Deforestation Palm oil is cheaper to produce than most vegetable oils. Since palm oil costs less to produce, plantations have been spreading across Latin America, Africa, and Asia. According to the World Wildlife Fund, “such expansion comes at the expense of tropical forests—which form critical habitats for many endangered species and a lifeline for some… Continue reading Dangers of Palm Oil
6 Ways Trees Improve Cities and Suburbs 6 Ways Trees Improve Cities and Suburbs. According to the nonprofit organization American Forests1, more than 140 million acres of America’s forests are located in cities and towns. Bringing a little piece of the forest into our urban and suburban world confers numerous benefits. Wherever you live, it’s… Continue reading 6 Ways Trees Improve Cities and Suburbs
Biden Rejoins Paris Climate Agreement. What does this mean and how will this affect our future? As part of his plan for the first 100 days of his presidency, America’s new President Joe Biden has rejoined the Paris Climate Agreement. The Paris Climate Agreement is an international treaty with the goal to combat climate change.… Continue reading Biden Rejoins Paris Climate Agreement
Environmental Books: 12 for 2021 Environmental books. 2020 is drawing to a close. But 2021 will be another year to move forward in combating climate change, and making positive changes both locally and globally. To help inspire and gain momentum, take a break with one of these environmental books. They will remind you why we… Continue reading Environmental Books: 12 For 2021
Toxic Algae in Your Florida Pond: How to Stop It Toxic algae in your Florida pond. Cypress trees, canna lilies, duckweed, eelgrass, and algae. Turtles lounging on the shore, and a white heron keeps watch. Sounds pristine and perhaps a somewhat rare scene in HOA communities, and business areas, right? Ponds covered with algae and… Continue reading Toxic Algae in Your Florida Pond: How to Stop It
The Case for Renewable Energy The case for Renewable energy has become a byword in the vocabulary of environmental activism, but the topic isn’t a simple one and there’s a lot to know – from the hard science to the politics that dominate the energy scene. That’s why IDEAS For Us and the Orlando Zero… Continue reading The Case for Renewable Energy
Fast Fashion: Ditch the Trends and Go with Everlasting Style Fast fashion. Orlando Zero Hour, an intersectional youth climate organization saw that with people working from home and isolated from one another, was a ripe time to launch an educational campaign. So they did just that, starting Project Reuse and Reduce, which strives to teach… Continue reading Fast Fashion: Ditch the Trends and Go with Everlasting Style
Permaculture: Closing the Loop Permaculture: Closing the Loop. It’s probably safe to say that most of us live similar lives in a lot of ways: we go to the grocery store to purchase stacks of packaged foods; we water our lawns; we drop cardboard boxes and bags of leaves on the pavement for the trash… Continue reading Permaculture: Closing the Loop
Toxic Lake Apopka Toxic Lake Apopka. The History of agriculture here, and how we got to where we are. The Toxic Tour of Lake Apopka, led by Jeannie Economos of the Farmworker Association of Florida, conveys the deep history of Lake Apopka North Shore, agriculture and nutrient pollution. The synopsis below provides a snapshot of Central Florida’s… Continue reading Toxic Lake Apopka
This week, Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) will hold two community forums, where customers will have occasion to air demands for transitioning Central Florida to clean, renewable energy. The first one will take place on Jan. 14, at Engelwood Neighborhood Center, and the second on Jan. 16, at The Pavilion at Avalon Park. OUC, the 14th… Continue reading Clean Energy for Orlando
