Dear Fellow Cross Timber Master Naturalists,

Ah, March. The month for March Madness. The month to be Irish, at least for a day.

Well, I think my choice of Madness may be in getting the yard cleaned up from the winter. There's just something about getting your hands in dirt (oops, soil, sorry, Rob). And the thrill of seeing plants (and critters) coming back to life after the winter.

And, of course, on St. Patrick's Day I will be "Wearin' the Green", hoping for four-leaf clovers and looking out for leprechauns. If only the fun could last more than a day.

Or can it? I think the "Wearin' of the Green" can also stand for caring for the environment. How can I be green?

• Utilize the recycling programs in my community. This includes returning plastic grocery bags to the store.
• Use grass clippings for mulch or compost material
• Use only organic solutions in my landscape
• Drive an environmentally friendly car
• Reuse materials whenever possible. This includes dropping off mailing pallets to the closest MBE location or returning hangers to the dry-cleaners.
• Encourage organic farmers by buying organic produce.
• Buy shade-grown coffee, so tropical forests aren't cleared to make way for coffee plantations.
• Minimize use of water. I recently read that the largest single use of water in the Metroplex was on our lawns. This may mean having a landscape of hardy plants that don't need the pampering.
• Speak up when I see things that aren't right.

The ways are numerous once we start to look at our world. I hope you will join me in being green. Who knows, maybe the leprechauns are too.

Diane Graves Smith