Volunteers, Newspaper Wanted for Mulch Madness

If you have newspapers to discard or like to get your hands dirty, the Leadership Manhattan Beach 2012 class invites you to join them anytime from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  on Saturday, Jan. 28 for "Mulch Madness" as they begin work on what will become a sustainable garden surrounding the post office at 15th Street and Valley Drive in Manhattan Beach.

At the Jan. 17 City Council meeting, Leadership MB was given the green light to replace the existing water-consuming lawn and two trees. Earlier this week, city workers removed two unhealthy trees, the grass lawn and prepared the area so work on the new garden could begin.

On Saturday, LMB and other volunteers will smother the ground with newspaper and then apply mulch. This process will kill any roots that remain in the ground, said Vinny Fazzino, so that unwanted plants don't grow in the new sustainable garden.

According to LMB, the new landscaping will be more environmentally friendly, needing less water and maintenance than the previous plantings. The new garden will also serve as a demonstration of what a sustainable garden looks like and how it can be accomplished, according to LMB.

LMB plans to raise $20,000 to install the garden in two phases. Each phase will cost $10,000 minimum. LMB will recruit sponsors and stage community events to raise funds.

Donations can be sent to: LMB 2012 Sustainable Garden Project, 1140 Highland Ave. #167, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 or you can go online to donate using a credit card.