USDA website here: https://www.ams.usda.gov/local-food-directories/csas. Several have pick-up locations in our area.
• Take part in “No-Mow May.” This is an initiative started in the UK that has spread internationally. It’s a great help to local pollinators and the environment. Learn more here: https://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/discover-wild-plants-nature/no-mow-may.

Get that bicycle out: May is National Bike Month! May 4 marks the 11^th annual Bike & Roll to School Day (https://www.walkbiketoschool.org), and on May 14, the Kiwanis Club is sponsoring a Family & Friends Bike Hike. Also on May 14, 9 am to 12 pm: an adult bike safety workshop led by League of American Bicyclists certified instructors. Register by email to bikeonmay14@gmail.com. The HP Bike Walk Advisory Group is conducting a bike and walker census in the first week of May, designed to provide data to support additional city investment for non-automotive infrastructure. Projects underway or planned for 2022 and beyond include a Bike/Walk Side Path on Clavey Road, new bike lanes on Green Bay Road, and eventually, a replacement of the pedestrian/cycling overpass at US 41 and Old Deerfield Road. And, the HP Library will be featuring a Bike Month display, highlighting books and media related to cycling. For more on National Bike Month, go here: https://www.bikeleague.org/bikemonth 

Finally, some Highland Park residents still have upcoming bulk trash pickup dates right at the beginning of May. (https://www.lrsrecycles.com/location/service/il/60035/residential/highland%20park/)

To keep items out of landfills, please do your best to donate bulk items to charities (some will even pick up) or through social media groups such as Freecycle, Highland Park and Highwood Buy Nothing/Freebox (Facebook), Facebook Marketplace and Next Door. Our Lake County landfills are almost full, so it helps all of us to donate items before dumping them on the curb. 

For more information about upcoming events, visit www.gogreenhp.org and our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/GoGreenHP