Mothering Earth -98- Native Plant Society

09/30/22 • 30 min

Native plants are local plants. They have been growing in a particular region for possibly thousands of years. They grow well without much “care” because they are well adapted to the habitat. They like the type of soil in that region. They do perfectly well with the amount of sunlight they receive there, and are quite happy with the climate, which includes the normal temperatures and the usual amount of rainfall for the area. Wildlife populations in their particular region, have evolved a close relationship with the native plants, which they use for shelter, and for food. That’s why when you plant native plants you naturally increase the populations of pollinators, birds and other wildlife. In this program, we’ll learn a lot about native plants and how you can use them to promote biodiversity in your outdoor spaces.

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Mothering Earth- 97 - Pesticides Are Poison

When large populations of grasshoppers and crickets appear in western rangelands in the U.S., the government sprays those areas with pesticides to kill the targeted insects. The spraying program also kills many non-target species. The areas that are sprayed include wilderness, national forest lands and wildlife refuges, and areas used by ranchers for livestock. The Center for Biological Diversity is suing an arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture for its' spraying program, contending that the spraying can result in the extinction of over 230 protected species in those areas, species which are a necessary part of a diverse ecosystem. In this program, you will meet Lori Ann Burd of the Center for Biological Diversity, whose mission is to protect all species, including humans, from the harmful effects of toxic substances.

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Mothering Earth -99- E-Waste

We count on them to guard our homes, to play our music and television shows, to entertain us with games, to call and chat with friends, relatives and colleagues, to clean our clothes, to keep our food cold, to pay our bills, to get our work done and even to drive us home. Think of all the electronic devices you use every day! But what happens when we make the choice to "upgrade" to the latest version of the device? Where do old electronic devices, which we call e-waste, go? In this Mothering Earth program, we learn what happens to discarded electronics, with Brad Rudisail, an IT consultant and technology writer.