Welcome to the Blog

The climate debate is turning heads, but is it changing minds? New climate “lukewarmers” argue that there’s a better way to think about the so-called climate apocalypse.

Turn on the television or head to your newsfeed, and you will eventually, inevitably, stumble across the climate debate.

Apocalyptic rhetoric blankets the news. Various groups claim various disasters, up to and including that billions will die within the next few decades. Greta Thunberg and President Trump shout at whoever will listen, engaging in a private (read: not private) Twitter war the rest of the time.

If you’re thinking Hmm, this doesn’t sound like a healthy way to make change, then you are correct. It’s not.

We need a new approach to the science of climate change. And if we want to take the right approach to environmentalism and green infrastructure, we need it now.

(Want a free PDF download to share with your friends, family, colleagues and pets? We promise, they care too. Click that link!)

If someone told you insects were on the path to extinction, would you believe them? Well, turns out you better.

Granted, most of us would throw a ticker tape parade if someone informed us today that “All the mosquitoes are dead!”

Because, come on. Do bugs have any redeeming value?

Actually, yes. Well, maybe mosquitoes are a bad example, seeing as eminent scientists aren’t sure their disappearance would make a major difference to world ecology. (We freaking knew it.)

But insects in general are a critical faction of the animal kingdom. They feed birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and mammals. They pollinate the crops on which we rely and the native species that steward our ecosphere. And they keep the ecology our cities healthier.

Which is why, when we hear phrases such as “insect apocalypse,” we tend to get a little jumpy.

Too bad the experts aren’t kidding. But it’s far from a simple story, so let’s read it.

The American bison was one of North America’s proudest species, providing food and ecological services to the peoples that lived here. Today ... not so much, but that’s changing.

The American prairie once teemed with bison, but in the last several centuries, their numbers have plummeted to functionally extinct levels.

“About 150 years ago, nearly 30 million bison roamed the Great Plains until a mass slaughter began in the early 1800s,” explains Defenders of Wildlife (DOW). “By the late 1880s, fewer than 1,000 bison remained.”

We know, we know. It’s awful. Get a handkerchief and a donut, because you’re going to need some help getting through this.

But the story’s not all bad. Today, let’s put our spotlight on the American bison (Bison bison) and the role it’s playing in the movement toward a greener, more ecologically sound world.

Salt is a necessity for keeping roads clear in the wintertime ... or is it? And what is its use doing to our environment?

No one needs to tell you that salt is a wintertime go-to. Much like warm blankets and hot toddies, it just goes with the territory. (Wait, what is a hot toddy? Does anyone actually know?)

Anyway, salt. It’s everywhere this time of year. And while we’re definitely in favor of Not Sliding Off The Road To Your Death, we’re not so in favor of the environmental side effects of this annual chemical overload.

So what’s the deal with salt? And what can we do to be better Earthling stewards, even in winter? Let’s take a look.

Detroit Stormwater Hub is paving the way toward a new kind of discussion, one that promises to be a lot more productive.

One of the biggest problems with stormwater management to date is that individuals, corporate entities, NGOs and municipal institutions have a hard time talking to one another about the issue.

This has several drawbacks, including making it harder to craft a case for green infrastructure – a problem, since many cities still lean toward existing grey stormwater management systems – and reducing the overall effectiveness of individual efforts.

Not everyone took this reality lying down. The City of Detroit wanted to do something different, so they crafted a Stormwater Hub.

Luckily for us, it’s something we can all learn from. Ready to take a page from the rejuvenated auto capital? Keep reading.

If we want to understand climate change and all its facets, we must also understand the concept of lag.

Climate change is inescapable.

Yes, in that it’s real, and it’s coming for us. *cue grim music*

But more importantly, it’s “coming for us” in the sense that it is impossible to turn on a laptop or a phone without being bombarded by the calamitous prophecies of doom stemming from experts and fearmongers alike.

It’s time we cut through the BS and take a realistic look at climate change, from all angles.

First up, we’d just like to say that no, we’re not all going to die in a decade because of global warming. That’s absolute tripe and we’re tired of it. However, we do need to take into account the results of our actions in future – and how those results will carry forward even after we change our fossil-fuel-guzzling ways.

One of the most important facets being missed by many people is the concept of climate change lag. It is critical we understand this if we’re to have truly meaningful discussions about our planet’s climate and steward it properly in future.

Making the world a better place one toilet at a time, Bill and his wife Melinda are frontrunners for environmental change.

Bill Gates has a spotty reputation in the American mind. His brusque nature and the endless, agonizing antitrust proceedings at the turn of the century position him, even today, for suspicion and even scorn.

Which is a crime, since arguably the Microsoft leader is am

ong the world elite when it comes to doing good therein.

You heard us correctly: When it comes to the environment, and to the health of the people living in it, few are making more of a difference than Bill and Melinda Gates.

Chicago is taking a stand for birds, and we’re totally behind it.

You know how much we love birds.

I mean, everyone should love birds. And we’re part of everyone, so obviously we do as well. (If that’s not compelling enough for you, feel free to read up on some bird-centric goodness here or here.)

As we’ve discussed before, cities are extremely dangerous for birds, and Chicago is one of the biggest offenders. In fact, it has the dubious honor of being the riskiest skyline in the country when it comes to avian traffic, contributing hugely to the billion bird deaths from collision each year.

It hardly bears saying that we need to do something about it.

Which is why we were delighted to discover that Chicago has proposed a bird-friendly building ordinance that will mandate city-wide protection of our feathered friends and do much to promote urban ecology.

It’s true that we at Ecogardens don’t grow food for a living. But if we did, we would totally do it the regenerative agriculture way.

Human agricultural methods have evolved over thousands of years. While a thorough investigation of the human relationship with farming methods is beyond the scope of this spotlight, suffice it to say:

Our modern methods are not what they used to be. They are, in fact, harming the Earth.

Killing it, even. We take from the soil and we don’t give back. We add nutrients that will enable monoculture crops to grow, but we don’t truly nourish the land. We strip the soil through obliterative farming practices that leave it barren for future generations.

*cough* dust bowl *cough*

Well, good news: Regenerative agriculture is a type of stewardship that has the power to change all that.

Green roofs are unique environments, so you can’t just throw a batch of soil up there and call it good. What media should you use instead? And does it need to be customized or not? We answer those questions here.

Thinking about a green roof? There are a lot of factors to consider, as you already know.

What will you plant? How do you want it to look? Can you, like, eat breakfast on it and stuff?

Well, that all depends. Not only on your space and your vision, but on what kind of plants your particular ecosystem can support and the benefits you hope your green roof will achieve.

And that in turn depends a lot on the media you use.

Many people ask us whether or not they need custom media for their green roofs, so we thought we’d take a crack at answering that today.