This Saturday, August 27th from 10am-2pm, Neighbors Allied for Good Growth is hosting a totally free Lead in Garden Soil workshop with free soil testing. NAG is working with Brooklyn Colleges Analytical Center on the project and workshops. The workshop will take place at McCarren Park Farmers Market. Soil testing will start at 10AM and processed into the workshop at 10:30. The soil test will screen for heavy metals including zinc, copper, arsenic and lead.
There’s a lot to understand about our soil, especially here in North Brooklyn where there’s so much toxicity. Because of our neighborhood’s industrial past we have one of the worst rates for lead poisoning in children citywide—over three times higher than the NYC average, according to an NYCDOH report from 2010. Lead poisoning is no joke; in children, symptoms include developmental delays, learning difficulties and abdominal pain. Unfortunately, often symptoms don’t appear until lead has accumulated to a dangerously high level.
Workshop attendees will learn the science behind urban soil and how our North Brooklyn soil became toxic from a historical perspective. This is a hands-on workshop with visuals and examples to learn with. This event will be free, family friendly, and open to the public.
If you want to get your soil tested, arrive promptly at 10am and bring a handful of soil in a ziplock baggie. Do it for the kids!