Better solution needed for leaves in Princeton

Grace Sinden, Princeton
To the editor:
The way we deal with fallen leaves in Princeton is not sustainablefinancially or environmentally.
   In 2010 it was estimated that it cost the then township and borough acombined $700,000 annually to collect leaves. As this fall ritual has cometo an end again, we should not continue to use the kind of resources we doin expensive heavy machinery and maintenance, fuel and labor to collect andhaul away tons of leaves. There is also a safety hazard with large piles ofleaves to children and others especially on narrow roadways and those withno sidewalks. A good part of these leaves can be kept on site.
   Following are some alternatives:
   A) On wooded lots leaves can be raked or blown into the woods enhancingthe soil rather than being placed on roadways; B) on non-wooded or smallerlots, often a small corner can be found to place the leaves for compostingwhere Mother Nature will transform the pile over the winter to a fraction ofits original volume. This resource can be used to enhance gardens or just beleft alone; C) The previous process can be greatly enhanced by leafshredders to further reduce volume and/or to keep finely shredded particlesin lawns to improve the soil.
   Homeowners and their landscapers should be better informed about thesealternatives. Apparently, we will need an ordinance to control thesewasteful costs primarily for areas where leaves can readily be left onsite.
   This issue has been discussed publicly for at least a decade. It needssome focus now since the wheels of implementation grind slowly.
Grace Sinden
Princeton