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North Hempstead, NY – Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Judi Bosworth and the Town Board are pleased to announce that the Town will once again be offering the Composting Cooperative, “Recycle the Rain” and Rain Garden programs at Clark Botanic Garden in Albertson from May to September.

The Composting Cooperative program is a 30-minute instructional class and, upon completion, residents can purchase a composter at the reduced rate of $50. By using a composter, residents can create organic material for their soil by reusing kitchen waste that would ordinarily end up in landfills.

North Hempstead’s “Recycle the Rain” water conservation program teaches residents the benefits of rain barrels and, after taking the 30-minute class, residents can purchase 50-gallon rain barrels at a discounted rate of $50. The rain barrels can recycle as much as 1,800 gallons of storm water during in a single summer season.

The Rain Garden program, which began last year, instructs residents the environmental benefits of rain gardens and how to create one. Rain gardens are gardens that are positioned near a water run-off source, like a downspout, driveway or sump pump to capture rainwater, keeping the fresh rainwater out of the sewer system and in the ground. By re-routing run-off, the rain garden helps to reduce pollution by filtering out contaminants as the water slowly seeps into the ground. This program costs $25 and participants will receive several plants that will flourish in a rain garden.

“It is such a wonderful benefit to our Town that our very own Clark Botanic Gardens hosts these classes for our residents on environmentally friendly practices such as using compost, rain barrel and creating a rain garden,” said Supervisor.

All classes are held at Clark Botanic Garden, located at 193 I. U. Willets Rd in Albertson, and are rain or shine. Residents must register in advance. For a full list of class dates, see below.

Upcoming “Recycle the Rain” classes will be held:

Thursday, May 12 at 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 14 at 11 a.m.
Wednesday, June 8 at 11 a.m.
Thursday, July 21 at 10 a.m.
Saturday, July 30 at 11 a.m.
Wednesday, August 17 at 10 a.m.
Wednesday, September 14 at 10 a.m.
Thursday, September 15 at 6:30 p.m.

Upcoming Composting Cooperative classes will be held:

Thursday, May 12 at 7 p.m.
Saturday, May 14 at 11:30 a.m.
Wednesday, June 8 at 11:30 a.m.
Thursday, July 21 at 10:30 a.m.
Saturday, July 30 at 11:30 a.m.
Wednesday, August 17 at 10:30 a.m.
Wednesday, September 14 at 10:30 a.m.
Thursday, September 15 at 7:00 p.m.

Upcoming Rain Garden classes will be held:

Thursday, June 9 at 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 24 at 10 a.m.

For more information or to register call 311 or 516-869-6311.

North Hempstead Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth encourages residents to sign up for the Town’s environmental programs.