Put That Yard to Work: Be a Yardfarmer

Well, not everyone can be an official “yardfarmer”, but we can all get into the spirit of transforming a bit of our yards or decks into food-producing landscape. If you want to get inspired to take it to a new level, check out Yardfarmers which is creating a reality TV

Invest for Change

There is a movement in socially responsible investing called “Divest Invest”. The idea is for individuals and institutions to take their money out of environmentally irresponsible industries like coal, gas, and mining. Then they invest those funds in organizations that are making positive change happen. Lots of small, publicly traded

Share a Ride

Transportation is a big deal when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions. All told, it makes up about 27% of climate-damaging emissions in the U.S., second only to electricity generation. Driving less, opting for public transportation, bicycling, or walking are all part of the solution. But sometimes a car is the

At the Car Wash

For many, car washing is a springtime ritual. But when cars are washed on streets and driveways, that dirty water with exhaust fumes, soaps and heavy metals eventually winds up in rivers, creeks, lakes and the ocean. The best way to minimize the effect washing your car has on the

To Burn, or Not to Burn

We all love a wood fire, right? But like everything else in life, there are trade-offs. Through the years we’ve learned a lot about how to minimize the negative outputs of a wood fire, especially particulate matter, while maximizing the useful energy (heat) that it puts out. If you have

A Green Shopping List

When we go green, we avoid unnecessary purchases. So, today we have a shopping list of useful items that everyone needs around their house. Instead of heading to the mall for retail therapy, make a trip to the hardware store to find these products that will reduce your home energy

Choose Your Food Wisely

Agriculture is a large source of our greenhouse gas footprint, with estimates varying from 8 to 15% of total emissions.  In addition to reducing food waste, we can also lower our impact by avoiding foods with high greenhouse gas footprints, especially beef and foods that require long-distance refrigerated transport. Want

Cultivate Wonder

As we worry about “grown-up” concerns like climate change, let’s not forget to cultivate a wonder of the natural world in ourselves and in the next generation. Little kids develop a connection with nature through frequent hands-on, positive experiences like constructing forts, searching for treasures or following streams. By elementary

Plant a Tree, But Not This Tree

When we think of Finley, many of us think of planting trees, perhaps even a tree we’ve helped plant in Finley’s honor. It turns out, however, that not all trees are created equally. We’re learning more and more reasons why native trees bring more benefits than non-natives. But a particularly egregious

Just Say No Thanks

Like most other single use plastics in our modern life, straws have become a habit. They aren’t anything we need but still Americans go through 500 million drinking straws each day. Watch Jeff Bridges speak truth about plastics. Here is a common scenario: a cheerful waitress pulls a handful of