Sales Tax Holiday for Water-Conserving Items (Including Plants) and Energy Star® Products This Weekend
Texans can save on the purchase of certain water-efficient and water-conserving products as well as energy-efficient appliances during two annual sales tax holidays taking place May 27-29.
Time to Try Composting
Annually, May 29 is National Learn About Composting Day, and if you haven’t tried composting yet, it’s a great time to get more information about it.
Hammerhead Worms: What You Need to Know
News reports are popping up in Texas of sightings of the hammerhead flatworm, an invasive, toxic worm species that likes heat and humidity and is reported to have arrived in Texas sometime in the ‘80s.
Free Online Class May 20; “Grow Native: Plants for Texas”
Dig into the growing trend of incorporating native plants in landscapes, both for their beauty and the countless ecosystem services they provide! Learn how to grow native wildflowers, trees, shrubs as well as perennials with vibrant colors and textures to make your garden the envy of the neighborhood.
Summer Landscape Prep: Keep Fertilizer, Pool Water Out of Streets, Waterways
As temperatures heat up and “outdoor living” areas and landscapes get prepared for summer, the Health Department wants to remind homeowners/renters to keep our water system’s health in mind when prepping pools and greenery.
Be “Lightning Aware” Re: Thunderstorms
While thunderstorms are sometimes underestimated as a serious weather threat, they can be deadly—strong winds can turn tree branches and ordinary loose objects into dangerous projectiles and lightning can take people by surprise, striking up to 10 miles away from where a storm is occurring.
Free Blue Recycling Bags at Several Locations in May
Public Services staff will be out in the community each week this month on select afternoons, handing out free blue recycling bags and spreading the word about the benefits of recycling.
Lyme Disease Awareness Month
May is National Lyme Disease Awareness Month, an illness spread by tick bites that can be easily treated with antibiotics, but if left untreated (and the painless bites often go unnoticed), it can affect the skin, joints, nervous system, heart and eyes.
Health Department Begins Annual Citywide Mosquito Testing
The Health Department began its annual mosquito collection and testing this week, with traps set out in 12 areas of the city on Sunday and collected Monday, a schedule that will be repeated through October. All samples from this week’s traps were negative for the West Nile virus.
Local Businesses Help Clean Up Richardson Creeks
Some area creeks got lots of TLC this Earth Month thanks to groups participating in the Health Department’s Community & Corporate Environmental Cleanup Program (CCECP).