Growing plants can be intimidating, but we believe that anyone can have a successful home conservatory of any size. We’re here to help you develop your skills and achieve your goals, so please don’t hesitate to contact us with any plant-related questions. A carbon sequestration garden might be right for you if you have at…
Shark Bay is a lonely island off the coast of Australia, where sienna-streaked cliffs meet the sea and ancient, bulbous stromatolites dot the landscape. This natural wonderland is not just a UNESCO world heritage site, but it also happens to be one of the few remaining homes for the elusive Gould’s mouse, an Australian rodent…
As temperatures rise to new highs, not just in the Pacific Northwest but worldwide, you may hear the term “wet bulb globe temperature” used more frequently. This somewhat ridiculous-sounding idea differs from phrases like perceived temperature, humidity index, and dew point in that it’s a little more sophisticated and more significant. WBGT stands for wet-bulb…
When you stop sweating, it starts. Sweat cools you typically down by releasing heat into the air as it evaporates. Still, if your body becomes dehydrated or the external mixture of hot air and humidity becomes too high, you won’t be able to push the salty liquid through your pores anymore. As blood rushes toward…
When we talk about food and climate change, we often hear about the personal decisions we can make to help the environment, such as limiting red meat intake, buying seasonal fruits and vegetables, and avoiding shady greenwashing. However, the truth of food in an ever-changing climate is that so many need to move beyond our…
Today is predicted to be one of the hottest days on record in the Northwest United States and western Canada. After a sweltering and record-breaking few days, with temperatures as high as 112 degrees Fahrenheit in Portland and 108 degrees Fahrenheit in Seattle, thermometers are forecast to crawl even higher today, with temperatures occasionally surpassing…
How much do you owe the entity that manages your grid if you generate your electricity by capturing sunlight hitting your property? As utility companies move to reduce policies that make rooftop solar cost-effective and appealing to many homeowners, this question is causing conflict in several states. The nonprofit Environment America Research & Policy Center…
One of the great ironies of climate change is that as the earth warms, the technology that people rely on to stay cool will only make it hotter. Researchers predict that by 2050, the number of room air conditioners on the planet will have quadrupled to 4.5 billion, making them as common as cell phones.…
Dionysia tapetodes, an evergreen alpine shrub with bright yellow flowers in the spring, thrive in harsh highland environments. Its leaves are thin and thick, and they grow close together in a spherical, dome-like shape, unlike your usual houseplant. According to Raymond Wightman, a plant biologist at the University of Cambridge, the species is also fluffy-looking…
The massive Pine Island Glacier on Antarctica, which is one of the continent’s fastest melting glaciers, is giving climate experts additional cause for concern. Its ice shelf, a frozen ledge at the edge of the Pine Island Glacier, is the source of the problem. The ice shelf aids in the stabilization and containment of the…