Washington (GGM) Analysis | May 9, 2021 by author Noreen Wise
Soil and dirt are not the same thing, according to geologist and author David R. Montgomery. Dark brown soil is life, teaming with microbes, the engineers of all the nature that flourishes above ground. Microbe rich soil contains major amounts of carbon and moisture. Soil is the very thing that sustains our existence on the planet.
Continue reading “A Nation That Destroys Its Soil Destroys Itself — FDR”
Washington (GGM) Analysis | May 9, 2021 by Catherine Zacuto, M. Ed.
Restoring our habitat is of the utmost importance. We must act swiftly to replant everything we’ve destroyed if we want to succeed at lowering atmospheric carbon levels. Interestingly, our Founding Fathers, as well as early American farmers, were equally concerned about preserving and maintaining our habitat. Sharing plants and seeds across the miles added vibrant diversity to our landscape. Each packet of seeds acted as a time capsule carrying the promise of a healthy future.
Continue reading “Must Act Quickly to Restore Our Habitat | The Powerful Impact of Time Capsules”
Washington (CAR) Analysis | March 5, 2021 by Pamela Scaiff (Canadian)
When was the last time you reached for a paper towel to clean up a mess? Has COVID got you using more? How much do you pay for paper towels each week? Each month? Each year? Or in a lifetime? Do the personal finance math and then the ecological math and you may find yourself questioning whether paper towels really add quality to your life! Did you know that Americans use more paper towels per capita daily than either of their neighbours?!
Continue reading “Paper Towel Alternative!”
Washington (GGM) Analysis | February 18, 2021 by Pamela Scaiff; introduction and closing by Noreen Wise
Spending the past nine months in Canada during Covid, all in on sustainability immersion, taught me a lot. In fact, I’ve completely reinvented myself in such a short period of time. The most startling aspect of my metamorphosis was understanding how easy it is to live sustainably when everyone in a given community is doing so. Stronger together. My bud, Canadian sustainability guru Pamela Scaiff, is the master of sustainability and has been my supreme guide for the past four months. I’m thrilled that she agreed to share her wisdom with all of us.
Continue reading “A Sustainability Journey | Build Back Better”
Washington (GGM) Analysis | February 14, 2021 by Catherine Zacuto, M. Ed.
Wildfires are unpredictable, destructive, and, in recent times, more common. Among their many victims is the soil. Soil forms the foundation of our food chain, and so is of primary importance. Cristina Santin and Stefan H. Doerr conjure up a graphic image for us: Soil is the “living, breathing skin of the Earth.” It’s an image to keep in mind when considering how the land recovers from a fire.
Continue reading “From Raging Wildfires to Habitat Restoration | Soil Health”
Washington (GGM) Analysis | February 5, 2021 by Catherine Zacuto, M. Ed.
Saving a forest is big news these days, and just what we need to energize us. Each day, we practice sustainable living – reusing, reducing, recycling, upcycling. Every bit helps ward off climate change. So when IKEA buys a gigantic forest, saving it from development, and promises to manage it sustainably, we have reason to celebrate. We have a partner that values the science behind climate change and is willing to invest in the future. IKEA’s recent purchase of 10,680 acres of Georgia forest, and its commitment to maintain it responsibly, lend hope to all the eco-warriors out there fighting the good fight.
Continue reading “IKEA | A Leader in Sustainability”
Washington (GGM) Analysis | January 31, 2021 by Catherine Zacuto, M. Ed.
It’s cold out there! You might be wondering about how to keep the kids busy, active, and productive. While remaining tucked away in the warm, cozy house, you can occupy them as they get ready to be Climate Superheroes! The hope of spring can inspire everyone to dig in and prepare for the near future, a future made better because you are helping fight climate change.
Continue reading “Winter Activities for Kids | Climate Change”
Washington (GGM) Analysis |December 19, 2020 by Catherine Zacuto, M. Ed.
Wandering through a wooded park or along a shady path, it’s easy to miss what’s right before our eyes. How often do we consider the gifts before us, planted long ago? The cool breeze and fresh fragrance are momentary experiences that began with the planting of seeds. No matter how the trees, shrubs, and understory got there, whether through nature or a particular person, you and I are the beneficiaries.
Continue reading “A Gift Worth Waiting For | Exciting Eco Projects For Students While Distance Learning”
Washington (GGM) Analysis | December 18, 2020 by Noreen Wise
The planet will keep revolving around the sun, no matter how destructive and irresponsible humans are. But we humans won’t. Humans are mammals. Mammals rely on our habitat to survive. And mammals eventually become extinct when our habitat disappears. Eighty mammals have gone extinct in the past five centuries.
Continue reading “Fairfax Ninth Grader Reveals NoVa Native Carbon Storage Champions”
Washington (GGM) Analysis | January 19, 2020
by Noreen Wise
As the state of Virginia braces for what many fear may become Charlottesville Part 2, with 2A activists from around the country descending on Richmond, VA tomorrow,
Monday January 20, 2020 — Martin Luther King Day — it behooves all of us to remember that George Washington won the Revolutionary War with his rag-tag revolutionary fighters, the militia, by outsmarting the mighty British Royal Army, not by out gunning them.
When the Revolutionary War began on April 19, 1775, the British Army was the fiercest, most powerful army in the world. America had very little expectation of winning our lasting freedom from Britain.
However, George Washington was determined, none the less. Washington proved to be a brilliant military tactician, and calculated that if we couldn’t win with guns, with weaponry, we could win with smarts, our intelligence, in this case through deception. Washington masterfully pieced together a covert citizen spy ring, operating out of NYC and Long Island, the secret six. The mission: take back NYC and win the war.
Unbelievably, they succeeded, despite Benedict Arnold’s treasonous plot to turn over West Point to the British. Washington’s success was surely the result of Britain’s absolute faith and reliance on weapons.
So let’s keep this in mind tomorrow. May cooler heads prevail, and be reminded of George Washington’s enduring lesson, the one which our democracy was basically founded upon, that smarts are more valuable and effective than guns. American independence and our American democracy came to fruition through intelligence. Yes, protecting our rights, and acknowledging the rights of Americans to bear arms is very important, but must be filtered through the reality of the lens of modern times. Guns are one of the many tools required to maintain our freedom and secure our nation, of course, but gun rights aren’t meant to come at the exclusion of all else. Rather, they must be balanced alongside everything else. George Washington proved this.~
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