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Even if you only have a small patio or window box to work with, you can still add some green to your outdoor space this spring. For gardeners that don’t have the room or the patience to manage large gardens, container gardens are a great alternative. Considering the wide variety of native plants available, you [...]

Spring is the perfect time of year to give your home cooling equipment a check-up.  Fixing any problems now will help you avoid air-conditioning problems when hot weather arrives.  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 [...]

Planting trees that provide shade will not only save you money on your energy bill, but will prove to be a long term investment that can improve the look of your home.  In most parts of the country,  it is good to plant deciduous trees on the west and south sides of the house to [...]

Pools and spas are a great addition to anyone’s home, but when they are drained and cleaned improperly they can pollute lakes, creeks and bays.  Copper is a pollutant that affects aquatic life and is used as an algaecide (a chemical treatment that kills algae) in pools and spas.  Draining pool water into storm drains [...]

Did you know that up to 50 percent of the water you sprinkle on your lawn and garden could be wasted from evaporation and runoff? July and August are peak water use months because so many people water outdoors. Viewer Tip: Remember that if you water wisely, you can save a lot of blue while [...]

Have you ever wondered what causes the different-colored tints in the ocean or freshwater lakes? This colored water – whether red, brown, green or yellow – is commonly known as a “red tide” or a harmful algal bloom. Blooms are formed by single-celled photosynthetic organisms that can sometimes be harmful to humans, wildlife and the [...]

Did you know that idling your car for two minutes uses the same amount of gas used to drive  about one mile? Cars with larger engines typically waste more gas idling that cars with smaller engines.  An idling car also emits air pollutants. During the summer months, ground-level ozone pollution is created when these pollutants [...]

The nights of the South are often hot, humid and still. Winds typically die down at night and allow for the nocturnal flights of an amazing variety of insect life. Moths are some of our most fascinating nocturnal creatures. They range in size, coloration and behavior. Like butterflies, moths go through stages – from egg [...]

Winter might be the last thing you think of when you’re enjoying fresh summer produce, but with a little planning now you can enjoy fresh food from your own garden all year long. The key to a fall or winter harvest is to seed crop in July and August to achieve adequate growth by the [...]

Did you know that an average garden hose flows at at a rate of 10 to 16 gallons per minute? A broken sprinkler head wastes approximately 300 gallons of water per hour! Viewer Tip: With less than one percent of freshwater available for human use, water conservation is extremely important.  Help reduce your outdoor water [...]

Urban areas have more buildings, roads, parking lots and sidewalks than rural areas.  These hard surfaces trap heat, raising temperatures in cities by as much as five degrees Fahrenheit.  Higher temperatures in cities – known as “heat islands” – can increase the amount of energy used for air conditioning, increase air pollution levels and raise [...]

The sun emits radiation in the form of ultraviolet (UV) light, which is classified into three types by wavelength: UVA, UVB, and UVC. In the stratosphere, the ozone layer blocks UVC light (shortest wavelength), but UVB and UVA light can pass through the atmosphere. How Does UV Affect You? UVA penetrates deeply into the skin [...]

During nice, warm weather, people become more active outdoors…and so do ticks! Ticks tend to live in moist environments, especially near wooded or grassy areas. They attach themselves to skin or clothing and take a free ride home with humans or pets.  Unfortunately, ticks can transmit several different diseases, including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain [...]

Rising temperatures can take a toll on our bodies. Usually, your body cools as perspiration evaporates off your skin. But on extremely hot days, evaporation slows and your body has to work harder to maintain a normal body temperature. The American Meteorological Society estimates that up to 1,000 people die each year from heat-related illnesses; [...]

Did you know that something as simple as a large rock, rotting log, yard junk or a sheet of plywood in your yard can host a huge network of interacting wildlife? Summers in the Southern U.S. can bake the ground to a crisp. Beneath a rock or log, however, temperatures remain cool and the soil [...]

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 [...]

You might think the vegetables growing in your garden can’t get enough of the sun’s rays and warmth. But did you know that too much sun can hurt certain plans? Heat-sensitive crops like lettuce and spinach are susceptible to bolting, which can cause vegetables to taste bitter. Shade over a garden bed can create a [...]

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 [...]

Summer makes for nice hiking weather and many of us head into the great outdoors with our pet companions. With many summer activities taking place near streams and ponds, you may think you don’t need to worry about drinking water for your animals. But on warm, sunny days, you need to be careful to avoid [...]