“We are caught in an inescapable web of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny.  Whatever affects on directly, affects all indirectly.  That is the way the world is made.” - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

 Shop Local Recyclable Bags

Everyone is a winner with a recyclable bag promotion that several Clear Lake retailers are doing!

Customers benefit with the retailer’s specific promotion, the retailer saves the expense of providing throw-away bags, the community benefits when folks shop locally and the planet benefits when we use recycled products !

We applaud the following retailers for taking part in this:
CL Area Chamber
          CL Tel
          Emerson’s by the Lake
          Larson’s Mercantile
          Layla’s Boutique
          The Red Geranium
          Roaring Lion Antiques & Collectibles
          White Sail Spa
          Wilcox Furniture
          Woodford Lumber & Home Company


And we applaud Fareway Stores and EconoFoods for providing their own recycled bags for customers!

 Rain Garden

The Clear Lake Earth Day Committee, Clear Lake Enhancement and Restoration (CLEAR) Project, and Central Gardens of North Iowa are sponsoring a public demonstration on how to install a residential rain garden.  The rain garden demonstration will take place at the home of Ron Barracks, 315 N. 3rd St., Clear Lake, on April 21st at 5:30 p.m. Wayne Petersen, an Urban Conservationist with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and David Knoll, CLEAR Project coordinator, will be the presenters for this approximately hour-long demonstration.  Country Landscapes will be assisting with the installation of the rain garden.  

A rain garden is a garden that captures rain from roofs, driveways or yards. A rain garden is a depression or a shal­low bowl made in the landscape that temporarily stores runoff after rain events to allow rainfall to infiltrate on-site rather than flow through a storm drain to the lake.  Contaminants are removed from the water as it moves into the soil.  Rain gardens can also be an attractive addition to the landscaping features of a home as well as enhancing backyard wildlife.  

Rain gardens have previously been installed in several public areas in Clear Lake, but this is the first to be located in a private yard.  Attendees will learn how to select a site for a rain garden, prepare the soil, and what plantings are suitable for our area and growing season.  The demonstration is free and the public is encouraged to attend.  In the event of inclement weather, the event will be postponed to a later date.

For more information contact: David Knoll, CLEAR Project, 641-923-2837 Ext.3, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Adopt a Drain -If you would like to be part of a team of people dedicated to this task, please take responsibility for storm drains near your home.