With the 2013 Wilkes-Barre Farmer's Market starting tomorrow, I thought now would be the appropriate time to share some tips from the Sierra Club for navigating the farmer's market like a pro. Read on:
As a child, you were told to eat your vegetables. Now, you’re told to buy them local and organic too. Calls to buy sustainably sourced groceries are often and easily said, sure, but actually buying them is becoming more easily done. Farmers’ markets are multiplying like heritage-raised rabbits. ...
When using a public restroom, you're often presented with two choices for drying your hands: paper towels or blow-drying machines. Have you ever wondered which one of these is better for the environment? That question was recently posed to the Sierra Club's Mr. Green. To find out his answer, click here....
The U.S. House is expected to take up the next farm bill this week. There are big changes, as funding for many programs is being scaled back or eliminated, so stretching every dollar has become the focus of an amendment supported by groups that don't usually agree.
The American Farm Bureau Federation, National Farmers Union and conservation groups are backing the Crop Insurance Accountability amendment, which ties conservation of soil and wetlands to the insurance subsidy - and all farm subsidies....
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency yesterday released its most comprehensive review to date on how the built environment – the way we build our cities and towns – directly affects our environment and public health. The report was announced by EPA Acting Administrator Bob Perciasepe during a national Twitter Town Hall meeting in Washington, DC with Maurice Jones, Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing, and Development (HUD), and John Porcari, Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)....
This Saturday, June 22, 2013, thousands of people across the nation will gather in their backyards, neighborhoods, communities and parks to take part in the Great American Backyard Campout, a one-night FREE event that will provide an experience for all generations to connect with nature.
Be a part of the movement! The positive effects of daily, unstructured time outdoors on kids’ health are well-documented and wide-ranging. National Wildlife Federation encourages families and friends to Be Out There™ in order to give back to American children what they don’t even know they’ve lost—their connection to the natural world....
Did you know that U.S. farmers apply over 11 million tons of nitrogen fertilizers to farm fields every year, mostly in the form of ammonium nitrate. The widespread use of the substance is considered part of the so-called Green Revolution, which radically increased the amount food we could grow.
If we don’t watch out, agriculture could destroy our planet.
Check out these photos from National Geographic of toxic algal blooms caused by fertilizer runoff and find out what some are trying to do to combat the problem....
HILLSIDE FARMS has launched “PLOWING FORWARD,” a farm-inspired radio talk show focusing on the survival of humanity, species, and the planet. The show airs Saturday afternoons at 3:00 on our News/Talk station 103.1 WILK NewsRadio.
You can listen to a podcast of the June 8th show here.
The show focused on the true costs of cheap food and a whole lot more....
Animal cruelty whistle-blowers have shot undercover video exposing illegal or unethical abuse inside factory farms and slaughterhouses across the country. In addition to animal abuse, food safety problems have been exposed.
The meat industry is fighting back with bills introduced in many states, including Pennsylvania, that would criminalize the actions of the whistle-blowers.
In response, Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) spokesman Paul Shapiro observed, "You know that your industry has a lot to hide when it wants to make it a crime just for somebody to document what it is that you're doing."
Industry groups said the bills are intended to protect farmers from activists who produce misleading videos, and they said legislation of this sort promotes animal care....
The day is going to be wonderful! The forecast is a high of 75° with peeks of sun and no rain. A perfect day to ride your bike and enjoy a festival. Pick your route to ride!
Still need to sign up?
Stop by the On-Site Registration Table to fill out your forms and waiver. Please arrive one hour before the start time of your ride to register (see below). Entry fees are $25 for seniors (55+), students, and military; $35 for adults (18 years & up); $50 for a family (2 adults, 4 children); and $120 for a team of up to 6 adults, age 18 & up....
HILLSIDE FARMS has launched “PLOWING FORWARD,” a farm-inspired radio talk show focusing on the survival of humanity, species, and the planet. The show airs Saturday afternoons at 3:00 on our News/Talk station 103.1 WILK NewsRadio.
You can listen to a podcast of the June 1st show here.
The show focused on the true costs of cheap imports with Dr. Doug Ayers and Suzanne Kelly discussing WHY and HOW BUY LOCAL / BUY AMERICAN will turn this country around....
The new season of the Wilkes-Barre Farmers' Market will begin next week. Each week during the summer, something special is planned for the whole family. Full of family fun, music, food, crafts and, of course, the highest quality fresh produce from local growers, the Wilkes-Barre Farmers' Market is the place to be this summer!
Six years ago the U.S. Senate’s unanimous approval and designation of a week in June as “National Pollinator Week” marked a necessary step toward addressing the urgent issue of declining pollinator populations. Pollinator Week has now grown to be an international celebration of the valuable ecosystem services provided by bees, birds, butterflies, bats and beetles. The growing concern for pollinators is a sign of progress, but it is vital that we continue to maximize our collective effort. ...
The Sierra Club's Green Life blog recently had a great story about America's problem with cigarette butts. When I mentioned the story to a co-worker, he told me that there's a website you can go to to report people who throw their butts out their windows. Check it out at www.litterbutt.com. Here in Pa., the person reported will receive a letter from the State notifying them they were caught littering and fines for littering, though no fine levied.
On June 8th 2013, communities around the globe will celebrate World Oceans Day as an opportunity to learn more about our ocean and take action to help conserve it. This year the celebration is bigger than ever with hundreds of family-friendly events at aquariums, zoos, museums, exciting online events, and more.
In addition to the events planned in dozens of countries worldwide, everyone is invited to take ocean conservation personally by sharing an Ocean Promise online. Under this year's World Oceans Day theme of “Together we have the power to protect the ocean”, you can learn howsmall actions can add up to make a big difference....
Greg Barkowski contacted us to let us know about the car detailing business he recently opened. Mobile Green Auto Detailing Inc. offers eco-friendly car detailing with complete detailing packages using only "Green" products that are not only safe for the environment but also safe for you and your vehicles. Products are Non Toxic and Biodegradable and each car wash uses only 4-8 oz of water. In addition, the business is mobile. Greg will come to your home or office, a huge convenience to all....
June is Perennial Gardening Month and the perfect time to celebrate perennials. Perennials can be colorful, hassle-free and with a little care, they come back year after year and save the time and expense of replanting.
Celebrate Perennial Gardening Month by going native...with your plants. A native plant is one which occurred within this region before settlement by Europeans. Native plants include ferns and clubmosses; grasses, sedges and rushes; perennial and annual wildflowers; and the woody trees, shrubs, and vines which covered “Penn’s Woods” when the first settlers arrived....
They represent one of the signs of spring and summer you may prefer to do without. Mosquitoes are out in Pennsylvania, and you can keep from becoming a victim by learning a little more about the buggers.
Naturalist David Mizejewski, National Wildlife Federation, said the best protection is prevention. That can come, in part, by eliminating standing pools of water around the outside of your home, he said.
"Some species of mosquito, they only need like an inch of water, so water standing in the bottom of a flower pot or in clogged gutters or in children's toys that are left out in the yard, these are all potential breeding places for mosquitoes," Mizejewski explained....
The cold weather is gone & planting season is finally here. With plants come pests and pest control. The Sierra Club has some great tips to get rid of garden pests without using pesticides or killing creatures.
For professional gardener George Gibbs, organic gardening is a practical application of his general philosophy of treading softly. Gibbs eschews pesticides, herbicides, and killing creatures, in general. For him, human prosperity isn't separate from protecting the planet and its other inhabitants.
This week on the Green Life, we're asking Gibbs to share a few practical tips for organic gardeners. ...
The theme for this year’s World Environment Day celebrations is Think.Eat.Save. Think.Eat.Save is an anti-food waste and food loss campaign that encourages you to reduce your foodprint. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), every year 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted. This is equivalent to the same amount produced in the whole of sub-Saharan Africa. At the same time, 1 in every 7 people in the world go to bed hungry and more than 20,000 children under the age of 5 die daily from hunger. ...
When you're recycling a newspaper or a water bottle, the process is straightforward — place the item in the appropriate bin. But when it comes to recycling electronic waste or "e-waste," it can feel like your brain is short circuiting.
The Sierra Club has researched safe ways to dispose of those unwanted gadgets and this is what they came up with:
1.) Donate or sell your used electronics.
If your devices still have some juice, consider donating or selling them....
