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Have you ever wondered why potholes appear on roadways during the winter months? Water from melting snow and ice seeps into pavement and the sub-material between pavement and soil below.  When repeated spells of cold weather occur, the water in the pavement refreezes and expands, breaking up the pavement at and below the road surface. When [...]

Have you noticed higher energy bills recently? Fewer daylight hours, more time spent inside and chilly temperatures in many parts of the country mean that energy bills are on the rise at this time of year. Luckily, Energy Star has easy-to-use tools to help you assess and reduce the amount of energy used at home.  [...]

January is National Radon Action Month. Radon is produced when uranium in soil, rock and water breaks down and gets into the air. It can be found anywhere in the United States and sneaks into homes and buildings through places like cracks in floors and gaps around pipes. You cannot see, smell or taste radon [...]

December 14 marks the beginning of Audubon’s annual Christmas Bird Count. The Count runs through January 5, 2011. The first Christmas Bird Count (CBC) took place on December 25, 1900 – 27 participants counted and identified about 18,500 birds, mostly in the northeastern U.S. Today, CBC volunteers brave snow and chilly temperatures to identify and [...]

Energy use in the United States typically increases during the holiday season. At this time of year, festive holiday lights that decorate neighborhoods across the country can drive up energy demand and home energy bills. Viewer Tip: Hold on to the holiday spirit while saving energy and money this season. Look for holiday lights that have earned the Energy [...]

 The distinctive smell of wood smoke is a sign of the heating season. It may smell good, but wood smoke can impact indoor air quality and your health. Smoke is a mixture of tiny particles and gases produced when wood burns – the fine particles can get into your eyes and lungs, where they may [...]

Fewer daylight hours and cooler temperatures mean that many Americans spend more time inside during the fall and winter months. While up to half of the energy used in a typical home goes towards heating and cooling, other home features like water heaters, appliances and lighting contribute to energy bills. Swapping traditional light bulbs for [...]

A recent study by the U.S. Geological Survey found elevated levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in many streams and groundwater supplies across the country. Elevated levels were most often found in streams near agricultural areas, particularly in the Northeast, Midwest and Northwest, as well as near urban areas. In many cases, concentrations of nitrogen and [...]

Did you know that poor quality soil increases the amount of water needed to irrigate lawns and gardens? Soil improvements, such as adding compost or other similar soil amendments, can reduce your irrigation needs by 20 percent. That’s a reduction of more than 16,000 gallons annually per household in states where irrigation is prevalent, or [...]

Wind plays a major role in bird migration. In the fall, wind circulation patterns around highs and lows impact the movement of migratory birds. The ideal time for flying often occurs the day after a cold front passes – north winds, dropping temperatures, rising air pressure and clearing skies are good migration conditions. Soaring birds like [...]

Have you found ladybugs in your home this fall? As temperatures drop, the Asian ladybug, Harmonia axyridis becomes an unwelcome houseguest in many homes. Asian ladybugs invade homes at this time of year searching for protected sites to overwinter. The Asian ladybug is relatively new to the United States – in their native home, Asian ladybugs [...]

World Water Monitoring Day (WWMD) – an international education and outreach program to involve the public in monitoring and protecting water resources – takes place on September 18 each year. WWMD volunteers use a simple test kit to measure key water quality indicators in local water bodies, including temperature, acidity (pH), clarity (turbidity) and dissolved [...]

Earth Gauge Video is available for this tip. Do you like a beautiful yard, but not the time, effort and money required to maintain it? In hot, dry climates, the water required to maintain a lush landscape can be costly. Just one lawn sprinkler operating three times per week can use more than 1,000 gallons [...]

Did you know that almost 60 percent of Americans live an area with unhealthy levels of air pollution? Just like a recipe, the atmosphere needs all the right ingredients to make ground-level ozone – a harmful air pollutant that is common during the summer months.  When the temperature rises and the sun is shining, heat [...]

Have you ever wanted to help keep your community by reporting severe weather?  SKYWARN is a volunteer network of nearly 290,000 trained severe weather spotters around the country.  SKYWARN spotters help keep their local communities safe by providing timely and accurate information to the National Weather Service about weather events like thunderstorms, winter weather and [...]

Do you rent your home or apartment? You’re not alone – about 33 percent of U.S. residents were renters between 2006 and 2008. Taking energy-saving steps can seem challenging when you don’t own your home and cannot make major changes to your living space. But, did you know that there are easy ways to save [...]

Mowing the lawn is a typical summer activity. Did you know that when you mow, you can actually “stress out” your grass? This can lead to a brown, weedy and patchy lawn. But, by increasing your mower height, you can reduce stress on turf species as well as the incidence of some common turf weeds. [...]

Did you know that you can help the Gulf of Mexico without traveling beyond your driveway? Our region is part of the Mississippi River watershed, an area of land that drains rain water and river water into the Gulf of Mexico. When it storms here, rainwater carries pollutants like fertilizer from farms and lawns, motor [...]

May is National Bike Month and May 17-21, 2010 is Bike to Work Week.  The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that there is one adult-sized bicycle per U.S. household, but few adults report taking a bike trip outdoors.  Taking your two-wheeler for a spin not only helps keep you healthy, it also saves money, reduces [...]

Earth Gauge Video is available for this tip. Are you going fishing this season? Many people head to local lakes and streams during nice weather.  A new, four-year, multi-agency study shows a nearly 50 percent chance that the fish you catch will contain mercury. Some levels are so high that pregnant women and children should [...]