What Can Bees Teach Us About Building Better Urban Ecosystems?

“Last summer, Paul Maeillo had to clear a vacant lot in North Philadelphia, and he wasn’t happy about it. He’d done it plenty of times before, as part of the Philadelphia Horticultural Society’s LandCare program, which hires local contractors to maintain the neighborhood’s many abandoned parcels. But on this day the lot was full of wildflowers — and wildlife. In fact, it wasn’t vacant at all. He saw snakes and mice and many, many bees, gathering nectar and pollen from the untamed flora. “Just teeming,” Maeillo remembers. “It was kind of wild.”

The lot was an eyesore to humans, and a feast for pollinators. Maeillo didn’t have much of a choice: he mowed it down. But he left a small wild patch in the center. “It seemed not right to take away all their resources,” he says.”

Read the FULL Story at: NextCity.org

Kale, Not Jail: Urban Farming Nonprofit Helps Ex-Cons Re-enter Society Image

CreditJason Henry for The New York Times

CreditJason Henry for The New York Times

“OAKLAND, Calif. — Even by the standards of the Bay Area, where sourcing local, organic chicken feed is seen as something of a political act, the spectacle of 30,000 fruit and nut trees being tended by formerly incarcerated orchardists is novel.

The green thumbs are there because of Planting Justice, a nine-year-old nonprofit that combines urban farming with environmental education and jobs for ex-offenders. From its headquarters in a pair of salvaged shipping containers on a dead-end street in East Oakland, Calif., Planting Justice has forged a trail in which revenue-generating businesses help subsidize the group’s core mission: hiring former inmates, many from nearby San Quentin State Prison, and giving them a “family sustaining” wage, along with health benefits and a month of paid leave annually. About half the total staff of 30 have served time in prison.”

Read the FULL ARTICLE at The New York Times

12 Plants That You Can Grow To DETER Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes can quickly ruin the enjoyment of your outdoor garden experience. Ordinary repellents are full of nasty chemicals that you probably don’t want to put onto your family, and bug zappers are annoying. It also can be debated, how effective candles or incense really is.The threat of contracting a disease from a mosquito is very real. Not only are humans being infected with dangerous illnesses, so are animals including household pets. Over one million people are said to die each year from contracting diseases from mosquitoes. In the US, the most common disease is West Nile, but they also carry diseases like malaria, dengue fever, dog heartworm, chikungunya and the recent Zika Virus, which is responsible for outbreaks in tropical areas throughout the world and was found in 2015 for the first time in the Western Hemisphere. More can be learned about the Zika Virus, here.

To help keep mosquitoes from using your yard as a breeding ground, make sure you eliminate all standing water, trim back un-needed vegetation, and consider planting these mosquito repelling plants.

1. Basil
In addition to repelling mosquitoes, it’s also quite an attractive plant to grow.

2. Catmint
While the catmint plant does repel mosquitoes that are close, you can try adding crushed leaves or oil for even stronger protection. Watch out though, if you own cats they will probably respond to you the same way they respond to the plant itself. If you’re a cat owner, you might want to try other natural ways to deter mosquitoes.

3. Garlic

“If you have a high allicin (garlic’s active anti-microbial ingredient) blood count, mosquitoes will refuse to engage with your blood. If you are infected, garlic can eliminate the virus because it is a proven anti-microbial, killing both viruses and bacteria. According to the good people of zhealthinfo.com, a friend of theirs had lost a couple of horses to WNV.”  -source “NaturalNews.com“

4. Lavender

Lavender repels mosquitoes because mosquitoes dislike the scent of the lavender plant.

5. Lemon Balm

For an easy homemade repellent, crush lemon balm leaves and then rub them onto your skin. Keep the plants growing near doorways where the leaves will be readily available when you need them.

6. Lemon Grass

Mosquitoes do not care for the fragrance of lemon grass. Grow these attractive “grasses” near walkways and near seating areas to deter them. 

7. Lime Basil

The leaves and their extracted juices will help to repel mosquitoes from feeding on you.

8. Marigolds

“Potted marigolds can be positioned near entrances to your home and any common mosquito entry points, such as open windows. The smell may deter mosquitoes from going past this barrier. While marigolds can be used as border plants around the patio, we do not advise putting marigolds on the patio table since the bright blooms may attract wasps.

Besides repelling mosquitoes, marigolds repel insects which prey on tomato plants, so you may want to plant a few marigolds in your tomato bed for added protection.” -source “Learn.EarthEasy.com“

9. Pennyroyal

“Crushed pennyroyal stems stuck in your hat and pockets really will repel gnats and mosquitoes. Dog owners often see their dogs rolling in pennyroyal patches, and dog instincts can usually be trusted.” -source “MotherEarthNews.com“

10. Rosemary

A Recipe for a Simple Rosemary Mosquito Repellent:

“A simple repellent spray is made by adding 1 cup dried rosemary to a quart of water, boiling it in a pot for 20 to 30 minutes. Pour a quart of cool water into another container (that holds at least half a gallon), then strain the rosemary water into the container. Pour small amounts of the blend into squirt bottles to apply directly to skin and outdoor pets. Store the unused portions in the refrigerator; discard it when it no longer smells strongly of rosemary.” – source “HomeGuides.SFGate.com“

 

11. Tansy

Tansy is a strong herb, beautiful & yet suitable for growing around doorways to act as an mosquito deterrent.

 

12. Wormwood

Wormwood can make a lovely, unique border and the strong odor does a good job of keeping mosquitoes at bay. Note: Do not rub on skin.

 

March Against Monsanto 2018

HAPPENING TODAY– “Hundreds of thousands of concerned citizens will hit the streets May 19th, 2018 for the 7th international March Against Monsanto grassroots campaign. The global events will take place in hundreds of cities on six continents with the objective to further educate and raise awareness about Monsanto’s genetically modified seeds and the increasingly toxic food supply, as well as its merger with the German pesticide, GMO and pharmaceutical giant Bayer.”

Extensive protesting will happen across the world and related online coverage can be found on social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram by using the hashtags #marchMay19 and #MarchAgainstMonsanto (#MAM).

What are GMO’s? https://www.seedsnow.com/pages/everything-you-need-to-know-about-genetically-modified-gmo-foods

LEARN MORE: https://www.march-against-monsanto.com

Genetically Modified Children -MOVIE TRAILER-

OFFICIAL TRAILER 2018: Genetically Modified Children, Coming June 5.

“Can Monsanto chemicals permanently alter your child’s genes? Low-income tobacco farmers face skyrocketing cancer rates with more devastating repercussions affecting their children: severe physical deformities and mental disabilities.

Choosing between poverty or poison, Latin American growers have no choice but to use harmful chemicals such as the herbicide glyphosate (aka Monsanto’s Roundup) and Bayer’s insecticide Confidor if they want to certify and sell their crops to Big Tobacco.

As patent and regulatory laws continue to favor the profits of Monsanto and chemical companies, the tobacco makes its way into the hands and mouths of consumers worldwide in Philip Morris products, while the poisons used to harvest the crops contaminate the farmers’ blood and are modifying the human genome, creating genetically modified children.”

Watch the Trailer HERE

[MUST READ] Volcanic Eruptions Threaten Sanctuary & Retreat in Hawaii

Aloha Familia! Our beloved Laura & Noah Dawn are going through a huge life-upheaval with the volcanic eruptions happening in their hometown of Pahoa, Hawaii. They have packed up their entire sanctuary as much as possible and are leaving their property with deep hopes of returning to pristine land once again. However, this is having a mega impact on their income for the summer as they facilitate retreats and with the volcanic eruptions, things are shifting every day.

Money from this campaign will be used to cover all damage costs, moving, storage, as well as be a safety-net for all bills and expenses that need to be paid because there is no income coming in.

HELP SUPPORT Laura & Noahh Dawn HERE: GoFundMe

One-Acre Permaculture Garden Feeds 50 Families

One-acre garden provides fruit, veggies and eggs for 50 families with very little labor

More and more people are learning growing food doesn’t have to be hard work. When you work with nature instead of against it, it does much of the work for you.

It’s called permaculture. While permaculture gardens require a year or two of work up front — mostly restoring land laid waste by agriculture — once they are set up, they almost tend themselves.

Read the original article at: “ReturnToNow.net“