Green Ideas
It’s time to get that garden started
April 6, 2016It doesn’t feel like it, but it’s spring, and that means it’s time to start your vegetable garden. Start with the wrong veggies, though, and you’ll end up with … nothing but frost-wilted plants ready for the compost heap. The folks over at Rodale have some handy tips here and here to get you growing despite winter…
Fertilize lawns, gardens responsibly to keep your water supply clean
March 30, 2016Spring has sprung, which means many of us are itching to get outside and start working on helping Mother Nature turn things green again. One springtime ritual, however, regularly leads to green, polluted waterways: over-fertilization of lawns and gardens. As the Penn State Extension office points out, “Lawn fertilizer contains the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus,…
Drought-busting lessons from the Land Down Under
March 1, 2016Spring is coming, which means summer is also around the corner. And with summer comes worries about drought. We were lucky last year, but western states didn’t fare as well. Still, things could be much worse. California’s drought, for instance, is serious, but it’s nothing compared to Southern Australia’s “Millennium Drought,” which lasted 13 years….
Out with the old, in with the new year!
December 28, 2015What’s a new year without resolutions? As 2015 draws to a close, we’ve come up with a few simple ones that just about anyone can keep and — no surprise — they all have to do with water. You don’t have to keep all of them to make an impact – just one or two…
Keep your holiday greens green
December 16, 2015We’ve written before about the pros and cons of fake vs. artificial trees (real trees win — artificial trees are made up of plastics and heavy metals) — but what do you do to keep wreaths and trees green through the holiday season? We did some digging and compiled a few tips from Rodale’s Organic…
Give thanks for the humble commode in your abode
November 19, 2015An NPR blog we occasionally read points out that Thursday was “World Toilet Day.” Yes, there’s a day for that. It’s dedicated to the “2.4 billion people who lack access to improved sanitation,” according to the official World Toilet Day website — because of course it has its own website. All kidding aside, this is…
It’s almost winter, so why not grow an herb garden?
November 16, 2015Most of the trees have dropped their leaves, the days are shorter, the nights longer and the doldrums of winter are around the corner. Wait, weren’t we just picking basil and tomatoes? The garden may be long gone, but you can still enjoy some greenery indoors. Growing veggies might be a stretch, but windowsill herbs…
Little oysters, big job
October 22, 2015Maybe you’ve heard the saying, “Pearls before swine,” but you probably haven’t heard “pearls after pollution.” According to an article in Pollution Online, New Jersey is looking at employing oysters in their battle against polluted waterways. It turns out these mighty mollusks can help clean up water because they filter water constantly. It’s part of…
Are your pipes ready for colder weather?
October 11, 2015It’s the time of year when we start clearing leaves and preparing our homes for the colder months. As you put together your to-do list this fall, don’t forget to include checking your plumbing. Frigid temperatures can cause uninsulated pipes to burst — causing costly damage to your home. Start by examining water pipes. Insulating pipes…
Unchecked algal blooms are a green menace
September 21, 2015The Lehigh Valley region is blessed with an abundance of water, and for many residents, the summer involves relaxing at a lake, river, pond or creek — be it fishing, boating, swimming, or just sitting next to the water. If you’ve spent any of that time in mid-July and August, you’ve likely seen a fair amount…