Looking to Plants for Energy Solutions

If you haven’t seen the PBS Nova series, “Making Stuff: …Smarter, Safer, Stronger,…,” then you’re missing out on seeing incredible science making our world a better place.  In the “Making Stuff:  Cleaner” episode, David Pogue provides us with an entertaining look into some of the latest technological advances in creating and storing energy to power […]

Parking Spaces Transform into Parks

The annual event where metered parking spaces are temporarily transformed into parklets is almost here!  Park(ing) Day, started in 2005, celebrates public spaces in cities around the globe.  Anyone, from everyday citizens to landscape architects, can participate in this altruistic event which begs, “To call attention to the need for more urban open space, to […]

The Wonders of Porous Pavement

What is porous pavement? Porous pavement is a surface material that allows rainwater to filter through the surface to a stone reservoir beneath it.  From there, rainwater can infiltrate deeper into the ground and recharge aquifers, making it a practical and effective stormwater management tool.  It can be made of gravel, recycled rubber, even asphalt […]

The Right Landscaping Can Lower Your Energy Bills!

While most houses are not passive solar homes (designed and oriented so as to capture the sun’s warmth in winter and keep the house cool and comfortable in summer), there are some easy things we can do with our landscaping to compensate for this that will lower our utility bills. The upcoming fall season is […]

Landscaping that Provides Rest Areas for Migrating Birds & Butterflies

The annual migration of millions of birds and butterflies over thousands of miles is an amazing feat.  Look up, and you might even see it, as it’s happening right now through the fall months across the country!  Creating welcoming habitat on your property, where these incredible creatures can safely rest and find food & shelter […]

Toxic Driveway Sealants

In my previous post, I showed the top 5 ways to make a driveway, yes driveway, more environmentally friendly.  Even our driveways can be more green!  Now there’s evidence that sealing our driveways and other blacktops with coal tar sealants is toxic.  These sealants not only contaminate our soil and drinking water supplies as rain […]