Your Open Floor Plan is a Death Trap

...re Service Fatalities in Structure Fires 1977-2009 Rita F. Fahy, Ph.D. June 2010). Let’s take a closer look at some of the unintended consequences of open floor plans and modern materials. Open Floor Plans U.L.’s research proves conclusively that open floor plan interiors create fires that spread faster and are harder for firefighters to control. Another trend in homes is to remove walls to open up the floor plan of the home. As these walls are re...

Read…

The Strange World of Artificial Plants

...icial Marijuana.” Customers? Marijuana dispensaries, the set decorator for Weeds and law enforcement! From their website: Across the world law enforcement finds itself with the continuous dilemma of having to train new recruits to identify and find illegal marijuana plants . . . Our plants are used by many police departments across the world, the US Military and the Royal Mountain Police in Canada to name just a few. Be forewarned that the bush ab...

Read…

Genetically Engineered Crops Increase Use of Pesticides

...s have, and are reducing pesticide use, the spread of glyphosate-resistant weeds in herbicide-resistant weed management systems has brought about substantial increases in the number and volume of herbicides applied. If new genetically engineered forms of corn and soybeans tolerant of 2,4- D are approved, the volume of 2,4-D sprayed could drive herbicide usage upward by another approximate 50%. The magnitude of increases in herbicide use on herbici...

Read…

Our new front yard: history

...tten about them–we advocated mulching and keeping a good relationship with weeds. We had wild spaces in our yard, and we let our veggies flower and seed so to support insects and birds. Perhaps it’s simplest to say that our hearts changed. We wanted to actively serve the whole. It was no longer enough to give an intellectual nod to diversity, or make a few gestures. Feeding pollinators and birds and lizards and the soil critters became more intere...

Read…