Enter the "David Suzuki Digs My Garden" Photo Contest

Many of us are obsessed with our lawns. This obsession can make us can behave in bizarre ways, from cutting grass with fine manicuring scissors, to planting individual grass seeds. It’s serious stuff.

Unfortunately, in the race to have the best lawn on the block, many Canadians dump tonnes of toxic chemicals on their lawns every year. Chemically altering lawn landscapes can have harmful effects on the plants and animals in your yard, as well as the health of your friends and family.

That’s why we want to see how well your lawns and gardens are doing without chemical pesticides - and then we can show the rest of the world your handiwork!

Many cities and towns have banned “cosmetic” pesticides, and many lawn keepers have already rid their lawns from "lawn steroids." Read more

Even if you don’t have a traditional “lawn,” send in your photo - we want to see it, and to know why and how you do what you do!

Give your lawn the best pitch you’ve got!

Instructions:

Only one photo per category.

We want the back-story on your garden! Tell us a short story about:
        1. Why your garden or lawn is important to you
        2. Why you don’t  use pesticides
        3. How you keep your lawn or garden beautiful

Due to privacy concerns, photos with identifiable people can't be considered by our judges (so no faces, okay? ).
Pets, animals and insects are just fine.

Please keep your stories to 100 words or less ("Brevity is the soul of wit" - W.S.).

Gardens should be free of chemical pesticides and chemical fertilizers The definition of ‘pesticides’ includes insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, rodenticides, algaecides, and slimicides. Be aware that "Weed and Feed" products include chemical pesticides.

We want to find Canada’s best pesticide-free lawn and gardens!

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Online and Mail Entries

Submit online
An online submission is the simplest way for the David Suzuki Foundation to process your entry.
There are two ways to do it: 1. Upload or 2.  E-Mail

1. Upload

1. You can upload your photo onto our photo group on the Flickr website. If you haven't already got a flickr Account, you can go here to create one: http://www.flickr.com/

Once you have a flickr Account, it's as easy as ABC:

A. Upload your photos to your Account following flickr's instructions and tag them with the category you wish to enter - "luscious lawns" "voluminous vegetables" "outstanding ornamentals" or "balcony bliss"

B. Join the group http://www.flickr.com/groups/digyourgarden/ (when you're on the group page, you should see a link that says "Join this group?" - click on that and join!)

C. Now look at your uploaded photo. Make sure you've tagged or titled the photo with the category you're entering! Just above the photo you will see a little icon with "send to group" beside it - click on that and choose "David Suzuki's Dig your garden contest" from the list that pops up.
 
That's it, you're all done! The photo should now appear in the group.

--OR--

2. E-Mail

Just click on your category below to auto-magically send us and e-mail, with your jpeg file attachment (maximum size 4MB)

• Luscious Lawns - Best lawns or lawn alternatives (i.e. xeriscaping)
• Voluminous Vegetables - Best food-producing gardens
• Outstanding Ornamentals - Best flower garden
• Balcony Bliss -Best limited-space garden

Entries e-mailed to gardens@davidsuzuki.org or uploaded through the David Suzuki Foundation Flickr photogroup must be uploaded before 8:00 p.m. PST on September 14th, 2007.

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Submit by mail
If you prefer to send your photo by mail, be sure to include your:

1. Name
2. The story of your garden
3. Phone number
4. Return Mailing Address
5. Don't forget the photograph!: Colour or black and white prints must be at least 5" x 7" but not more than 8" x 12" and unmounted. 35 mm colour slides and transparencies must be mounted. Or send as jpeg files burned to compact disc (CD). Digital files should be no larger than 4MB.
6. If you want your photos returned, be sure to include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
   

Send your entries to:

The David Suzuki Foundation    
Attn: Photo Contest
219-2211 West Fourth Avenue
Vancouver, BC
V6K 4S2

Mailed entries must be postmarked on or before September 5, 2007 and must be received by September 14th, 2007.

Deadline
Mailed entries must be postmarked on or before September 5, 2007 and must be received by September 14th, 2007. 
Entries e-mailed or uploaded through the David Suzuki Foundation Flickr photogroup must be uploaded before 8:00 p.m. PST on September 14th, 2007.