By james art Fall is without a doubt my favorite season. I find such joy in walking through our city’s historic neighborhoods, where the old maples, oaks, and ash trees burn in shades of red, orange, and yellow.
There is something so comforting about watching the leaves gently detach from their branches and gently sway to the ground. The satisfying crunch under my feet, the laughter of my children as they dive into the piles of leaves, and the fresh breeze that carries the leaves swirling through the streets make the season feel alive and full of warmth. But as treetops turn from lush greens to barren browns, we’re often left with a yard full of leaves.
While it may be tempting to simply blow fallen leaves into the street, please remember that this is against City Ordinance 4-303, which states: It is unlawful to throw or sweep fallen leaves onto streets, alleys, parks or other public places any dirt, paper, nails, shards of glass, rubbish, waste or rubbish of any kind. It is important to clarify that litter in this context includes yard waste such as grass and leaves.
Leaves should never be blown or thrown into the street because they can accumulate and cause problems with our storm drains. When leaves enter drains, they can clog pipes, causing street flooding and potentially property damage.
Additionally, if leaves are not removed from storm drains, they will begin to decompose and send unwanted nutrients directly into our local waterways, contributing to poor water quality. Another disposal method that may come to mind is bagging the leaves and throwing them in the trash. However, by November 30, all yard waste must be separated from the rest of your trash and placed in a specific yard waste container or taken to the waste transfer station located at 1200 Hamilton St.
There are several eco-friendly options to consider, such as turning leaves into nutrient-rich compost for your garden. Leaves decompose naturally and can be a great addition to your compost pile. They can also serve as mulch for your garden or yard.
Shredded leaves make an excellent mulch that helps protect plants from the winter cold, insulates the soil and adds organic material to your garden beds.
As 2024 draws to a close, we reflect on those who have made a difference in our community throughout the year. We’d like to invite you to join us as we recognize some of our integrated volunteers and this year’s Clean Sweep Award recipients at our annual Recognition Chamber Coffee on Friday, November 8th from 9-10am at the Keene Memorial Library.
We will celebrate several of our longtime volunteers and three local businesses will be recognized for improving the appearance of their property through landscaping and/or structural repairs. We hope to see you there!
Casey Vaughn is the executive director of Keep Fremont Beautiful. She can be reached at 152 E. 6th St., Suite 105, Fremont, or at 402-941-6122.