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This is the time of year when migratory birds are on the move!  Migratory birds are traveling from their wintering grounds in Mexico, Central and South America to the U.S. and Canada, where they feast on abundant insects and plant foods during spring and summer.  How do they know when to leave and where to [...]

This is the time of year when migratory birds are on the move!  Migratory birds are traveling from their wintering grounds in Mexico, Central and South America to the U.S. and Canada, where they feast on abundant insects and plant foods during spring and summer.  How do they know when to leave and where to [...]

This is the time of year when migratory birds are on the move!  Migratory birds are traveling from their wintering grounds in Mexico, Central and South America to the U.S. and Canada, where they feast on abundant insects and plant foods during spring and summer.  How do they know when to leave and where to [...]

This is the time of year when migratory birds are on the move!  Migratory birds are traveling from their wintering grounds in Mexico, Central and South America to the U.S. and Canada, where they feast on abundant insects and plant foods during spring and summer.  How do they know when to leave and where to [...]

Did you know that homes with automatically timed sprinkler or irrigation systems use up to 50 percent more water than homes without these systems? The amount of water wasted can jump even higher if sprinkler heads are damaged or pointed in the wrong direction, or the system is programmed incorrectly. Viewer tip: Taking a few [...]

With the first warm sunny days of spring comes the buzzing of mosquitoes. As you are preparing the backyard for your next barbeque, make sure these pesky bugs don’t stop by for a bite. Mosquitoes rely on stagnant pools of water for breeding grounds.  These pools can form in things like abandoned bird baths, buckets, [...]

It’s that time of year again, when we open our windows, work on our lawn and gardens, watch the flowers bloom and get ready for the cookout. Just one slight problem: those little blood-suckers would like to enjoy the spring temperatures, too – while hanging out with you. It’s bug season! Viewer Tip: Here are [...]

Mold spores are naturally present in the air at harmless concentrations, but with added moisture can grow to levels that spur allergies and asthma in susceptible individuals.  After heavy rains or when leaks or flooding dampen homes, dormant mold spores can grow explosively and release enough new spores to sicken people. Viewer Tip: It is [...]

Air Quality Awareness Week takes place from April 29-May 3, 2013. This year, learn more about how air quality affects your health. And, find out what you can do to protect air quality where you live. Air quality is important at every age. Are you at risk for health problems from ozone (sometimes called smog) [...]

Friday, April 26 is National Arbor Day.  Trees not only add beauty and value to our landscape, they also provide many environmental benefits.  In one year, a single healthy tree has the same cooling effect as ten room-sized air conditioners running continually; absorbs 750 gallons of storm water, preventing erosion and protecting water quality; and [...]

National Environmental Education (EE) Week takes place from April 14-20, 2013. EE Week is the nation’s largest celebration of environmental education held each year the week before Earth Day.  This year, the EE Week theme Taking Technology Outdoors is exploring how technology can enhance environmental learning. You can take technology outdoors where you live by [...]

April is National Garden Month, a great time to get outside and enjoy spring weather.  Building a garden – large or small – benefits our health, environment and communities. Health: Gardening provides physical activity, reduces stress and can lead to healthier eating. Environment: Gardens improve the health of local ecosystems by absorbing and filtering rain [...]

National Public Health Week takes place from April 1-7, 2013. This year’s theme is Public Health is ROI: Saves Lives, Saves Money. There are easy steps you can take at home, at school and on the move to protect your health and help save money on health-related costs in your community. At home: In 2012, [...]

As spring brings cold nights and warm days, changes begin to take place in the temperate forests of the northern hemisphere. Particularly in the northeastern United States sap begins to flow in trees such as the sugar maple (Acer saccharum), which has been a major source of maple syrup since pre-colonial days when Native Americans [...]

Spring is the perfect time to give your home cooling equipment a check-up. Fixing any problems now will help you avoid air-conditioning problems when hot weather arrives for good.  And, well-maintained air conditioning systems cool more efficiently, saving energy and money. Viewer Tip: You can perform a cooling system check-up yourself or ask a professional [...]

The average American household wastes more than 10,000 gallons of water every year from easy-to-fix household leaks – that’s the amount of water it takes to wash 270 loads of laundry.  Nationwide, that adds up to more than one trillion gallons of water wasted per year! Viewer tip: During Fix a Leak Week, March 18-24, [...]

March 18-22 is the National Weather Service’s Flood Safety Awareness Week. Flooding occurs from coast to coast at all times of the year – and there are many factors that contribute to flooding events. Snowmelt Flooding: When snow begins to melt, flooding can occur if the amount of snowmelt exceeds the capacity for soils and [...]

How much hazardous waste does the average American household accumulate in one year? The typical home accumulates over 20 pounds of household hazardous waste in just one year! Think of paints, pesticides, cleaning supplies, oil, antifreeze and other products that hide away in the basement, garage or shed. These products may contain corrosive, toxic or [...]

Consider a rain garden to reduce watering needs in your yard and replenish groundwater. A rain garden is lower than the surrounding landscape, allowing rain to soak into the soil. This filters out pollutants and keeps runoff out of city storm sewers. Viewer Tip: The ideal spot if you want the most plant choices is [...]

Texas’ highways and roads are a perfect excuse to enjoy beautiful spring weather while taking in the fabulous wildflowers native to the state. Initial indications are that early spring bloomers such as Indian paintbrush and Texas bluebonnets might not be as plentiful as last year’s exceptional year. However, the 2012 bumper crop of flowers provided [...]