Sunflowers for Lead. Spider Plants for Arsenic.

[Metro Jacksonville]

Sunflowers for Lead. Spider Plants for Arsenic.



Environmental poisoning, whether though building practices or industrial waste is one of the universal issues of urban life.  There is no historic or urban neighborhood in the United States unaffected by the ground and water poisoning left behind by more than two centuries of industrialization and unintentional poisoning through lead based paints and common waste management practices.  The choices on how best to deal with the problems have been problematic to say the least:  

For twenty years, business and citizen based efforts and research have increasingly shown the effectiveness of a process called 'bio remediation' (or 'phytoremediation')----the use of plants to suck the poisons and metals out of the ground for safe disposal.  Today, the Environmental Protection Agency recommends this process for many cleanup and remediation strategies.

Fields of Sunflowers are being used to clean up the hundred year patterns of heavy metal poisoning surrounding old manufacturing plants and even the fields of Chernobyl, the worst official nuclear power disaster in history.

Join us as we explore this exciting new option.  After looking at the facts, bioremediation might just become an important element to the redevelopment and safety of the city's historic and urban neighborhoods.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-jun-sunflowers-for-lead-spider-plants-for-arsenic

[CS Foltz]

A very interesting articale! I can see where this could have applications in places like Durkeeville and Springfield and might be the most cost effective solution to the "Ash" problem! Makes me wonder why the City has not stepped forward...........oh I know..........gotta get that Metropolitan Park thingie going and the City has no money! Maybe someone can "advertise" and we could get a price break!

[sheclown]

Great article.  The earth does love us.  It provides a natural way out.  We'd be foolish not to pursue this in Springfield.

[sheclown]

Thanks for all of the info Janice and Stephen. 

Perhaps Amanda and Ray could use some of this info and teach their gardeners bioremediation?  Springfield could lead the city, state? in this on a community level.

[stjr]

An added value to these plantings:  cleaning our polluted air.  Wonder how much they help cut down on particulates by acting as filters?

In scanning the article, I didn't see any references to acid rain and antibiotics in water.  Will these plants mitigate those problems to any great degree, as well?

All in all, more great reasons to plant trees, shrubs, etc. (and, less thirsty and chemically treated grass!).

[Timkin]

Absolutely !!  Amazing article!  Who would have thought    

I would not be offended by fields of Sunflowers. pretty cool .

[Garden guy]

What do we do with old gas station owners who will never do anything with an eyesore they own and nothing can be built on it....can i pack it full of sunflower seeds at night?...are these owners just off the hook because they say they can't afford to fix the problem?

[Garden guy]

is there something a community can do to force an owner to remove old tanks or do we just have to deal with it til the end of time...it's ugly..they say it's useless..which is a stupid lie..i don't get it...it's got no tresspassing signs all over it...such an eye sore...weeds galore...which means anything will grow  on it...i'd love to take it over and make it into a community garden but the owner's not having it...tanks steve

[iloveionia]

^^^ There needs to be a "like" button on your post Stephen.
Great answer. 
"like"  :-)