It’s not a stretch to say that civilization depends on pollinators. More than a third of global food production relies on animal pollinators. Birds, bees, butterflies, beetles, bats, and other small mammals all contribute to the pollination of not just food crops, but flowers and other plants with commercial and ecological value. Honeybees alone pollinate 90 species of commercially grown […]
Vegetable gardeners spend a lot of time thinking about conditions that affect the successful growth of plants, such as rainfall, sun, and temperature. But they often neglect the soil, which is where plants get the nutrients they need to grow. The pH of the soil determines the availability of these nutrients; so, for plants to flourish, you need soil with […]
Many of the personal care products we use include harmful, non-biodegradable ingredients that damage the environment. Pick up your shampoo or soap and look at the label. You’ll likely see parabens, phthalates, triclosan, and other synthetic ingredients that harm the environment and also aren’t great for you. The good news is that it is getting easier to find soap, shampoo, […]
A sustainable life is built on choices and trade-offs. You can reduce your environmental impact in a variety of ways, and if everyone were to reduce their footprint by half — no matter which parts of their environmental footprint — it would help push governments and companies to make significant changes for the better. In this Earth911 quiz, we challenge […]
The common practice of cleaning gardens in fall and planting them in spring has more to do with psychology than sound horticultural practice. Many common fall garden chores do not benefit plants. However, you can do a lot in the fall to prepare your garden for the best start in spring. For a more sustainable garden, try flipping the script […]
Once upon a time, plastic was heralded as a miracle material. Cheap, lightweight, infinitely customizable yet virtually indestructible, plastic quickly replaced natural materials in myriad products – especially bags. Today, plastic bags are ubiquitous for shopping and groceries, and even inside other types of packaging. Plastic bags are found on roadsides, in waterways, and deep in the ocean, where they […]
Dozens of electrical utility companies across the country have pledged to become “carbon neutral” by 2050. But recent Sierra Club research shows that hardly any of them are making significant changes to move toward clean energy. Are they greenwashing our electricity? Clean Energy Coal miners may symbolize the working class in politics, but according to the latest labor statistics, coal […]
Many of us pay to have our organic waste removed, but home biogas digesters offer households a way to produce clean fuel and liquid fertilizer with it. Digesters naturally create biogas as organic matter breaks down, and home digester systems make it possible to cook with it. There are now a few home biogas digesters on the market, and some […]
What if there was a healthy alternative to mammal- or fowl-meat pet food? So, would you consider feeding bugs to your beloved dog? As it turns out, insects like crickets are not only a great protein alternative to traditional animal proteins, they’re also a more sustainable choice. This article contains affiliate links. If you purchase an item through one of […]
A new school year is here and one way that we can be kinder to the earth and reduce waste is by packing our kids’ lunches. Packed lunches tend to be healthier and allow us to pack organic foods that most school lunches don’t provide. Packing lunches also makes lunchtime less stressful for those picky eaters. Packing a school lunch […]