With the completion of the new greenhouse , Mount Auburn ’ s horticultural staff expanded its ecological practices , of special note is the use of beneficial insects ( rather than chemical pesticides ) to combat insect infestations . Good bugs are a significant component of Mount Auburn ’ s plant care program . Classes about using beneficial insects start with identifying damage . According to staff member Kelley Sullivan ,
“ pest damage is usually apparent in leaf foliage ; leaves appear speckled , spotted , discolored , and distorted ( curled ), caused by insects that pierce the upper leaf surfaces . Aphids , thrips , mites , and leafhoppers love sucking the juices out of leaves . Leaves with holes and chewed edges are a sign of defoliators , such as caterpillars . Wilted plants may not be a symptom of water deficiency , but of root feeders such as fungus gnat larvae in the soil .”
Figure 3 - ' Inspector ' Kelley Sullivan
Pests are not eradicated with unhealthy pesticides ; instead , they are maintained at a threshold by organic methods that includes spray rotation program in combination with beneficial ‘ good bug ’ releases that allows plants to thrive . These releases help sustain healthy good bug populations , and since the greenhouses are pesticide-free , other beneficial bugs from the surrounding environs also visit and stay . Astute observations and scientific methods on how to use good bugs and knowing which host plants support a population of beneficial insects has made this program a model now copied by other growers .
As part of its commitment to the community , Mount Auburn ’ s professional staff shares its expertise in sound ecological practices with other botanical gardens , landscape professionals , and home gardeners .
Raise a glass to Water ! Mount Auburn eliminated bottled drinking water when tap water is just as good , if not better ! Tap water is strictly regulated by the EPA . Bottled water , as a consumer product , is regulated by the FDA , which has significantly lower standards and less frequent testing . The FDA , for example , allows for some degree of E . coli and fecal coliform contamination , whereas the EPA allows none in tap water . Unlike tap water , bottled water does not have to be tested for Cryptosporidium or Giardia . The year of 2020 , the year of COVID-19 , has been unlike any other that most of us remember . Plastic water bottles made their way back into daily lives as fear of spreading germs increased through personal
Figure 4 - Administrative and building maintenance staff helped make the transition from bottled water to filtered tap water as the main source of drinking water . In 2014 , Mount Auburn saved approximately $ 7,000 by not using big bottles of water and plastic cups .
Mount Auburn Cemetery | Climate Action & Sustainability Plan 71