Floating Islands

We are very excited to announce the addition of Floating Islands to our on going endeavourers to beautify our natural world. The Floating Islands are not only beautiful they are constructed of recycled materials and they remove pollutants from the water. Here are some interesting facts about the Floating Islands.

Floating Islands is an innovative water stewardship tool… BioHaven floating islands do five things:

1. They remove pollutants from a waterway, including nitrates, phosphates, ammonia and heavy metals

2. They provide critical riparian edge habitat – in fact, new land mass for use by all kinds of creatures, from microbes to humans

3. They sequester carbon and other greenhouse gases

4. They provide wave mitigation and erosion control

5. They beautify a waterscape Made from layers of recycled plastic “matrix” which are bonded together with adhesive foam, BioHavens are planted with sod, garden plants or wetland plants and launched onto a water body.

There the plants are allowed to grow naturally, and, as they develop, their roots grow through the matrix and into the water below. Over time, a natural eco-system evolves. The model for this is Nature herself - BioHavens “bio-mimic” Nature. We are part of a new branch of science, Biomimicry, or Biomimetics.BioHavens provide surface area for microbes to thrive. Microbes remove pollutants.

BioHavens are a concentrated floating wetland – the huge surface area of fibers provides many times more surface area than an equivalent stretch of bare wetland. Surface area is the key factor for microbial activity to take place, and microbes (bacteria) are the key to removing contaminants from the water. Plants and their roots are also important, but more for the extra surface area the roots provide than for any nutrient uptake the plants themselves account for.BioHavens were invented eight years ago, have been successfully trialed for five years and have been on the market since July 2005. They represent a natural, convenient and cost-effective solution for some of the most intractable and expensive problems on the planet:
· “Polishing” wastewater and storm water of nutrients and heavy metals to return it safely to the watershed.
· Sequestering carbon dioxide and methane from effluent ponds to reduce global warming
· Wave mitigation and protection of levees in the event of severe storms
· Extraction of salt

Mining nutrient loads from any waterway and reducing algal blooms
· Restoring wetlands without the need for new land
· Restoring habitat for endangered species such as the trumpeter swan.They can be made in any shape and size and offer some fun uses to balance the more serious side:
· Creating walkways, piers, docks, jetties

Supporting recreational uses, such as picnic tables, floating stages, gazebos….
· Floating vegetable gardens which never need watering!
· Restoring a natural look and balance to any waterway of any size
· New land mass for human habitation.Not only are they natural, aesthetic and functional, they are cost-effective, “green” and virtually maintenance free. Why not add a Floating Island to beautify your world?
Contact Howard at 1 800-291-2143

Natural Insect Repellents

I am always looking for natural products to incorporate into my life style. I don't want to buy anything that is not good for the environment including all wildlife. So I look here and there for environmentally safe products. My favorite thing is to find something for a particular problem that is a household item, something you have around the house anyway. A study from Iowa State University conculded that cattnip is a great mosquito repellent. Well I have cats and I know how much they are attracted to catnip and I tried to visualize myself covered in catnip. That immediately brought the vision of me running through the grass and past my native wildflowers I just planted from my cats who no longer think of me as a friend but a huge plaything. I guess I will pass on the catnip idea. I thought I would share a few natural remedies for the flower garden or the vegetable garden that I have run across in my searches. Here is one that works pretty good on soft-bodied insects (mites, aphids, mealybugs): Mix one tablespoon canola oil and a few drops of Ivory soap into a quart of water. Shake well and pour into a spray bottle. Spray your plant from above down, and from below up to get the underside of the leaves. The oil smothers the insects. Another one that is good for Fungal diseases: Mix two tablespoons of baking soda into a quart of water. Pour into a spray container and spray affected areas. Repeat this process every few days until problem ceases.
We at the Ion Exchange would love to hear your natural remedies.
Have a great day! Kay at Ion Exchange