SCOCO Insights Newsletter (424)
Fun with Kids in the Garden
Are you looking for ways to get the whole family involved in the garden? Next weekend (Saturday, 4/6), Sustainable Contra Costa will be hosting "Fun with Kids in the Garden", an exciting family-friendly gardening workshop in Pittsburg, where the focu
Read more…Rain Is Still Free!
There are so many reasons to harvest rainwater. The obvious one is that water is more precious than ever, especially in California during drought, and rain is a freebie! The trick is to learn how to harness and store rain so you can use it as needed
Read more…Eggs-ellent Nutrition, All Natural, and Easy!
When it comes to foods with confusing health messages, eggs may take the cake: Despite being a long-time breakfast and baking staple, sometimes referred to as the “perfect food,” some health experts in the past have warned against eating them. We set
Read more…Microplastics in Our Bodies
Microplastics in Our Bodies?
The world produces about 400 million metric tons of plastic a year, the equivalent of 882 billion pounds, and 80 percent ends up deposited in landfills and other parts of the environment. Two recent but small studies now s
Read more…Our Gut, Our Mood, Our Health
In the last month alone, I have encountered five families in our area that have a child who suffers from extremely debilitating anxiety or panic attacks. My bet is that most readers similarly know of children and people suffering from anxiety. To me
Read more…Action of the Month: Grow Medicinal Herbs
Photo by Andrea Reiman on Unsplash.com
The world of herbs is huge and wildly popular these days. Which herbs are the best for growing indoors? Which grow the fastest outdoo
Read more…Honey Are You For Real?
Bees, Our Health and Costco
Do you ever wonder what could be causing the major bee die-offs occurring around the world for over a decade? Well, it just might be the product which is available to anyone over the counter and marketed for many years by its corporate creator as bei
Read more…Be Friendly to Bees!
In recent years, the news about bees has been grim. “Colony Collapse Disorder” and bee “die-offs”, etc.is alarming to hear, and rightfully so, especially considering bees are key to growing much of the foods we eat. There are a variety of factors tha
Read more…Action of the Month: Buy (and Love) Fair Trade Chocolate!
Photo by Charisse Kenion on Unsplash.com
Before you tuck into that heart-shaped box of chocolates this Valentine’s Day and get those endorphins flowing, you m
Read more…The Hill Are Green - But NOT With Native Grasses
The fall and winter rains have come, and Contra Costa's hills are turning green again. While we may enjoy California’s famous “golden rolling hills”, most of us are happy to see the green return. But did you know this cycle represents a relatively ne
Read more…Look Who's Taking Action: County Styrofoam Ban
Single use Styrofoam (Polystyrene) containers are a large contributor to the growing hole in the ozone layer. Harmful, potentially carcinogenic chemicals have been identified in Styrofoam that can leach into food stored in Styrofoam containers. Styro
Read more…Leaf the Pollution and Noise Behind
The New Year is a time when many of us make resolutions to improve our health and well-being. We make choices everyday about the foods we eat and the products we purchase that can contribute to our health (and the health of our planet) in a positive
Read more…Action of the Month: Plant a Fruit Tree!
Although we're deep into winter and summer fruit may not be at the forefront of our minds, January and February are the ideal months to tend to fruit trees in your yard as well as the best time to plant a few new varieties. Trimming fruit trees now,
Read more…Action of the Month: Volunteer or Give Back
Is Online Shopping Environmentally-Friendly?
Christmas Trees: Real vs. Artificial
Each year, the environmentalist in you may feel torn about Christmas trees. On the one hand, it seems wrong to cut down a healthy tree for one month of enjoyment. On the other hand, it feels just as troubling to buy an artificial tree made of plastic
Read more…2019: A New Year of Sustainability
Photo by Philip Brown on unsplash.com.
A brand new year is almost here. It’s time to brush off those resolutions and do something healthy for yourself as well as the
Read more…Trees - For Healthy Fruit, Shade and the Environment
Trees are the most productive plants on earth. One average-sized fruit tree produces over 250 pounds of fruit per year. Did you get that? 250 pounds from one single tree! Most fruit trees are also super easy to grow and don’t require much maintenanc
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