Here are some of the most recent
Plants & Gardening posts.
The Medicinal Plants You’ll Have in Your Backyard:
Chicory – The Painkilling Plant You Should Grow in Your Backyard This is the wild plant that Native Americans used to look for more than any other. They’d harvest and use chicory to make a natural painkilling extract for a wide range of physical discomforts,...
The truth about plants – Seven fun, fascinating (and frightening) facts
How many of us have unthinkingly bought apples wrapped in plastic? Don’t worry, this isn’t another diatribe about plastic (we’re saving that for later). It’s a rant about plants. Wrapping a layer of superfluous plastic around food items that come with their own...
Tulips from Kyrgyzstan.The threats to Kyrgyzstan’s wild tulips include overgrazing and climate change.
Fauna & Flora works closely with local conservation partners in almost 50 countries worldwide. Together, we are safeguarding some of the world’s most threatened species and the habitats on which they depend, including a wide range of wonderful, beautiful but...
Global Ocean Treaty: how people power helped protect the oceans
Governments have finally agreed a Global Ocean Treaty at the United Nations, after almost two decades of negotiations. It sets the rules and tools for protecting ocean life over nearly half of our planet. Most importantly, it provides a pathway to creating marine...
When running away is bad
So what’s wrong with being an escapist? Therapist Lyn Reed cites its precariousness. “I would argue (this) escapism is an unhealthy way of coping with the challenges in our lives. With the stresses of modern life, escapism is pervasive. It comes in many forms and...
Respiratory Relief Syrup: A Natural Remedy to Balance Kapha
Seasonal changes, cold weather, and damp conditions often lead to an increase in Kapha dosha, which can manifest as congestion, cough, or a feeling of heaviness in the respiratory system. Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of medicine, offers simple yet effective...
Anuvasana Basti in Ayurvedic Wellness
In the heart of Ayurvedic wisdom, Panchakarma stands as a beacon of detoxification and rejuvenation, guiding individuals back to their natural state of balance and vitality. Among the myriad treatments constituting this ancient system, Basti therapy holds a...
Tips to Get Your Home Ready for Spring
1: Clean Out Those Gutters It’s not the most pleasant job but it certainly needs doing and there’s no better time than just before Spring’s arrival. So grab your work gloves, hop on up a ladder, and get down to business. If that doesn’t sound like your kind of thing,...
You’ve heard of the Big Bang. Now astronomers have discovered the Big Wheel
Deep observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have revealed an exceptionally large galaxy in the early universe. It’s a cosmic giant whose light has travelled over 12 billion years to reach us. We’ve dubbed it the Big Wheel, with our findings published...
20 Tough Plants for Full Sun & Heat That Thrive All Summer
ANNUAL PLANTS FOR FULL SUN HEART TO HEART® Caladium Common Name: caladium If you live in the South, Caladiums are probably already a staple in your garden and why wouldn’t they be? They absolutely adore hot weather. It’s not a matter of whether they “handle the heat...
Teach kids to care about the environment…
How to Raise an Environmentally Conscious Child: Course Corrections [B[efore I became a full-time “peasant,” I was an environmental educator, tasked with instilling nature stewardship in young minds. My boss gave me benchmarks for my nature hikes and stream surveys:...
The Netherlands agrees to return more than 100 artifacts to Nigeria looted during colonial times
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The Netherlands agreed on Wednesday to return a collection of 119 artifacts to Nigeria, the latest objects to be sent back to their homelands as museums grapple with their colonial-era holdings. The artifacts, known as the Benin...
Red dye No. 3 has been banned, but what about other artificial food dyes?
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., recently confirmed as the U.S. secretary of health and human services, campaigned on a promise to “Make America Healthy Again,” including a focus on artificial dyes and other chemicals in food. His support has been buoyed by “MAHA moms,” women...
New Zealand’s Mount Taranaki is now legally a person
Mount Taranaki joins Te Urewera, a vast native forest on the North Island, and the Whanganui River in being recognised as people under New Zealand's laws. A mountain in New Zealand is now legally recognised as a person after being granted all the rights and...
The Rise of Gen Z Small Business Owners
By: Aries Payne Although they’re known for their entrepreneurial spirit, a 2024 survey found that Millennials surprisingly only own 13% of small businesses. The majority are currently owned by Gen Xers (47%), followed by Boomers (40%). But where does this leave...
Underground Seed
Underground seed banks hold promise for ecological restoration. In 2000, Sam Lea converted his once-productive Willamette Valley onion field back into wetlands. The third-generation Oregon farmer excavated several ponds and largely left the land alone. Soon,...
Understanding Clean Energy
Global Commitment to Clean Energy Faces New Challenges Clean energy refers to energy sources that produce minimal or no greenhouse gas emissions. This includes solar panels harnessing sunlight, wind turbines generating power from wind, and hydroelectric plants...
Constitution of the United States
Do Americans know their rights? Survey says: No. In a recent AmeriSpeak panel conducted by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, FIRE asked 1,140 Americans if they could name any of the specific rights protected by the First Amendment. The...
What is heavy metal poisoning ?
HEAVY METALS. Dr. Joseph Feste Toxic heavy metals are virtually everywhere and are present in all kinds of things that we come in contact with every day, such as aluminum cans and aluminum foil, batteries, metal cookware, old paint, and even the foods we eat. For...
The History of Black Salve
Black Sauve In the 1850s, American surgeon Jesse Fell learned of a plant used by Native Americans to treat cancer. He identified this plant as bloodroot and subsequently combined it with zinc chloride to formulate Fell’s Paste. On emigrating to London, Fell...