• Heating & Cooling,  Home Garden,  Nature,  Preparedness

    Between a Rock and a Hot Place

    Balancing the Sources of Heat in the Home Landscape Take a leaf. No, actually, don’t you dare touch that leaf! Well, why? It’s dead. No good to me now. Well, actually, it’s as valuable now as when it was on the tree. Why? Because it’s going to rot and then become another tree that produces other leaves. Composted leaves are free fertilizer. They’re nature’s oldest form of recycling. The Xerces Society is a non-profit trying to help wildlife, especially pollinators (bees, butterflies, etc.) and endangered species. A few years ago, they promoted a “Leave the Leaves” project in the fall, so there would be protected places for wildlife over the…

  • Nature,  Wind

    Bat Fatalities at Wind Turbines

    Investigating the Causes & Consequences Wind energy is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world It represents an important step toward reducing dependence on nonrenewable sources of power. However, widespread deployment of industrial wind turbines has unprecedented adverse effects on certain species of bats that roost in trees and migrate. Bats are beneficial consumers of agricultural insect pests, and migratory species of bats provide free pest-suppression services across ecosystems and international borders. Although the underlying causes of bat fatalities at wind turbines remain unknown, potential clues can be found in the patterns of fatalities. TSH scientists, in collaboration with other U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) science centers as well as…

  • Education,  EVENT

    Global Earth Repair Summit

    October 21 – 24, 2022 An Invitation to participate in a global, local event Come together in person, as communities, as local restoration pods to plant trees and do restoration work. Meet Restorationists from far and wide: to network, share information, and do action planning for global, scaled-up efforts. Be part of a growing, global movement to re-green Earth! For more info: www.globalearthrepairfoundation.org Contact Michael Pilarski: friendsofthetrees@yahoo.com

  • Business

    Pendleton Opens New Store in Salem

    1313 Mill Street SE Suite 110, Salem, OR Hours 10 am to 4 pm Tuesday through Saturday Pendleton Woolen Mills has a new store inside the Willamette Heritage Center (WHC) in Salem, Oregon. The store offers woolen blankets, apparel, accessories, and gifts, along with fabric cuts and exclusive mill materials for crafting with wool. This location is a ‘coming home’ for Pendleton Woolen Mill’s descendants of Thomas Lister Kay, where his namesake mill was founded 133 years earlier. Founded in 1863 and located in Portland, Oregon, Pendleton weaves iconic designs in two of America’s remaining woolen mills in Pendleton, Oregon, and Washougal, Washington. With six generations of family ownership, Pendleton…

  • Education,  Organics

    Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides Offers Consultation Services

    Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides (NCAP) recently released a new consultation service to help community members manage weeds and pests without pesticides. Schedule a one-on-one meeting with their staff to learn how to deal with gardening pests without relying on chemicals that can harm people and the environment. Many common pesticide products impact beneficial bug species and contribute to water pollution. NCAP can help you find safe solutions. This service is offered at a sliding scale, and no one will be turned away for lack of funds. For more info: www.pesticide.org/consultation

  • Global Earth Repair pic
    Education,  EVENT

    Ecosystem Restoration Course

    June 7-17, 2022 Atlan Community, 37 Nestor Peak Road White Salmon, WA Taught by Michael “Skeeter” Pilarski, Marisha Auerbach, and Special Guest Teachers A hands-on, in-person course, blending ecosystem restoration, permaculture, regenerative agriculture, and ethno-ecology. Will take last-minute sign-ups Work trade and partial scholarships are available! Healthy ecosystems provide clean air, clean water, ecological services, habitat, and food for wildlife as well as yields to support humanity.  As we face increased natural disasters, a global pandemic, supply chain disruptions, and social instability, now is the time to enhance our abilities to come together to practice ecosystem restoration. This course is for land-stewards, land managers, landscapers, and anyone concerned about ecosystem health as…

  • Human Interest,  Personal Health

    Knock-Knock

    My family has a history of heart attacks. I believed someday I would have one. In spite of all I read about the areas a woman experienced pain before an attack, I was not sure I would recognize the symptoms. One piece of information was missing. It would be my brain creating the pain signals to get help. When I figured that out, I understood and got help. My story is told in two ways because people hear information in different ways. Learn to hear body’s Knock-knocks. Knock- Knock,  Hear Me,   Knock- Knock In our brain is a governor who controls our system, breathing, heart, and nerves. It has a…