“The concept that we could use it, throw it away, and it doesn’t matter where you throw it, and it’s going to safely disappear, that does not exist.” ~ Ramani Narayan, Professor, School of Packaging, Michigan State “The vast majority of plastic waste produced around the world is not recycled, but rather incinerated, landfilled […]
Everybody knows that gardening is a great pastime. Some might say I’m a bit of a curmudgeon, but I will note that every English murder mystery shows some old couple enjoying a day in their garden, harvesting wonderful bouquets and baskets of veggies. Of course, shortly you learn that one or both of them have […]
Little boxes on the hillsideLittle boxes made of ticky-tackyLittle boxes, Little boxesLittle boxes all the sameThere’s a green one and a pink oneAnd a blue one and a yellow oneAnd they’re all made out of ticky-tackyAnd they all look just the same ~ Pete Seeger, Little Boxes Suburbs get a bad rap environmentally — spreading […]
“I like the lights on. I want to stay up later at night. I don’t want to have to go to bed when the sun sets.” ~ US Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene Journalist and climate activist, Ilana Cohen cites some of the reservations held by the uninformed about alternative energy sources, “Alternative energy sources […]
“They say that if a butterfly flaps its wings in the Amazonian rain forest, it can change the weather half a world away.” ~ Catherine McKenzie The natural world maintains its balance through diversity and interconnectedness. There are upsets and cataclysmic changes from time to time, but usually life just goes on. That is until we […]
“Edge effects are the changes in biodiversity that occur inside the space surrounding the shared edge of two or more distinct ecosystems. This transitional zone rich in biodiversity is known as the ecotone; examples are between woodlands and plains, forests and mountains, and land and water.” ~ Gia Mora I live in a small […]
“Land use issues are often critical to further solar development. Renewable energy requires on average 10 times more land than fossil fuels do per unit of energy. Moreover, solar panels are site-constrained, needing to be sited where the sun shines, whereas fossil fuels can be transported and burned in areas less exposed to human interaction, or close […]
“A young tree has the cooling effect of five room-sized air conditioners working for 20 hours a day.” ~ Former London Councilor Jon Burke “… the net cooling effect of a young healthy tree is equivalent to ten room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day.“ ~ U.S. Forest Service The small town in northern Arizona […]
“It is reported that this Fruit (avocado) provokes to Lust, and therefore is said to be much esteemed by the Spaniards” ~ English explorer and naturalist William Dampier, 1685 As a kid in Texas, I was exposed to lots of vegetables and fruits that we didn’t see in the TV shows. For example, we […]
Van Gogh, Starry Night The area so dark, I could watch the champagne fizz of shooting stars from my bedroom window; catch a glimpse of the harvest moon while brushing my teeth. Every evening, the night pressed in against my windows in a way that felt visceral, like a velvet blanket tucking me in. […]
Writes of Nature 