Gardening is not so much about following rules, says Rebecca McMackin, as it is about following rules of observation. For Ms. McMackin, the director of horticulture at the 85-acre Brooklyn Bridge Park, that means keeping in mind goals that will support wildlife in the garden, and the greater ecology.

Rather than following the common practice of planting and transplanting in spring, for instance, she suggests shifting virtually all of that activity to autumn — and not cutting back most perennials as the season winds down.

cross-posted from: https://beehaw.org/post/16383867

ghostarchive link here

A well-researched video that explains why some dense urban areas are quite expensive.

TL;DW: Despite a substantial historic housing stock, our most expensive cities have built very little housing in recent years, leading to very low vacancy rates and high prices. Ramping up housing construction will be a necessary part of solving the affordability crisis.

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/13574268

A really innovative study that went beyond statistical association and actually planted trees in low-tree neighborhoods and measured the impacts.

After the plantings, the research team reassessed residents' health. They found that those living in the greened area had 13-20% lower levels of a biomarker of general inflammation, a measure called high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) than those living in the areas that did not receive any new trees or shrubs. Higher levels of hsCRP are strongly associated with a risk of cardiovascular disease and are an even stronger indicator of heart attack than cholesterol levels. Higher CRP levels also indicate a higher risk of diabetes and certain cancers.

A reduction of hsCRP by this percentage corresponds to nearly 10-15% reduction in the risk of heart attacks, cancer or dying from any disease.

Although several previous studies have found an association between living in areas of high surrounding greenness and health, this is the first study to show that a deliberate increase in greenness in the neighborhood can improve health.

A really innovative study that went beyond statistical association and actually planted trees in low-tree neighborhoods and measured the impacts.

After the plantings, the research team reassessed residents' health. They found that those living in the greened area had 13-20% lower levels of a biomarker of general inflammation, a measure called high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) than those living in the areas that did not receive any new trees or shrubs. Higher levels of hsCRP are strongly associated with a risk of cardiovascular disease and are an even stronger indicator of heart attack than cholesterol levels. Higher CRP levels also indicate a higher risk of diabetes and certain cancers.

A reduction of hsCRP by this percentage corresponds to nearly 10-15% reduction in the risk of heart attacks, cancer or dying from any disease.

Although several previous studies have found an association between living in areas of high surrounding greenness and health, this is the first study to show that a deliberate increase in greenness in the neighborhood can improve health.

cross-posted from: https://beehaw.org/post/15901115

A short film about war. Just watch it.

Pretty pathetic for democrats to be collaborating with Exxon in 2024.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/18672298

The days of the perfect-looking yard -- often lawns that guzzle copious amounts of water to stay green -- may soon be gone.

Homeowners are increasingly opting to "re-wilding" their homes, incorporating native plants and decreasing the amount of lawn care to make their properties more sustainable and encourage natural ecosystems to recover, according to Plan It Wild, a New York-based native landscape design company.

About 30% of the water an average American family consumes is used for the outdoors, including activities such as watering lawns and gardens, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In the West, where water is absorbed almost immediately by the sun or thirsty vegetation, outdoor water usage can increase to an average of 60% for the average family.

As concerns for the environment -- as well as increasing utility bills -- grow, so do homeowners' preferences for how they decorate their yards.

Great work by residents. But next time they need to have a more organized force to keep the city at bay, bring in the media, call their reps in the city council, etc.

You can’t beat the government in force but you can embarrass them until they give up.