What is the true price of gas?

What Your Hamburger Really Costs

Costa Rica to Ban Sport Hunting

The Chicago Tribune reports that Costa Rica has provisionally approved a country-wide ban on  sport hunting making it the first Latin American country to ban hunting as a sport.

Lawmakers voting on the ban succeeded in passing the measure with an overwhelming majority of 41 in favor of the hunting ban and 5 against. 

The provision has been cited as a further measure to help preserve the amazing biodiversity of Costa Rica. The country has long been known as a ecotourism hot spot, and wildlife related tourism comprises a substantial amount of Costa Rica's economy, generating of $2.1 billion annually for the small Latin American country. Over 300,000 visitors flock to Costa Rica's National Parks every year. 

This step further elevates Costa Rica as a forward-thinking nation that is taking measures to protect the diversity of species found in this amazing region of the globe, rather than encouraging consumptive activities. Jaguars, pumas and sea turtles are among the species expected to benefit from the hunting ban as these species are often hunted or stolen as trophies.

Biolight by Philips- Cool Eco Innovation

One of the most original and innovative eco-friendly ways to light your home, is the Biolight being developed by Philips as part of their Microbial HomeProject.  This innovative project views the home as a “domestic ecosystem that challenges conventional design solutions to energy, cleaning, food preservation, lighting and human waste”.

The glass structure utilizes light-emitting bacteria, similar to the bioluminescence of fireflies and other organisms.  Designers envision the bacteria utilizing waste methane as a food source, thereby creating a perpetual source of free “green” light.

The Biolight requires no electricity, no grid and no wires.  Biological light and energy sources like this could potentially by self- energizing, self-repairing and able to adapt to changing environmental conditions.

Native Species Spotlight- Pineland Acacia

Pineland Acacia
(Acacia pinetorum)

A wonderful, hardy native shrub, the Pineland Acacia adds beauty and texture to native gardens. With it’s zig zag branches and bright yellow pom pom-like flowers, this shrub makes a great addition to borders and fence lines. Its greatest asset, however, is the fantastic fragrance the flowers exude when in bloom. A single Pineland Acacia can make your whole garden smell wonderful.

It’s usefulness is not limited to it’s aesthetics, however. It is the primary larval host plant of the nickerbean blue butterfly (Hemiargus ammon) and the foliage is utilized by the endangered key deer found in the Florida Keys. This acacia also features hardy spines which can act as an effective barrier. It is often used in fence rows to discourage unwanted guests.

Pineland Acacia is available through native plant nurseries and is also readily propagated from seeds or cuttings. It is a very drought tolerate shrub that requires no additional water once established. It flourishes best in full sun, but can tolerate partial shade.

Occupy the Rooftops! Community Solar Initiative

We all know that this nation needs to move from fossil fuels to more renewable energy sources. Here’s your chance to make it happen locally. Nov. 20th is Community Solar Day!

A lot of people, businesses and organizations would love to switch to clean solar power, but lack the up-front costs necessary to fund a solar installation. That’s where organizations like Solar Mosaic come in.

Here’s the basic idea:

Fund the up-front costs of community solar projects by crowd funding. This means that instead of the raising up-front capital themselves or going to a bank for a loan, a solar project is funded by small investments by members of the community. These small investments are paid back to the investors over time, and the extra money saved by lower energy costs, gets paid forward to help fund other solar projects. Pretty cool, huh?

This takes our energy policy out of the hands of big corporations, like ExxonMobil, Koch Industries & BP, and puts the power in the hands of the people. As Jamie Henn of 350.org put it, “When energy is in the hands of the 1%, we get the Keystone XL pipeline. When it’s in the hands of the 99% we get Solar Mosaic."

For more information, check out these links:

http://solarmosaic.com/

https://solarmosaic.com/solarday

http://solarmosaic.com/blog/why-you-should-sign-community-solar

Native Species Spotlight- Spotted Bee Balm

(Monarda punctata)

 Native FAC

If you are trying to attract pollinators to your garden, this Native Species Spotlight is for you. Spotted Bee Balm lives up to its name; this attractive plant will be buzzing with honey bees and native pollinators in no time. It is a hardy, prolific plant that can withstand drought conditions and does not require watering after establishment. Bloom colors vary from dark pink to almost white and is a show stopper when the whole plant is bedecked with blooms. Another bonus of Spotted Bee Balm that we had not anticipated when we first planted it in our wildflower garden was the amazing subtle scent that the flowers give off. Our whole wildflower garden was permeated by its sweetness. No wonder it is so attractive to bees and other pollinators.

 It’s no secret, with Colony Collapse Disorder and other factors threatening the survival of bees, that populations are in decline. Providing native food sources for bees and other native pollinators has never been more important.

 Spotted Bee Balm thrives is full sun to part shade and requires moist, well-drained sandy soils. It is a great companion plant for many garden vegetables, including tomatoes. Spotted Bee Balm is available through local native plant nurseries and grows readily from seed.