We all have something to offer and needs to fill. The more we can provide for each other locally, the closer we are to sustainability.

Share Tompkins, a volunteer-run group based in Ithaca, NY, was formed in May 2009 to help folks share and trade goods and services. We organize monthly “Community Swap Meets,” where people give-away and barter everything from homemade apple butter and original art, to music lessons, and massage.

The swaps are fun, social events and often include potluck food, music and crafting. Our first few gatherings were in people’s homes and backyards. Our most recent Holiday Swap was hosted by a local Community Center and over seventy people came out to share and trade crafts and goodies for the gift-giving season.

All kinds of creative arrangements have emerged from these events. At one swap, three different families said they needed help moving. They ended up arranging a three-way swap where they all helped each other on moving day. And another person at the swap lent them his truck in exchange for a hand-knitted hat and gloves. My partner and I have been able to exchange video production and web design for local, organic produce and the supplies we needed to start our own downtown container garden.

You can organize your own Community Swap Meet by following these steps:

Step One: Define your goals.

Who are you hoping will participate – people living in your building, your neighborhood, all over your city? What kinds of things do you want to share? You can have a free-for-all, but sometimes it makes sense to focus swaps around clothing, books or some other theme. If you haven’t already, now might be a good time to get other people and/or groups involved – you’re going to need help with the next steps!

Step Two: Choose a venue and date.

Based on your vision for the event, choose a day and time that are likely to yield a good turnout. Usually two to three hours is a good length for a swap, but sometimes they evolve into all-night dance parties – you never know. When choosing a venue, consider size, location, accessibility and cost. Possible free spaces include people’s houses, public parks, community centers, libraries and schools. If you don’t have ready access to one of these, who do you know that does?

Step Three: Spread the word.

Be strategic – you probably have limited time, so focus your efforts on reaching people where they are. Sometimes all you need is word of mouth. To reach a broad audience you could make a Facebook event page, put up eye-catching flyers around town, send an event blurb to email lists, and even contact your local newspapers and other media outlets. It helps to start a buzz about a month before the swap, and then send a reminder a day or two before the event.

Step Four: Signs and Supplies.

Especially for bigger swaps, it’s good to have some easy-to-read signs outside the venue. We made a generic “Swap Meet Today” sign that we reuse each month. It’s also good to set up a welcome table with info and a sign-up sheet so you can stay in touch with people about future events. Folks usually need tarps or tables for their stuff. Sometimes the venue will have these available; if not, ask people to bring their own and/or arrange to borrow some from someone else in the community.

Step Five: Have the Swap!

If it’s a smaller gathering, you could start by going around in a circle with each person describing what they brought and what they’re looking for (including services and items that are available but not physically at the swap). For bigger events, we put up “Have” and “Want” boards in a central place with post-its and pens so people can list items along with their name and contact information. We also find its helpful to separate the stuff at the swap into two main areas – “Free” and “For Barter/Sale.” This helps avoid confusion. As for the actual swapping, it seems to work best when people do their own thing and make arrangements organically.

Step Five and a Half: Document and Evaluate.

Take photos and do a head count of how many people show up. Ask people to share their stories of successful swaps as well as feedback on what worked and what didn’t work at the event. Before you plan your next swap, take time to reflect on this feedback and think about what you might want to do differently.

Step Six: Keep the momentum going.

Follow up with people and organize more swaps and gatherings. Encourage new people to host events and take the lead in other ways. Share what you’re doing online and with local press.

Share Tompkins has organized seven Community Swap Meets to-date and we’re planning a “Really Really Free Market” at the end of January. We also run a mailing list and a website with a directory of over a hundred local and national resources that help people meet their needs.

Beyond all these tangible activities, we feel we are contributing to the creation of a social fabric rich in giving and sharing. At each swap meet, the “Free” section is bigger. It’s not unusual for produce to be left on my doorstep. Before I go to the store, I ask myself, Is this something I can borrow or get from someone in my community and what can I offer them in return? I encourage anyone to take this idea and run with it in your community…for barter or worse!

Visit our site to read our blog, check out photos and videos from events and explore our resources directory or join us on Facebook.

How much of what you recycle ends up at the dump?

Do you cross the street to put your soda can in the recycling bin or avidly pluck plastics and paper from your neighbor’s trash cans? The current state of recycling in the United States may surprise you.

It’s in trouble for many reasons, including two straightforward ones. Most programs dump everything together — and consumers are confused about what goes into their recycling bins.

Single-stream recycling, first developed in the 1990s, offers the allure that everything can be recycled without duplicating efforts to handle paper, plastic, glass, and metal refuse. Creating a single blue bin where people can toss all kinds of recyclable items did away with the need to separate your bottles from your cans from your newspapers.

When your commingled recyclables arrive at the facility, they travel along conveyor belts where someone manually pre-sorts them. Then the stuff goes through a series of screens that separate items by weight and shape, and strong magnets mechanically sort the steel and aluminum products.

Nearly two-thirds of U.S. communities that recycle used this approach by 2010.

The single-stream system sounds great, but it’s not perfect. The biggest problem is that contamination can occur at your home or workplace, in your curbside bin, at the sorting facility, or on the way there.

For example, glass bottles can break and sully plastic and paper bales with broken shards, making them unfit for turning into new recycled products. And when paper is co-mingled with plastic food containers, it can be ruined with lingering food and beverage residues.

These contaminated recyclables, unfortunately, often end up in landfills — or else they’re bought by countries with a lower standard for materials being recycled. In 2014, nearly 40 percent of paper items that were put into the recycling stream — which otherwise would have been great for making more sustainable paper products here in the United States — went overseas.

If you’ve ever wondered about the fate of your discarded recyclables, you may want to yell “Why even bother?”

But don’t trash your blue bin. Here’s how you can stop wasting your recycling efforts.

First, don’t “wish-cycle.”

Lumping together old garden hoses, plastic shopping bags, and old sneakers with newspapers and plastic milk jugs won’t get that junk reincarnated as yogurt containers.

It just increases the cost of the entire recycling process by making it harder to haul and sort everything, because workers will be taking your wish-cycled items to a different destination — a trash incinerator or landfill. Learn your local recycling rules and follow them.

Second, don’t grab that bag.

Putting your recyclables into a bag to carry them out to the recycling bin might seem logical, but every bag has to be ripped open at the sorting facility — a time-consuming process that holds up the sorting line. This time crunch is sometimes “solved” along the way by tossing the bags of recyclables into the trash pile.

Instead, try collecting and carrying your recyclables out to the bin in a container or box, and reuse it every week.

Finally, play the sorting game.

See if your city has special collection points for electronics or specific plastic containers to ensure they end up in the right place. Some cities even collect paper separately to protect it from contamination. Castoffs unfit for curbside collection might be perfect for a recycling drop-off at a nearby grocery or supply store. Check Earth911.com to discover what can be recycled where.

Recycling is an important service to our society — and our planet. If U.S. recycling levels can rise to a 75 percent participation rate, that would equal the environmental benefit of removing 50 million cars from the road each year and could generate 1.5 million new green jobs.

All it would take to turn things around and keep more of our trash out of the dump is a handful of new recycling habits.

The question of whether it is environmentally correct to buy a real Christmas tree has been asked repeatedly in recent years, and an expert in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences wants to lay it to rest permanently.

The answer, according to Ricky Bates, associate professor of ornamental horticulture, is an emphatic, “Yes!”

Photo by Lori L. Stalteri / CC via flickr

“It’s a silly debate — you can breathe easier knowing Christmas trees are being grown,” said Bates, whose research deals with problems faced by the nursery and Christmas-tree industries. He conducts research and extension education programs aimed at improving the profitability of these businesses.

“Christmas trees in the United States provide the daily oxygen requirements for millions of people.”

And if better breathing is not enough, people can rest easier knowing that real trees are a renewable resource. “Approximately 34 million trees are sold every year, and more than enough seedlings are planted to replace them,” he said. “A million acres nationally are in Christmas tree production.

“In the final analysis, Christmas-tree farms benefit the environment in a number of important and diverse ways. Reducing soil erosion, creating habitat for wildlife and sequestering carbon are just a few practical benefits realized via tree farming.”

When a Christmas-tree seedling is planted on a farm, it usually is already three or four years old. Depending upon the species, it may take another seven to 10 years to produce a marketable tree.

Some people contend that producing real trees doesn’t require burning fossil fuels, as do artificial trees, but it is not that simple, according to Bates. “Actually, the environmental impact of producing Christmas trees or any other agricultural commodity is more complicated than it may appear, and the question needs to be considered in the context of overall benefits and costs,” he said.

“For example, fossil fuels are consumed by equipment to produce trees on farms, but these same trees also sequester carbon over their lifespan.”

Finally, buying a real tree every year is good for the economy. Bates estimates that there are more than 15,000 Christmas-tree growers in the United States. The industry employs approximately 100,000 people. The total Christmas-tree crop recently was valued at more than $360 million.

It doesn’t appear that the recent economic downturn has had much of an impact on the tree industry. “People still are buying Christmas trees,” Bates said, “probably because displaying a Christmas tree is an important tradition for many families, and it does not represent a very large expense.”

Buying a real tree is especially good for Pennsylvania, Bates contended. “There are approximately 2,000 Christmas-tree producers in the state who grow approximately 46 million Christmas trees,” he said. “About 2 million of them are harvested annually. Six million new Christmas-tree seedlings are planted in Pennsylvania every year.

“In recent history, Pennsylvania typically has ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in the nation in the number of Christmas-tree farms,” he added. “In terms of acreage and/or dollar volume of sales, Pennsylvania usually ranks behind only Michigan, North Carolina and Oregon.

“The Keystone State is an excellent region of the country to grow Christmas trees due to a combination of acceptable, well-drained soil types and somewhat moderate temperature conditions. Proximity to population centers along the East Coast also is an advantage.”

In Pennsylvania, the Douglas fir and Fraser fir are the two most important species, comprising more than 70 percent of the acreage in the state, Bates noted. Other species grown include white pine, blue spruce, concolor fir (also called white fir) and Scotch pine.

“If there is a favorite, or one most-desired tree by consumers, it likely would be the Fraser fir, due to its excellent needle retention and fragrance,” he said.

Being a Christmas-tree guru, one might expect Bates to offer a secret method to keeping a tree purchased in early December fresh until at least New Year’s Day or even a bit after. “Not really,” he said. “It’s pretty straightforward. Keeping a cut tree fresh during the holidays is largely an issue of water. Anything you can do to keep the tree hydrated will keep it fresh.”

Start by making a fresh, quarter-inch cut around the base of the tree if it has been more than two days since it was harvested, Bates advised. Use a tree stand with a water reservoir of at least 1.5 gallons — a freshly cut, average-size tree can use up to a gallon of water each day.

“Refill the stand with clean water regularly so that the water level does not drop below the base of the tree,” he said. “Keep the tree away from heat — don’t position it near heating vents. Douglas fir and Fraser fir should remain fresh inside a house for four or five weeks.”

After the tree is used, consider alternative disposal methods, he urged. Many communities have recycling programs — some offering curbside pickup — and will convert the tree into mulch.

“Used trees also make great fish habitats when placed in farm ponds or lakes,” Bates said.

While being environmentally-conscious might not always be the prettiest or flashiest way to improve your home, eco-friendly upgrades are one of the best investments you can make. After all, you can save huge money on your energy bills and protect the environment at the same time. If you’re ready to make the switch to a sustainable lifestyle in every room of your home, here are the must-have eco-chic energy efficiency upgrades you need to consider now.

1. Install better windows

Poorly insulated windows can cause huge temperature fluctuations in your home, meaning you’re constantly fiddling with the thermostat and money is constantly flying out of your wallet. Upgrading to wood or fiberglass windows and energy-efficient glass will provide a tighter and more reliable barrier against outside temperatures.

2. Re-insulate your attic

It’s easy to forget about the insulation in your attic – until the winter chill comes along. Insulation degrades over time, so if it’s been a few years since you checked on the pink stuff, go make sure your insulation is 12” deep or thicker. If it’s any less, it’s time to re-insulate. Instead of conventional fiberglass insulation consider more sustainable options now available, made from materials such as hemp, sheep’s wool and shredded denim.

3. Check the roof

Damp leaves and debris that pile up in fall can cause rot and leaky holes in asphalt and wood shingles. Before the snowstorms start, inspect your roof to make sure there are no problem areas, and replace any damaged or loose shingles. If it’s time to replace your roof entirely, consider investing in a metal roof. Not only does it provide superior insulation, metal roofs are virtually leakproof and rustproof, and can last for up to 70 years or more!

4. Install a programmable thermostat

No need to heat or cool your home when everyone’s away at work and school, right? Still, it stinks to come home to a house that’s too warm or cold. With a programmable thermostat, you can set the time when you need the heat or AC to kick on or turn off, which will save you bundles in unused energy and give you one less thing to think about during your busy day.

5. Install Energy-Star appliances

Energy-Star appliances use less energy to use than traditional appliances while still providing superior performance. Although they sometimes cost more than unrated appliances, the investment is worth it in the long run. Energy-Star appliances often have longer lifespans and, because they use less energy, you’ll see a dip in your electric bill that’ll help offset the initial investment.

6. Improve your floors

Your floors may also be compromising your home’s insulating abilities, not to mention products like vinyl are very harmful to the environment to produce. By switching to cork, you’ll get a great thermal barrier against the outside temperatures. This material is sustainable, antimicrobial, and water resistant to boot. Oh, and did we mention it can also dampen sounds? This might be the first upgrade to make in the kids’ rooms!

7. Switch your bulbs

LED bulbs are way more energy efficient than ordinary light bulbs. In fact, they convert 80% of energy to light and lose only 20% to heat, whereas traditional bulbs are the reverse. Plus, a single bulb can last for 20 years or more — seriously! And, while the initial investment can be a little steep (LED bulbs range from about $40-$100 a pop), the money you’ll be saving in the long run more than pays for this great upgrade.

While this list consists of the most popular eco-friendly upgrades you can make to your home, remember that you don’t need to do everything at once. You can start small by putting LED bulbs in your most-used lights, and maybe re-insulating the attic or replacing some shingles. In spring, consider checking a few more eco-friendly upgrades off the list, and before you know it you’ll be living in the green palace of your dreams.

Paul Kazlov is a “green” home remodeling enthusiast and an industry pioneer for innovation in home renovation. Paul writes for the Global Home Improvement Blog and strives to educate people about “green” products such as metal roofing and solar. Follow him on Twitter @PaulKazlov

Have you ever thought about what happens after you throw your plastic water bottle in the recycling bin? Maybe you have, maybe you haven’t, but unless you work at a recycling plant, you may not know how involved the process of recycling a plastic water bottle is. It is hard to imagine how our own individual actions can affect others on an environmental and global scale. In the end we are just 1 in 7 billion, right? So our daily decisions will hardly make a difference, right? Wrong.

I’m going to lay it all out as simply as possible, using the example of water bottles.

1) Accessibility:

If you’ve wandered around the main floor of SUB, then you may have noticed their fancy new water fountains. (They might be a few years old now, but they’re still new-ish.) These special water fountains are designed to fill-up your reusable water bottles, and they actually do it well. Since being installed 493251* reusable bottles have been filled up, which means that 493251 water bottles have actually been saved from our processing systems (which come with their own added environmental impacts) and our everyday environment. Another way to think about it – we (the students) ultimately paid for the water bottle fountains in SUB anyway, so we might as well get our money’s worth.

*Number as of October 9, 2015.

2) Global Sustainability:

The world drinks over $100 billion worth of bottled water each year. That’s roughly 50 billion bottles. In addition, 17 million barrels of oil are used in the production of disposable water bottles annually, in other words, enough to fuel 1 million cars for an entire year. Producing bottled water also requires up to 2000 times the energy cost of producing tap water. And guess what, it takes 3 times the amount of water to produce a bottle as it does to fill it. If that’s not ironic, I don’t know what is.

You may be wondering where the recycling process falls into all of this. Well, some bottles are recycled, a whopping 20% in fact, while the other 80% end up in landfills, on the streets and in waterways where they ooze toxic chemicals and finally decompose…after 450 years. And guess what? Every square mile of the ocean has more than 46000 pieces of plastic in it. So be careful next time you go scuba diving. I for one don’t want to get hit in the face by a toxin-oozing Aquafina bottle… and don’t really want my great-great-great-(maybe another great) grandchildren to get hit by the same bottle turned plastic fossil 300 years from now.

3) Human Rights:

Doesn’t simply existing as a human being mean that you should have the right to water? I mean, we as human beings need water to survive, so why are 1 billion people around the world still struggling to gain access to drinkable water? Something that many people don’t think about is that buying bottled water supports companies that are putting a price on a basic life necessity, making clean water inaccessible to those who can’t afford it.  By refusing to buy bottled water, you are taking a step towards preventing the privatization and commodification of water resources, and instead are helping to promote public water works to ensure that our public water remains accountable to all.

4) Its Not As Clean As You Think

Don’t be fooled by the picture on the label of the serene mountain range reflecting on a pristine lake. Bottled water samples can contain phthalates, mold, microbes, benzene, trihalomethanes, even arsenic…so yes, a lot of bad stuff. Plastic bottles can also leach phthalates (chemicals used in plastics) into the water, which can cause complications with hormones for those who consume it. The bottles labeled #1 are the worst.

This is where the importance of Edmonton’s water cleaning systems comes into play. This calls to mind a fieldtrip I went on in high school to a water cleaning facility. There I discovered that lab technicians perform hundreds of water quality tests a day to ensure that our tap water is clean and safe over and above their very impressive water quality reports. You can access more information here.

5) Glorified Tap Water: You save A LOT of Money. SCORE!!

Up to 40% of bottled water comes from municipal water systems AKA tap water but minus the filtration mentioned above…and with a price tag. I don’t know about you but choosing whether to pay for water that has been sloshed under some UV rays when I could just walk over to the nearest fountain in SUB isn’t a tough decision for me to make personally, especially if tap water costs, on average $0.002/Gallon instead of $7.50/Gallon (when in individual 500mL bottles). Just imagine, if all of the water you used around the house were bottled water, your monthly water bill would cost around $9000!

6) Values and Interests:

By using a reusable water bottle, I’m able to send a visual cue to all those nearby that I value reducing my carbon footprint. Plus, I can pick out a bottle that has a design that reflects my personal style (which can be handy when trying to tell my water bottle apart from my friends…so, it’s healthier because there’s less risk of accidentally grabbing someone else’s bottle and having to experience back-wash *shudder*). And as I’ve shared in an earlier post, I’m usually that classmate that distracts you with food in class… I don’t need to be that classmate who also attracts your side eye because of my drink wear choices.

So, those are my reasons for not buying bottled water. And yes, I would encourage you to do the same. So, think outside the bottle! Make life choices that are not only beneficial to your own health…and wallet, but also have a positive environmental, economical, and social impact on the rest of the world.

Resources
Mindbodygreen.com
Greatist.com
Third World Traveler.com
Epcor
The U of A Students’ Union

When farms face water shortages, our food is at stake.

The current California drought—one of the most severe on record—is everybody’s concern, and farmers and eaters alike can be part of the solution!

Food is thirsty. The average person eats as much as 1,320 gallons of virtual water every day. Virtual water is the water it takes to produce the food we eat. About 80% of the state’s developed water is used for agriculture (excluding “environmental” water that remains in waterways). But food is life, so rather than quit eating, we can do our part to save water and support the farmers who are working hard to keep us fed in a time of drought.

What Eaters Can Do

Here are 10 ways you can be water-wise in your food choices and cooking:

1. Talk to your farmer. Growing practices significantly impact water use. Ask your farmer about how they use water on their farm, and buy from farms that use water-saving techniques, such as going organic, composting, installing drip irrigation, and using mulch.

2. Know your water footprint. Water use varies widely from crop to crop. Orchard crops tend to use more water per pound than annual fruit and vegetable crops, because of the years it takes to nurture trees to fruit-bearing age, and because they must be watered year-round for only one annual harvest. Animal products (especially those that are grain-fed rather than pasture-raised) tend to require much more water than plant products, because of the water that goes into producing the feed the animals eat throughout their lifetimes. Water is only one factor in the sustainability of our food, but it’s an important one to consider.

3. Waste not. About 40 percent of the food produced in the United States is never eaten. When food is wasted, the virtual water used to grow it is thrown out too. Reducing food waste is easy: Plan ahead, buy only what you need, get creative with leftovers, and eat the whole plant or animal when possible. And don’t let misshapen produce go to waste. Embracing cosmetically challenged but perfectly edible produce is another way you can combat the drought.

4. Eat more plants. It takes a lot of water to produce meat, especially beef; you could take 6 months of showers with the water used to produce one pound of beef! Americans eat more meat than our bodies require. Consider choosing smaller portions of meat and increasing the plant-based portion of your plate, or going meatless once a week.

5. Buy organic produce and pasture-raised meat. Overall, organically grown crops use less water than conventionally grown crops. Organically managed croplands tend to have more organic matter in the soil, which increases water holding capacity and reduces water runoff. When you buy animal proteins, opt for pasture-raised meat (especially unirrigated pasture), which requires less water than conventional, grain-fed meat.

6. Eat drought-tolerant foods and grow them in your garden. Seek out varieties that don’t drink much. Armenian cucumbers, orach, lambsquarters, chard, okra, some varieties of eggplant, and amaranth are just a few of the crops you can find in the farmers market that do well in a drought. Mother Earth News has a good list.

7. Seek out dry-farmed foods. The ancient technique of dry farming, or cultivating crops with little or no irrigation, is extremely relevant in these dry times. Not all crops are suitable for dry farming, but at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, Devoto Gardens & Orchards dry-farms apples, Little Organic Farm offers potatoes, Dirty Girl Produce and Lonely Mountain Farm have tomatoes, and Iacopi Farms grows some of their beans without irrigation. Wine grapes and olives can also be dry farmed in California. Dry-farmed produce is often more flavor-dense than conventionally grown produce, but the yields are lower, so it can be more expensive.

8. Avoid processed food. In addition to the virtual water used to grow food, food processing takes water (and often wastes some of the food). The amount of wastewater associated with processing produce ranges from an average of 1,600 gallons per ton of tomatoes to 17,000 gallons per ton of cauliflower.

9. Be a water-wise gardener. When you grow your own food, you’re in control of its water footprint. Many gardeners make the mistake of over-watering. For tips, check the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s online Water-Wise Gardening Guide.

10. Be a water-wise cook. Minimize water used for boiling, and use it for plants afterwards. Be efficient when washing dishes and produce. Avoid the garbage disposal.

Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) Photo: Annetta Hoagland

We’ve had two birds die from hitting windows over the last two weeks. It used to happen in our last house, which featured big picture windows facing a canyon. But now I think the native plant and wildlife friendly habitat we’ve nurtured is bringing more birds to our Redlands CA house.

Here are some suggestions to help prevent birds from hitting windows, from several bird organizations: the Audubon Society, the American Bird Conservancy and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, along with a local bird expert.

But first, what’s the problem?

Windows that are most reflective are the most hazardous, even those that are small since many birds fly into small spaces such as tree cavities or between branches. According to the American Bird Conservancy, collisions happen more frequently during spring and fall migration periods or when resident birds fledge young or leave territories to seek food in winter. One study showed that whether or not people fed birds was a main factor — in other words, we may unwittingly contribute to the problem.

Solutions:

Beginning with ones that are effective and don’t cost anything.

Relocate feeders, birdbaths and other attractants

One thing we changed in our old house was relocating our bird feeders. Bird strikes are more likely to be fatal when birds take off from a distance and are flying at top speed when they hit. Consider moving feeders and birdbaths within 2-3 feet of your window – so they can’t get enough speed to hurt themselves, or 15 or more feet away from windows.

Avoid visual paths to sky and greenery

A window on the opposite side of your picture window may give the illusion of an open path. Close some curtains or blinds, or a door if applicable, to lessen this ‘see through effect’ or keep the slats only half open. “If there is a particular time of day that bird strikes happen, then just shut the blinds or curtains during that time,” says Kurt Leuschner, a bird expert and natural resources professor at College of the Desert in Palm Desert. This can be very effective. Birds kept hitting the 2nd floor office windows of my husband’s workplace. Once they started closing the blinds halfway during the workday, the issue stopped.

Hang moving things in front of windows

Leuschner says his most effective solution is to hang moving things in front of the window: wind chimes, mobiles, flags and banners, anything that moves or glints in the sun. even old CD’s hanging from fishing line.

Decals, stickers or other objects

Put decals, stickers, sun catchers, vertical tape strips, or other objects on the outside surface of windows. These need to be put on clean windows and spaced close together (every three feet for the  ultraviolet decals.) We bought hawk silhouette stickers in the past but they are supposedly no more useful than others. Some stickers are ultraviolet — these appear transparent to our eyes but are visible to birds. We just ordered ultraviolet decals from Windowalert.com. (update in August: these seemed to work – no more hits….) Or better yet, support local businesses by visiting a nearby bird specialty store. You can also mark glass with soap or permanent paint, or American Bird Conservancy developed an ABC bird tape for purchase.

Install external shutters

(Also great energy savers) and keep them closed when you’re not in the room or taking advantage of the light or view. Or, install external sunshades or awnings.

Use netting or window screening

Cover the glass outside with window screening or netting at least 2-3 inches from the glass, taut enough to bounce birds off before they can hit the glass. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology installed crop netting—the kind used to keep birds away from fruit trees—in front of a large picture window next to a garden where birds fed. The result was no more dead and injured birds. They recommend small-mesh netting, (5/8” or 1.6 cm in diameter) so birds won’t get their heads or bodies entangled but will bounce off unharmed. You can mount the netting on a frame, such as a storm-window frame.

Cover glass with a one-way transparent film

This permits people on the inside to see out, but makes the window appear opaque on the outside. See the Fatal Light Awareness Program website for more info. Make sure these products are mounted on the outside of the glass.

When putting in new windows, consider double-hung windows

These have the screen on the outside of the glass. Also, ask your contractor to construct the window so the glass angles downward and doesn’t reflect sky and trees. Note that this may void the window’s warranty.

When you find a stunned but alive bird

Usually, after making sure the bird was in a safe spot, away from cats and other predators, many times we  return a half hour and the bird had recovered and flown off. For yesterday’s female house finch, my husband placed it upright on a cloth in a large tupperware and put it on a heating vent, with the lid askew. After four hours, we were able to release it. Unfortunately, though, we found it dead this morning, so it must have had internal injuries.

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

For more info:

Fatal Life Awareness Program

American Bird Conservancy’s ABC tape

Cornell Lab of Ornithology How to Avoid Window Collisions

National Audubon Society’s Minimizing Window Collisions

For decal purchases: Wild Birds Unlimited or Window Alerts

To conserve the planet’s ecosystems and their diverse plant and animal species, human populations should consume less meat, according to FIU researchers.

Producing livestock, including cattle, goats and sheep, for human consumption is the single largest driver of habitat loss and deforestation worldwide. It accounts for 75 percent of agricultural land and is a leading cause of climate change, soil loss, water pollution, and the loss of wild carnivores and herbivores.

In a recent study published in Science of the Total Environment, FIU biologists Brian Machovina and Kenneth J. Feeley argue in order to decrease the land demands and ecological footprint of agriculture people should reduce animal products in their diets to a daily average of 10 percent or less of calories. That is a tall order when trying to balance the availability of food for people, their desire to eat meant, and the need to increase nutritional health. The recommended reduction is equivalent to a daily serving of meat that is about the size of a deck of playing cards.

“Reducing animal-based product consumption is realistic if we can offer delicious, convenient, plant-based foods that people want to eat,” Machovina said. “The power of the market is what drives meat consumption, and the power of the market can equally drive its reduction. Awareness about the damage of meat consumption to personal and environmental health can help change these trends through market-driven conservation.”

By analyzing data sets of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Machovina found the production of meat in the most biodiverse countries in the world — including those in Asia, Africa and South America — is increasing rapidly. Some countries may require 30 to 50 percent more land beyond their current agricultural areas just to meet their meat production needs by 2050. China is of particular concern because of its very rapid rise in human population and meat consumption, as well as the hunting and consumption of wild animal meat in Africa and Asia.

But there is hope, according to Machovina. Growing crops, including fruits, vegetables, legumes and soy protein would increase the number of food calories available for people by as much as 70 percent on the agricultural lands currently in use. Soybeans contain twice the protein of beef, pork or chicken, and 10 times more protein than whole milk. Cultivating them requires less land area than what is needed to raise livestock. This could allow an additional 4 billion people to be fed, surpassing the estimated global population growth of 2-3 billion people.

In addition to helping the planet, the researchers say decreasing the intake of animal products can benefit health. Heart disease is the leading cause of human death and is strongly associated with consuming meat and other animal products.

“I had no idea livestock production was the number one use of land by mankind, the largest driver of deforestation, or that animal product consumption is the underlying cause of most deaths via circulatory disease,” Machovina said. “But when I started reading on the subject and focusing my work on how animal consumption is affecting biodiversity, the results have been profound. When people experience the positive changes plant-based foods can have on their health and the health of their loved ones, the opportunity for widespread change is powerful.”

Machovina’s research on ecology and food security, including the effects of meat consumption by humans on the environment, has been featured in various journals, including PNAS, Nature and Science. He has also presented his work at TEDxFIU in 2014.

Another gem from The Story of Stuff Project – this time about the dangers of tiny plastic microbeads in many products we use daily, which go down the drain and into our lakes, rivers and oceans.

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