Healthy gardens rely on healthy soil, which contains a variety of beneficial microorganisms and nutrients that help plants thrive. To improve soil health, organic gardeners may use an array of natural fertilizers, including manure, compost, bat guano, worm castings, rock phosphate, bone meal, and seaweed. While effective, these fertilizers can be slow to release the nutrients the plants need. In […]
Many homes in the Pacific Northwest still lack air conditioning. After 2009, when the first major heat wave hit the area, however, air conditioning installations soared. But many apartment dwellers and about 40% of homeowners still do without cooling during increasingly hot summers. And that’s the coolest part of the country, the rest of the nation is feeling more heat […]
There is nothing like the taste of a homegrown tomato. They’re juicy, yet have a subtle burst of sweet and tart flavors. The flavor of store-bought tomatoes, which are harvested before they ripen, does not rival homegrown tomatoes by any measure. Not surprisingly, tomatoes are the most popular crop to grow in the garden. They are somewhat temperamental, though, and […]
Let’s venture into the history of trees, wood, and the axe. Everywhere humans have gone they’ve mowed down trees to make tools, homes, fires, bridges, buildings, and even railroad tracks. Yes, the first railroads often ran on wooden rails, as author John Perlin explains in a new edition of his classic book, A Forest Journey: The Role of Trees in […]
There’s a sting in the air come spring. Wasps are out in force, and your backyard barbecue may attract these unwelcome visitors. You might be tempted to reach for chemical pesticides, but there are natural deterrents to wasps that are intent on joining your outside gathering. Although not commonly considered beneficial insects, some species of wasps are important pollinators. Wasps […]
Sustainable interior design prioritizes the health and well-being of people and the planet. It’s intended to create healthy spaces while minimizing environmental impacts, reducing waste, and conserving natural resources. But a rising trend, fast furniture, is making home furnishing less sustainable. The wide availability of trendy and inexpensive home furnishings, or “fast furniture,” comes with negative environmental impacts. In addition […]
While having a clean toilet is a critical component of a sanitary home, commercial toilet bowl cleaners can harbor some of the most dangerous chemicals in your home. These chemicals contaminate waterways and pollute the air in your home. Using harsh cleaning products in your toilet can present more of a health risk than the germs you’re trying to kill. […]
A few states are pioneering the rise of compostable packaging and building a composting infrastructure. World Centric‘s Resource Recovery Managers Erin Levine and Elly Ventura share the lessons the compostable packaging leader is learning as California, Colorado, and other states introduce composting and extended producer responsibility programs for fiber and plastic packaging. Making packaging sustainable — whether it can be […]
Are you planting a vegetable garden for the first time this year? Most nongardeners imagine that planting a garden is something you do one day in spring. But if you want your garden to be a significant food source, you need to understand and practice succession planting. One and Done For “Putting in the garden” on a sunny spring weekend has […]
The suburban lawn is a potent symbol of the American dream, and many people can’t even imagine a home landscape without one. Despite the lush appearance of a wide, green lawn, lawns have some serious ecological effects. Turfgrass is a monoculture that covers more than three times as much area as any food crop in the United States. Maintaining that […]