Dear Residents,

More Leaves!
Pretty as they are, the colorful leaves usually land where we don’t want them. We spend a lot of time and effort putting leaves somewhere else. But maybe we don’t have to do that this year.

Canton’s Temporary Sustainability Committee has taken a deep dive into leaves, food waste, scrap metal, paint, household trash and construction debris. Thanks to their data and visits to other communities, we now know that our leaves can decompose into valuable mulch in as little as six months.

There’s a bit of effort involved. We have to ‘turn’ the leaves every week. That means bringing the leaves on the bottom of the pile to the top – a process that accelerates decomposition. Your leaf pile will generate heat while this happens  – as much as 140 degrees (Fahrenheit). You will also find your leaf pile reduced by a factor of four. That’s one cubic yard of mulch for every four cubic yards of autumn leaves. 

This is certainly an improvement on the old ‘throw the leaves into the woods’ approach to discarding leaves. Thanks to accelerated decomposition, those pretty leaves will be mulch by spring - just when you need it. 

For more information about Canton’s Temporary Sustainability Committee, click here. You will find a lot more useful and environmentally sound information about reusing natural resources - aka Trash. 

COVID Again
Just when we thought COVID was behind us, a new season has begun – this time with the triple threat of Flu, COVID and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus). All of these illnesses are treatable. Flu and COVID vaccinations are available, and RSV usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms unless the patient is younger than one year old. 

This year’s season is different because all three illnesses are hitting at the same time, filling hospital beds and threatening our health all over again. You might have noticed - masks are back, albeit voluntarily. 

The Farmington Valley Health District offers expert knowledge on Flu, COVID and RSV. A visit to their website will be most worthwhile. In the meanwhile, consider getting vaccinated for Flu and COVID (again!). These vaccines won’t prevent you from getting sick; but they do reduce the severity of your symptoms.

Election November 8
In case you haven’t seen the hundreds of lawn signs and TV advertisements, we have an election on November 8.  Most of us have already chosen the candidates who will receive our vote. Hopefully your choice isn’t “None of the above.”

I can tell you from personal experience that people who run for office care deeply about our town, state  and federal district. They all believe they have answers to the issues we face. We owe it to ourselves to take them seriously and consider what they are saying. If you learn about their background and accomplishments, you can better determine if their approach is right for you. 

In election after election, we have seen that votes count – sometimes as few as three voters have separated the winner from the loser. Don’t be the “coulda, woulda, shoulda” vote that might have made the difference. Take the time to vote.  Our voting location every November is at the CANTON MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL, 76 Simonds Ave between the hours of 6am and 8pm.  This years ballot also has a question on it regarding early voting.  Learn more about this issue here.

Be well,
Bob