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What happens when you combine water, warm temperatures and sunny days?  A great opportunity for outdoor recreation! May 18-24, 2013, is National Safe Boating Week. Whether you are an experienced boater or just getting out on the water for the first time, boating can be a fun way to explore the environment and enjoy nice [...]

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 [...]

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, [...]

Itching to get out and shake off the cabin fever? Go ahead and brush the dust off your spring hiking boots and get ready to hit the trail. Spending time in nature is one of the best ways to find solitude, explore and enjoy the landscape where you live. Before you hit the trail, make [...]

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 [...]

Indiana observes Severe Weather Awareness Week from March 24-30, 2013. This is a great time to make sure you and your family are prepared for the kinds of severe weather you might experience in your area. Some common Indiana natural hazards are tornadoes, floods and thunderstorms and lightning. One of the worst natural hazards to [...]

Nebraska observes Severe Weather Awareness Week from March 25-29, 2013. This is a great time to make sure you and your family are prepared for the kinds of severe weather you might experience in your area. Some common Nebraska natural hazards are tornadoes, floods and thunderstorms and lightning. One of the worst natural hazards to [...]

Iowa observes Severe Weather Awareness Week from March 25-29, 2013. This is a great time to make sure you and your family are prepared for the kinds of severe weather you might experience in your area. Some common Iowa natural hazards are tornadoes, floods and thunderstorms and lightning. One of the worst natural hazards to [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]