Brick Habitats: Bricks with Built-In Gardens and Minihomes for Animals « ReBurbia I imagine a suburbia where other animals are given living spaces amongst the spaces humans live in, where people without access to garden spaces are still able to grow their own food, where vertical spaces are not just hostile spaces devoid of life instead they host mini-ecosystems with diverse flora and fauna. These are the concepts behind Brick Habitats. It is a modular system of bricks which allows us to create a wide range of features on the side of our buildings including habitats for plants and animals, water bowls/baths, perches, shelters, feeders. The habitats for animals encourage non-human animals back into areas they previously inhabited before urban sprawl took over, whilst bringing life and positive energies into urban areas. The cavities provide nesting spaces for cavity-nesters like house sparrows, starlings, tits and possibly swifts. The extensions alone provide perches and overhangs and shelters for nest-building.
Snake Oil? The scientific evidence for health supplements See the data: bit.ly/snakeoilsupps. See the static versionSee the old flash version Check the evidence for so-called Superfoods visualized. Note: You might see multiple bubbles for certain supplements. This visualisation generates itself from this Google Doc. As ever, we welcome your thoughts, crits, comments, corrections, compliments, tweaks, new evidence, missing supps, and general feedback. » Purchase: Amazon US or Barnes & Noble | UK or Waterstones » Download: Apple iBook | Kindle (UK & US) » See inside For more graphics, visualisations and data-journalism:
Bottle Drip Irrigation | I prefer to have the bottle standing right-way-up as I think it looks nicer and it keeps debris out of the bottle thus keeping the holes from blocking. The materials: * 2 litre plastic soft-drink bottle or water bottle * Sharp small screwdriver, pointed hole-maker or drill This can be used in container gardening, raised bed gardens and open vegetable gardens. Using your pocket knife, make 2 small slits in the bottom of your bottle. Dig a hole next to your tomato plant. This will slowly deep-water your tomato plants and most other vegetable plants. You can learn more about this on another website. Only two very small holes are needed at the lowest place on the bottle. I prefer to leave the lids off. Place bamboo stakes next to each bottle. Here I am making another hole slightly higher up the bottle. However, if I remove the lid, water will come out this hole as well as the holes in the base. You can make larger holes, and partly fill the bottle with coarse-sand or soil to slow the flow.
Are We Hardwired to Damage the Environment? When mentioning Rio de Janeiro, one normally thinks of beaches, bikinis, soccer, and slums. But this week there is something else going on in Rio which could determine the fate of humanity. (the +20 refers to the 20 years that passed since the 1992 Rio conference on climate change ) and many world leaders are making an appearance. So how far have we come since the last Rio conference in fostering environmental sustainability? So what does human nature tell us about environmental sustainability? In our article we first dispel the myth that our ancestors were the Green Types. . . We argue that many modern environmental problems are caused, or at least exacerbated, by five human instincts. As an illustration, suppose you could herd an extra cow on the commons to feed you and your family without anyone noticing, would you do it? When we give people these dilemmas, most of them prefer the immediate reward although it is smaller. Don’t you believe me? Here is a final question. References
The Most Popular Ages to Sign Up for Social Security You can sign up for Social Security at any time after age 62. However, your monthly payments will be larger for each month you delay claiming them up until age 70. Here is when most people start receiving Social Security payments, and how signing up at each age impacts your payout. Age 62. Social Security payments are reduced if you claim them before your full retirement age, which is typically age 66 or 67, depending on your birth year. Age 63. Age 64. Age 65. Age 66. Age 67. Age 68. Age 69. Age 70. Growing Tomatoes | How to Grow Tomatoes | The Old Farmer's Almanac Tomatoes are the ultimate backyard vegetable, and growing tomatoes is easier than you might think. These tips on how to grow tomatoes should help you to take care of your most delicious plants. There are a multitude of reasons to have a backyard vegetable garden, but for many of us, the only reason we garden at all is to raise our own tomatoes. Is there anything better than a fully ripe tomato eaten while it’s still warm from the garden? Tomato Varieties: Type Casting Tomatoes have two types of growth: determinate and indeterminate. An indeterminate tomato plant will keep on growing and producing fruit until it is killed by frost. For information on even more tomato varieties, see “Tomato Trials.” Tomato Plant Care: Use Mulch Don’t forget to mulch! Tomato Plant Care: Pruning Tomatoes To pinch or not to pinch, that is the big question. Pruning also affects flavor. Tomato Plant Care: How Much to Water Tomato plants need 1 to 2 inches of water per week. Tomato Plant Care: Feeding
Why are my plants turning yellow? | MNN - Mother Nature Network Gardening is supposed be a relaxing hobby, but even the greenest thumbs see red sometimes. It might be due to fruit-stealing squirrels or earth-moving moles, but one of the most common causes of gardener angst is the sight of a tomato cage, bean fence or cucumber row draped in sickly yellow. Known as chlorosis, the yellowing of plants' leaves can point to a variety of health problems. It's sort of like a persistent cough in humans: It probably means you aren't well, but unless you're attuned to its subtleties, it may be too broad of a symptom to diagnose your specific illness. The direct cause of chlorosis isn't a mystery, though. At first glance, a yellow leaf may not seem to hold many clues about the underlying problem. Nutrient deficiency The interveinal yellowing on this tomato plant's older leaves suggests a magnesium deficiency. One common reason for chlorosis is poor nutrition. Some nutrient deficiencies make older leaves turn yellow first; others start with new growth. Pests
A compilation of 3rd Party GC/MS test results 2014-2016 The Best Manuka Honey Brands [2017 Review] | Manuka Me Better Black Cumin Seed Oil: The Truth According To Research What is Black Cumin Seed Oil? Nigella sativa (Family Ranunculacae), more commonly known as back cumin seed or kalonji, is a medicinal plant that has been used around the world since antiquity. It is used in traditional medical systems such as Ayurveda, Unanai and Siddha (1). The Persian polymath, Avicenna, believed that the seeds help people recover from fatigue and called the seeds ‘The Canon Of Medicine’. The seeds are known as ‘Habbatul barakah’ in Arabic which means ‘seeds of blessing’. The plant is native to the Middle East and south west Asia. The seeds can be eaten whole or pressed to make an oil extract. Black cumin seed oil is used for a wide range of ailments and as such has been called the ‘miracle herb’. Does Black Cumin Seed Oil Help Asthma? There are three key clinical studies evaluating the use of black cumin seed oil for asthma. Two of the studies were randomized placebo controlled trials in adults with asthma (10). Does It help Eczema? Does It help Candida? Conclusion Summary
This Little Weed One Of The Most Useful Medicines On The Planet - If you think you know what plantain is, you may be thinking of the large banana-like a tropical fruit. That’s not what this article is about! In this article, we will discuss a miraculous little weed that makes a tasty and nutritious addition to your diet and a valuable ingredient in your medicine chest. Read on to learn more. What Is Plantain Weed? There are over 200 varieties of this simple little weed, and it can be found all around the world. It was not native to North America when the Spanish and Europeans first arrived, but it quickly took hold in their wake. The type that is most abundant in North America is officially named Plantago Major. There is also a narrow leaf variety that is less abundant in North America. Since its introduction in the 1600s, plantain has spread enthusiastically and can be found almost anywhere. It grows especially well in poor soil, so it is frequently found growing in sidewalk cracks, gravel pits and vacant lots. What Does Plantain Look Like?
Vaccinating people who have had covid-19: why doesn’t natural immunity count in the US? The US CDC estimates that SARS-CoV-2 has infected more than 100 million Americans, and evidence is mounting that natural immunity is at least as protective as vaccination. Yet public health leadership says everyone needs the vaccine. Jennifer Block investigates When the vaccine rollout began in mid-December 2020, more than one quarter of Americans—91 million—had been infected with SARS-CoV-2, according to a US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate.1 As of this May, that proportion had risen to more than a third of the population, including 44% of adults aged 18-59 (table 1). Table 1 Estimated total infections in the United States between February 2020 and May 2021* The substantial number of infections, coupled with the increasing scientific evidence that natural immunity was durable, led some medical observers to ask why natural immunity didn’t seem to be factored into decisions about prioritising vaccination.234 The evidence But the studies kept coming. Staying firm