Does Anyone Wanna’ Go Dance Upon the Roof?

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Humans have grown plants atop structures since antiquity. The ziggurats of ancient Mesopotamia (4th millennium BC–600 BC) had plantings of trees and shrubs on aboveground terraces. An example in Roman times was the Villa of the Mysteries in Pompeii, which had an elevated terrace where plants were grown. A roof garden has also been discovered … Read more

Attracting Hummingbirds

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These hummingbird favorites are easy to plant and they will animate your garden in the most delightful way. Agastache: Quickly becoming a summer favorite, this perennial has fragrant foliage and spiky flowers of pink, purple, blue, red and orange. Hollyhock: Plant these and you’ll have sensational spires of flowers. A classic cottage garden plant that’s very easy … Read more

Precision Irrigation in sub-Saharan Africa

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Large, centralized irrigation schemes, often built around big water storage dams, were a major component of the Green Revolution that helped boost food production and reduce famine risks for millions of people, especially in Asia. But they have often proven environmentally destructive and, especially in Africa, expensive. By contrast, decentralized irrigation – small individual systems … Read more

The Wind at Our Back Gusts from 73.6GW in 2006 to 280.6GW in 2012

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According to a new report, Wind Power – Global Market Size, Turbine Market Share, Installation Prices, Regulations and Investment Analysis to 2020, by research firm GlobalData, installed capacity increased at a compound annual growth rate of 25%. This translates into to a jump from 73.6GW in 2006 to 280.6GW in 2012. There was a 7%, … Read more

The Pitch of a Solar Roof

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The angle or pitch of your roof actually has less impact on solar panel performance than the direction it faces. In general, optimal production occurs when solar panels face south at a tilt equal to 30°. But what happens if your roof is flat? Lowering the tilt all the way down to 5° only decreases … Read more

Positive Qualities – Compelling & Robust

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Dear Folks, • Be willing to face life squarely. • Realize that every problem impacts growth to the degree that it is attempted to be solved. — Steps Toward Inner Peace, Peace Pilgrim Many things are Compelling: monetary or emotional security, Robust health, natural beauty, elegant truth, personal goodness. These appeal to us because they … Read more

Less Than Half in USA Look at Restaurant Nutrition Facts

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Even as more U.S. restaurants list nutritional information on their menus, less than half of Americans, 43%, say they pay a “great deal” or a “fair amount” of attention to it. Americans are much more likely to take note of nutritional labels on food packages, with 68% saying they pay at least a fair amount … Read more

Tackling Malnutrition in Rural Ethiopia

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Not long ago, it was common for children under the age of 5 to receive treatment for severe malnutrition in this Ethiopian community. Today, a community-based nutrition programme is keeping children strong and healthy, and families resilient. Weighing children monthly is one of the pillars of the Ethiopian Ministry of Health’s Community Based Nutrition Programme … Read more