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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 [...]

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 [...]

When rain falls, some of the water ends up in lakes and rivers, some is used by plants, some evaporates back into the atmosphere, and some seeps through the ground into aquifers – large, natural underground water storage areas.  This groundwater provides more than 40 percent of the U.S. population with drinking water.  Not only [...]

During the winter months, salt and sand applied to our roads, driveways and sidewalks contribute to lake and stream pollution. Fifty pounds of salt – one large bag – can pollute 10,000 gallons of water.  That’s equivalent to one teaspoon of salt in a five-gallon bucket of water. Viewer Tip: Many cities and states are [...]

The holiday season is a time for happy gatherings of family and friends. But a house full of guests can also result in higher energy bills, increased water use and stressed septic systems. Try these easy tips for a happy, healthy and environmentally-friendly holiday gathering. Heating Help: Keep everyone warm and save energy at the [...]

Did you know the Missouri River is 2,540 miles long and the Mississippi River is 2,340 miles long?  That’s 4,880 miles of river combined – about the same distance as driving from Los Angeles to Charlotte…and back again!  The Missouri River begins in the Rocky Mountains of Western Montana while the Mississippi River begins in [...]

There are many ways to curb the amounts of excess nutrients entering lakes, rivers and streams – a bioretention system is one of them.  Bioretention systems – also called rain gardens – are  landscape best management practices (BMPs) that use filtration to treat storm water runoff in a depressed area.  They can be implemented in [...]

Looking for a new project? Fall is a great time to join a citizen science program, where you can share your own observations about nature with scientists. Citizen science volunteers can collect far more data than science researchers can alone, playing an important role in scientific discovery! Viewer Tip: Make discoveries where you live. Here [...]

We’re not the only ones who like the summertime.  August is the time when massive algal  blooms tend to beleaguer the shores of our Great Lakes, the Chesapeake Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.  If you want to see one, follow the trail of algae’s favorite ingredients: hot water and lots of nutrients.  As the [...]

If you live by the water, you’re probably familiar with algae blooms.  You may know what causes them, too – excess nutrients, among other factors. But did you know that erosion can generate nearly as much water-borne phosphorus as farms, yards and water treatment plants?  If you answered yes, then you outsmarted a scientist!  Researchers [...]

Since the beginning of June, much of the Midwest has been seeing increasing drought conditions.  Parts of the Midwest, including Illinois, Indiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa and Kansas, have gone from abnormally dry or moderate drought conditions to severe, extreme or exceptional drought conditions.  These conditions may be affecting the size of the Gulf of [...]

Did you know that a typical city block generates more than five times as much rainwater runoff as a forested area of the same size?  This is because rooftops and pavement do not allow water to soak into the ground like forests, wetlands and grasslands do.  Instead, rainwater  runs off pavement into the nearest storm [...]

Get your leashes ready because August 26 is National Dog Day!  Dogs across the United States will be heading outside for walks, frisbee catching and dirt digging.  While outside, these dogs will also be contributing something to the natural environment – waste!  There are over 78 million dog owners in the United States and 28 [...]

The answer is yes, but not all algae blooms are harmful.  In fact, they’re critical components of many aquatic organisms’ diets.  But when they grow out of control, often as a result of man-made nutrient pollution, algae blooms can take over an entire ecosystem by blocking out the sun and hogging all of the oxygen.  [...]

Each year, we drench our lawns with enough water to fill the Chesapeake Bay!  That makes grass – not corn – America’s largest irrigated crop.  Our nation’s lawns now cover an area larger than New York State and each year, we use about 2.4 million metric tons of fertilizer just to maintain them.  When there [...]

Everyone loves to play in the yard, but over time your foot traffic actually crushes the soil beneath your feet. This affects the health of your lawn more than you might realize.  For instance, just stepping onto wet ground even once can squash the dirt to within 75 percent of its potential “squish-ability,” if you [...]

Did you know that you can protect water quality just by limiting your water use?  Water conservation puts less stress on our drinking water supplies and diverts less water for municipal use – this helps preserve stream flow and maintain healthy aquatic environments.  Efficient outdoor water use also reduces the amounts of pollutants reaching groundwater [...]

An over-fertilized lawn grows really fast.  You have to mow and water it more often, and it’s more attractive to pests.  But did you know that an over-fertilized lawn can actually harm the environment?  Once your fertilizer saturates the ground with its nutrients, the remainder can’t be absorbed, so up to half of that costly [...]

Are you one of the millions of people making their way to the beach this year?  Beaches provide opportunities to play volleyball, run, relax, swim and do many other activities, but beach closures can put a damper on summer fun. Beach closures occur in coastal areas throughout the United States – according to EPA’s 2010 [...]

That smelly, gooey, blue-green film that blankets the water in late summer not only looks gross, but it could also endanger your health.  Blue-green algae blooms can release toxins that once ingested, inhaled or rubbed against the skin can lead to diarrhea, vomiting and skin rashes – persistent exposure can lead to more serious health [...]