Driverless Lawn Mowers Help City Maintain Grass and Parkland

Edmonton's first electric, driverless lawn mowers are almost ready to roll. On June 21, the mower's became fully operational and are currently GPS mapping their assigned area, which can take up to two weeks. GPS will then be able to guide each mower with an invisible electric line to keep the vehicle in its determined area.

"The City is continuously looking for ways to use innovative technology to reduce our carbon footprint," said Olivier Le Tynevez-Dobel, Supervisor, Turf and Sports Fields. "The autonomous mower navigates areas of any complexity - even ones with slopes and obstacles. It is the future of turf operations."

The mowers can operate 24/7 in a variety of weather conditions. Compared to a conventional lawn mower, the autonomous mower is relatively light, weighing between 15 to 30 pounds. The mowers are rechargeable and will last from four to six hours depending on the density of the grass. Mowers are designed to return to their designated charging stations if they're running low on power.

The mowers are able to detect objects from a distance and will lower their speed to avoid collisions. This makes them safe for kids, pets, and wildlife to be around. Since the mowers run on batteries, they don't produce any emissions or consume a large amount of energy. They even leave the tiny grass clippings behind, which act as a natural fertilizer.

Visit edmonton.ca Parkland Maintenance
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Myth or Fact: Going Bagless Makes Thatch

MYTH!

Going bagless will not make more thatch. On the contrary, grass clippings are great for your lawn!

Thatch is mostly old roots, stems, and leaves that have not yet broken down. It's a layer of accumulated dead stuff between your living grass, and their roots and soil. This build-up is typically made of the types of debris that are most resistant to decay, such as dead leaves, grass roots, and stems.

Grass needs some thatch for protection. But when the thatch layer is too thick, it can be a boundary that blocks nutrients, water, and air from reaching the root system. This leads to poor grass health.

Won't the Grassclippings Add More Thatch?

It's easy to see why so many people believe this myth. But it's just not true.
Grass clippings are 80 to 85% water. So they break down quickly and do not add to thatch.

Lawn care experts agree that going bagless is a great way to support lush and healthy grass.

The primary causes of thatch are over-watering and over-fertilizing. These encourage excessive root growth. The roots take longer to break down, so the thatch layer builds up.

Going bagless is great for your lawn. Grass clippings create a small layer of mulch to protect the soil and grass roots. As clippings break down, they return water and valuable nutrients back to the soil.

Make sure to leave your clippings on the lawn!

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Go to Compost 'S cool

Image source: Blackhawk Hardware

   

Recap: MCR Munch & Mulch (June, 2018)

20 MCRs enjoyed a sunny, spring morning at Compost 'S cool, last Saturday. In good company, we learned, we chatted, we discussed, and we played in the dirt.

5 Ways to Deal with Grass, Leaves, and Plants... But Not "Compost"

• Mad Science: bokashi, extracts, teas & brews
• A Sensus of Humus: how to make leaf mold
• Interment: burial, trenching & double digging
• The Green, Green, Grass of Home: going bagless (grasscycling)
• Litter Bugs: chop & drop, deadheading, mulching & lasagna gardening

The group broke into four teams. Each team toured all four stations to learn about the topics above. At each station, one person from the team led a chat about the station.

Special thanks to MCR Deb P. She hosted the Mad Science station and taught us about bokashi. She even sent folks off with samples of EM (effective micro-organisms) to try their own bokashi compost.

The day ended with a fun game of Compost 'S cool charades.

Congrats to all those MCRs who were recognized for reaching milestones and long service. You rock!

We look forward to seeing everyone at the MCR Tree Planting, in July.

Stay in Touch: 5 Easy Ways to Record

• Click here record volunteering
• Visit MyVolunteerPage.com
• Email mcrp@edmonton.ca
• Phone 780-496-5991
• Text 780-668-0217

   

Tell One Friend: Make Waste-Wise Actions Visible

Leaving your compost bucket somewhere visible shows friends and family that composting is a normal part of running a healthy kitchen. It also makes for a great conversation starter.

It's time to show off your collection of compostables and ask you friends to do the same. Leaving it out on the counter has the benefit of showing that it is easy to use and to empty. 

Prompt them 

"I love the convenience of having my compost bucket on the kitchen counter."

One Small Ask
"I think it is wonderful that you are composting. Will you leave your composting bucket somewhere visible so others can see it and learn from you?"

Give Feedback
"I love that you are showing others how to conveniently collect compostables in the kitchen."

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Did You Know?
Other examples of making waste-wise actions visible include getting a Go Bagless sign, moving your compost bin to the front yard, and adding an Eco Station or Reuse Centre box to your waste collection set-out. If space is an issue in you kitchen, consider hiding the garbage can instead of the compost bucket.