Pest Patrol

Growers who want to avoid or reduce the use of pesticides have to find alternative ways to deter or eliminate pests from destroying crops. One technique that organic farmers and gardeners have been experimenting with for years is biological pest control—using beneficial insects, birds and bats to control pests in gardens and on farms. Introducing friendly insects, or building houses for birds and bats, has proven effective, but many warn that biological pest control should be seen as just one part of a gardener’s Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan.

Conscience in the Cart

A new generation of socially conscious web-based services provides a new spin on influencing corporate behavior through the clout of consumer spending.

Banking on the Bahamas

Andros Island, the least-developed and largest of the 700 islands and cays that make up the Bahamas, is just a 10-minute plane ride away from the mega-resorts, golf courses and party vibe of tourist-oriented New Providence Island. Andros supplies fresh water and workers to its high-profile neighbor, but has retained most of its natural resources and beauty.

Light up the Holidays

Candles create atmosphere at the holidays, but can also fill the air with harmful chemicals. Way Out Wax, based in Vermont, produces all-natural candles from vegan soy wax and pure essential oils, including lavender and sage. If you don’t want to cook at Thanksgiving, you should choose Cozy Home, which smells like pumpkin pie.

Junk Mail Meets Democracy: How to Stop the Flow

In 2003, the Do Not Call Registry opened and has received more than 125 million telephone numbers from people who do not want their contact information sold to telemarketers. Three years later, Americans are still waiting for a simple, companion registry in order to reduce the quantity of unwanted junk mail from direct mailers.

Two Planets Needed to Meet Human Demands?

According to a report recently issued by the international environmental nonprofit World Wildlife Fund (WWF), humanity’s demands are exceeding the planet’s capacity to sustain us. The group predicts the collapse of large-scale ecosystems around the world within a few decades if human consumption is not put in check.

The Green League Gears Up for Election Day

In what is shaping up to be one of the most important Congressional election cycles of the last decade, the nonprofit League of Conservation Voters (LCV) is campaigning hard to convince voters across the country to dump politicians that do not support various pro-environmental initiatives.

Gaviotas by the Glass

The residents of the remote, rural eco-village of Las Gaviotas, Colombia (population around 200) and their international allies are marketing their pure water to Americans through a grassroots network of mostly volunteers. Despite the cross-continental transportation and plastic bottles required, they expect the project not only to have a neutral or negative "footprint," but also to support the growth and duplication of this model community and the ambitious reforestation project that supports it.

New Zealand’s Mainland Islands

Islands often serve an important role in protecting and preserving species because of their isolation and lack of predators. But some species aren’t suited to the offshore ecosystem, and some countries don’t have the islands to devote to conservation efforts. New Zealand has decided to import the benefits of offshore island habitats inland by creating “mainland islands,” typically surrounded by large predator-resistant fences. Despite early success, the effort is meeting some skepticism and resistance.

Smart Growth

With a population expected to swell by two million in 25 years, the Washington, DC metro region is under tremendous pressure. Already facing a daily onslaught of cars, the region is girding for a huge increase in traffic. In response, two of the oldest DC suburbs, Silver Spring, Maryland and Arlington, Virginia, are trying to find an antidote to sprawl—or perhaps simply to recreate an older sense of neighborhood.

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