Regulars

Although it’s only the middle of August and the temperature is at its highest, the children of Southwest Louisiana are heading back to school. What can you do to make this school year a greener one for Mother Earth?ElectronicsToday’s classroom is filled with more plug-in devices than ever before. …

When most people think of food, we automatically think of how it tastes and the satisfaction it brings. Not much thought goes into nourishment at the initial moment of delight. So it goes without saying that most of us take for granted the fact that it also nourishes our souls. That type of …

It takes a great deal of help to keep a parish as big as Calcasieu Parish litter free, and reviving the “Adopt a Road” program is one way to accomplish the task. Interested groups that sign up with the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury’s “Adopt a Road” program agree to pick up litter by a roadside area …

Each year, the Louisiana Garden Club Federation sponsors the “Cleanest City Contest.” Lake Charles has won in the past, but since Rita, the city has not entered.Happily, the city is ready this year. It will participate through its Beautification Committee, with the contest sponsored locally by The …

The America’s WETLAND Foundation (AWF) recently announced the “Blue Ribbon Resilient Communities: Envisioning the Future of America’s Energy Coast” (BRRC) initiative to help Gulf Coast communities from Texas to Florida prepare for resiliency against the threats of storms, rising sea levels, and …

Team Green of Southwest Louisiana, a City of Lake Charles commission, recently began implementing the Mercury and Recycling Outreach Program for Educators being offered to public and private schools within Calcasieu and Cameron Parishes. The purpose of the program is to provide school educators and …

Many home gardeners and landscape professionals plant shade trees during the fall and winter months here in Louisiana. People are learning that this is the proper time of the year to plant, but improper planting practices sometimes present issues regarding the long-term landscape success of these …

I’m not one for New Year’s resolutions, but it’s nice to think about doing something special for Mother Earth in 2011. Let’s try to recycle more and cut down on plastic and water use. If we all do our part, we can make a difference! …

As another year comes to a close, the City of Lake Charles can pat itself on the back for their recycling efforts. Good job!The City of Lake Charles and Team Green were recently awarded a Certificate of Recognition by Amerimex Recycling, LLC.  The Certificate of Recognition notes the following …

We’ve all seen school buses lined up in front of our schools with their engines running. You may not know it, but idling diesel engines are a hazard—to people as well as to the environment. Want to change things? Concerned parents should ask school officials to adopt a no-idling policy. …

Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey and other Federal and state agencies are reporting that Louisiana lost approximately 1,900 square miles of coastal land, primarily coastal marshes, during the 20th century. Our state could lose another 700 square miles over the next 50 years if no …

Time and time again, we’ve heard that we have to eat a certain amount of fruits and vegetables every day. We’ve been hearing this ever since we were kids.

In the spring of 2008, Bishop Noland Episcopal Day School student Tanner Hofer entered an essay contest sponsored by America’s Wetland Foundation. He described his family’s move from Oregon to Louisiana, and his new appreciation of the wetlands. Tanner won first place—and a Wetlands Project …

Whether you’re in your kitchen or enjoying the great outdoors, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reminds us that there are some food safety principles that remain constant. The first is, “Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.” Meat and poultry products may contain bacteria that cause food-borne …

Garage sale season is in full swing. I, for one, love yard sales (you know what they say: One man’s trash is another man’s treasure!). But they’re a lot of work if you’re running one: sorting, tagging, getting up at the crack of dawn to set it all out, fighting off the early birds who’ve been …

Enjoying fresh Louisiana berries is a treat many people look forward to each year. Blueberries provide important nutrients that make them a healthful choice to enjoy at meals or as snacks, said LSU AgCenter nutritionist Beth Reames.

Sulphur resident Geoff Russell wanted to help create a beautiful and beneficial garden in the city of Sulphur.  He envisioned volunteers tending to the garden, which would promote education, art and service to others.  So in September of 2008, he presented a proposal to the …

There’s an old saying that “everything old is new again,” and so it has always been with herbal medicine. For centuries, native populations have known that certain plants and roots have incredible healing properties. Phytotherapy — the use of medicinal plants to heal and restore balance — is an …

Sometime during the fall of 2009, childhood friends Eric Stevens and Craig Crawford, along with three other friends, embarked on a boat ride along Contraband Bayou. The group was looking forward to a relaxing ride on the water and enjoying the plants and wildlife that thrive on that bayou.“Most of …

The Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) Louisiana is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of Louisiana’s marine and animal life.  Founded in 1983, CCA Louisiana is a state chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association.  In 1984, shortly after CCA Louisiana was …