Health4earth

Pollinator Week

The rudbeckia is just starting to bloom.

Pollinator Week has been a rainy week where I live in Minnesota. I was going to list all the pollinators coming to my yard, but it’s hard to see much activity when it rains hard every day! The rain doesn’t bother hummingbirds, and they are entertaining us at our hummingbird feeder.

Spiderwort, a native plant beauty!

The purpose of Pollinator Week is to heighten everyone’s awareness of how important pollinators are to us all. Our bees, butterflies and birds are having a hard time with loss of habitat and our overuse of chemicals. We use too many harmful chemicals to kill insects and fertilize our lawns and farm fields.

My message to you this pollinator week is reduce your dependence on harmful chemicals that kill pollinators. This includes butterflies and birds. Since 1970 North America has lost 3 billion birds. We can’t keep killing the insects and caterpillars the birds need to raise their young.

Birds and butterflies add so much to the quality of our lives Bees and other pollinators touch our lives every day in ways we may not realize. Imagine a world without most of the foods you love. Without bees we wouldn’t have the abundance of apples, pumpkins, strawberries, blueberries, or almonds that we enjoy. Pollinators even help milk production: the alfalfa and clover cows graze is replenished by seed pollinated by bees. A world without pollinators would not only leave us with fewer food choices, but would make it substantially harder to find the nutrition we need to survive.

Thoughts on creating a pollinator Garden:

Provide a variety of flower colors and shapes to attract different pollinators.
Whenever possible, choose native plants. Native plants will attract more native pollinators and can serve as larval host plants for some species of pollinators.
If monarch butterflies live within your area, consider planting milkweed so their caterpillars have food.
Plant in clumps, rather than single plants, to better attract pollinators
Choose plants that flower at different times of the year to provide nectar and pollen sources throughout the growing season http://www.fws.gov/pollinators/

“Of 30 commonly used lawn pesticides, 19 are linked with cancer or carcinogenicity, 13 are linked with birth defects, 21 with reproductive effects, 26 with liver or kidney damage, 15 with neurotoxicity and 11 with disruption of the endocrine (hormonal) system. Of these same pesticides, 17 are detected in ground water, 23 have the ability to leach into drinking water sources, 24 are toxic to fish and other organisms vital to our ecosystem, 11 are toxic to bees, and 16 are toxic to birds.”

https://www.startribune.com/these-minnesotans-are-getting-rid-of-their-lawns-but-why/600375090/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=best_of

https://www.epa.gov/pollinator-protection/protecting-monarch-butterflies-pesticides

All reactions:

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Heat Waves

Happy Summer! What are ways we can show our love for our planet?

Below is from the Carbon Almanac :

The ‘official’ start to summer is June 20th in the Northern hemisphere though it seems that the heat of the season has arrived earlier.

There is a heat dome happening in North America with the mercury reaching temperatures that normally are seen later in the season. In addition, Delhi India recently broke temperature records with a new record of 49.9 degrees Celsius (121.8 degrees Fahrenheit). The previous record was 49.2 degrees Celsius (120.5 degrees Fahrenheit), which happened just two years ago.

High temperatures are particularly problematic for senior citizens as the body doesn’t cool down as easily. By mid century, about 20% of the world’s population will be over 60. If you are 35 years or older now, you are included in that number. Another vulnerable group are the unhoused.

Human actions are causing climate change which in turn is causing more extreme heat waves. Which can also lead to conditions for forest fires.

Want to help? Here are some ideas for action.

Hold General Mills Accountable

General Mills is not responding to questions about toxic chemicals in their foods. Please sign the petition below asking them to do better.

Consumer Reports is coming to the General Mills headquarters to demand answers on what the company plans to do to get plastic chemicals linked to cancer and other serious diseases out of its food products.

With consumers at our side, we will be delivering our petition to General Mills calling for immediate steps to eliminate these chemicals – known as phthalates – that Consumer Reports’ tests found in Yoplait yogurt, Cheerios, Progresso soup, and Annie’s Organic pasta.

Help us show company leaders that consumers expect food free of risky contaminants by adding your name to the petition. Already, 30,000 people have signed on, and we need a huge showing of support to get their attention!

Sign the Petition

In January, our tests of 85 different foods for phthalates found the highest concentration of these risky chemicals in Annie’s Organic Cheesy Ravioli, owned by General Mills. Since these plastic chemicals are known to interfere with the production of hormones – increasing the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers and birth defects – we contacted company officials to take immediate action, since Annie’s organic products are marketed to parents of young kids.

Despite these concerning findings, as well as the chemicals showing up in their other brands, General Mills has refused to respond or engage with us. But you deserve answers and assurances that the company is addressing the problem – so we’re headed to corporate headquarters in Minneapolis, MN, with a group of concerned consumers to get them.

Can you support our group by adding your name to the petition we’ll deliver? Let’s show giant food conglomerates that they can’t ignore us when it comes to safety concerns in their products!

Sign the Petition

Butterflies

It’s always exciting when the Monarchs arrive!

Joy, we had our first Monarch butterfly in our yard today!

I was surprised to read this about the Monarch butterflies. See below from Minnesota Public Radio

Everyday concentrate on clean air and never burn wood or put dirty air into the atmosphere. That includes driving less!

This is from Minnesota Public Radio:

People can help by planting both native nectar and host plants, like milkweed, reducing pesticide use and mowing less grass less often.

Monarch butterflies are beginning to return to Minnesota and should start arriving in droves in the next two weeks. But the population returning from Mexico will likely be much smaller than in years past.

This winter, the number of eastern monarch butterflies wintering in Mexico was the smallest researchers had recorded in a decade.

A years-long drought pattern, winter whiplash and warming temperatures are all hurting the vulnerable species and the plants it relies on to survive, according to University of Minnesota Professor Emilie Snell-Rood, who studies monarchs and other pollinators.

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2024/05/17/monarch-population-host-plants-hurting-from-climate-change-expert-shares-how-to-help?utm_campaign=20240516_PM_Edition_Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=sfmc_&utm_content=

Wildflower Week

Every day is a wildflower day for me. I plant for the birds, butterflies, and bees and love when they are in my garden. The spring has been spectacular where I live. Trees and bushes are blooming, birds are singing in concert, warblers are migrating through, many butterflies are present, and its sunny and 70 degrees.

The hummingbirds have arrived!

Shooting star , wild geranium, and violets

Marsh Marigolds

Hummingbirds love columbine

It is a perfect time to add some native plants to your garden to draw more birds and butterflies into your yard.

National Wildflower Week was started by Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas. Find out what wildflowers attract butterflies: http://butterfly-lady.com/plant-native-wildflowers-to…/

Why native plants are important:

They are the ecological basis upon which life depends, including birds and people.
They provide habitats, food, and shelter for specific insects, birds, mammals, and other animals.
They support significantly more wildlife than non-native species.
They conserve water, protect soil from erosion, and create habitat for various animals.
They offer reduced water use, less maintenance, natural pest control, and environmental sustainability.

Plant Native Wildflowers to Attract Butterflies!

We Need A Strong Plastics Treaty

Planet over Plastic

Happy Earth Day!

We all can make a difference by reducing our plastic footprint.

The theme for this year’s Earth Day is Planet VS Plastic. The hazards of plastic are great, and we all need to take steps to reduce the harmful effects of plastic pollution in our environment and bodies.

What will you do to help our warming planet?

Greenpeace has nothing to do with this post.

Things you should know about plastic:

Plastic is made of fossil fuels and contains many toxic chemicals that are harmful to our health.
These toxic chemicals leach into our food from plastic packaging.
Plastics break down into microplastic. We each consume about a credit card of microplastic a week from our food and environment. These microfibers are found in our lungs, brains, blood and arteries.
When plastic is recycled it becomes more toxic.
40% of plastic is single-use.
The production of plastic continues to increase.
If plastic were a country, it would be the 5^th largest emitter of greenhouse gases. Much of plastic’s pollution affects minorities and people without power.
Clothing with polyester and nylon contain plastic.
The producers of plastic should be held responsible for the harm they create in the environment and our bodies.

By banning the worst forms of single-use plastic, holding plastic producers accountable for their waste, getting wasteful packaging off store shelves, and more — a future beyond plastic is possible.

Click to access EarthDay-2024-Toolkit-March-5th-Update.pdf

1. Sandra Laville, “Single-use plastics a serious climate change hazard, study warns,” The Guardian, May 15, 2019.
2. “What do plastics have to do with climate change?” United Nations Development Programme, November 15, 2022.
3. Oliver Milman, “‘Deluge of plastic waste’: US is world’s biggest plastic polluter,” The Guardian, December 1, 2021.
4. “We know plastic pollution is bad — but how exactly is it linked to climate change?,” World Economic Forum, January 19, 2022.
5. “We know plastic pollution is bad — but how exactly is it linked to climate change?,” World Economic Forum, January 19, 2022.
6. “Reducing plastic waste in the states” U.S. PIRG, July 26, 2022.
7. Celeste Meiffren-Swango, Jenn Engstrom and Mark Morgenstein, “Statement: Amazon to phase out single-use plastic shipping bags,” Environment America, July 19, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80Rya-ZOJ7g (microplastics)

Future generations deserve a safe and healthy future, free from the plastic waste crisis — and we can make it happen.

Donate to non-profits working to end plastic pollution:

This Earth Day, put our planet over plastic

https://www.bennington.edu/center-advancement-of-public-action/environment-and-public-action/beyond-plastics

Plastic Pollution Coalition

The Story of Stuff https://www.storyofstuff.org/

Ways to reduce your plastic use:

Always carry a reusable glass or metal water bottle, and reusable shopping bags with you.
Learn to refuse single-use plastics, such as plastic water bottles and coffee cups, straws, plastic bags and plastic utensils.
Purchase fruit and produce in the bulk section, and don’t place items in plastic bags.
Always search out products in glass jars instead of plastic containers.
When you must buy plastic products, choose ones that you can recycle rather than ones you must put in the trash.
Bring your own containers and shop the bulk section of your local food coop.
Purchase clothing made from cotton and wool instead of polyester or poly fibers. https://www.npr.org/2023/07/19/1188343293/is-toxic-fashion-making-us-sick-a-look-at-the-chemicals-lurking-in-our-clothes
Store food in glass containers instead of plastic.
Ditch the baggies!

https://apnews.com/article/earth-day-plastics-grocery-shopping-f112aadca284325bf0e8e5adfba65f40?link_id=1&can_id=57c1dbdb6797ae1751eeeda41c3f3dd1&source=email-last-day-to-double-your-impact-in-putting-planet-over-plastics&email_referrer=email_2285620___subject_2815507&email_subject=_last-day-to-double-your-impact-to-put-planet-over-plastics-firstname-commonize-default-friend

Plastics Treaty

We need the United States to support a strong plastic’s treaty. Use the link below to demand strong leadership from the USA for this treaty.

We need swift and urgent action. Plastic pollution is a global problem in need of global solutions. Plastic production, use, and disposal threaten Earth’s communities, air, water, biodiversity, and soils. With the UN’s Global Plastics Treaty negotiations now underway, the US government (USG) has the unique opportunity to play a key role in the change we need on a worldwide level: instead of leading the world in generating the plastic pollution crisis, it’s time for the USG to lead by forging ambitious solutions. Read full letter at this link: Letter to U.S. Government Officials involved in UN Global Plastics Treaty negotiations

Can you join me and take action? Click here: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/global-plastics-treaty-us?source=email&

Thanks!

Get Intimate

This morning on my walk it was raining. The rain was plopping on my hood and splashing my face, but I was loving every moment as a robin sang. I felt so close to the beauty and renewal of our earth. It was me and the melodic robin, having a conversation, and both happy that it was finally raining.

It is Earth month, Earth Day is days away, and April is a fabulous time to get intimate with the earth. Every day the tree buds get bigger, and the great migration begins, birds and butterflies moving to their summer homes. Every day a new flower pops up, and the sun gets higher in the sky.

Whether it’s a wild turkey on your yard, a fox running down the street, a rabbit eating your fresh plants, or the deep groves in the bark of a tree, pay attention and notice something new.

Many dragon flies were out yesterday!

It was cloudy where I live so we missed the eclipse, but there were people outside excited that it was happening behind the thick cloud cover. Celebrate that excitement every day with the intense beauty and April happenings of our

Amazing landscapes!

what a wonderful world!

Enjoy the intense beauty and happenings of our Earth, it’s Earth Day every day!

I saw my first butterfly a few weeks ago. It was a mourning cloak butterfly. since this writing I have seen many more. Get out and look.

Happy Earth Day!!

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/nature-walking-proven-to-significantly-boost-brain-health-and-functioning/ar-BB1hsmeL?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=HCTS&cvid=7310f08136e048588cbec51daad35327&ei=14

A Plastic Lawn?

SYNTHETIC TURF

Real plants for real habitats

I disagree with a bill in the Minnesota Legislature about synthetic turf (HF 3705/SF 3869).

Synthetic turf has been framed as a sustainable solution for dealing with the climate crisis, drought and drainage issues. Unfortunately, many want to believe in this easy but expensive solution and believe without evidence that it is a sustainable practice. This is greenwashing and a false solution for helping our climate crisis. Synthetic turf is made of plastic. It has all the terrible side effects of plastic pollution. It breaks down in the sun and breaks down with use. It leaches toxic chemicals into our water and breaks down into microfibers. Synthetic turf is not healthy for children, pets, wildlife or adults to recreate on. It is not a sensible solution for a green lawn.

If plastic were a country, it would be the fifth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world. We shouldn’t be encouraging the use of more plastic. We should be reducing our plastic use, not increasing it.

Synthetic turf is terrible at managing stormwater runoff. Even if it is permeable, the water will run right under it and cause erosion as it finds a muddy path to the nearest waterway. Deep rooted plants are the master of absorbing runoff and holding the soil. They are a proven solution.

The state of Minnesota is putting lots of money into bee lawns. Let’s pivot to them in times of drought. Bee lawns help pollinators, improve water quality and work for the healthy communities the public wants. Bee lawns are real, not fake. They are a low-maintenance and sustainable solution, and bee lawns can be adjusted and planted for everyone’s needs.

Becky Wardell Gaertner, Minneapolis

I like violets in a bee lawn, they are hearty, can be mowed and bees like them.