Sustainable Living
Amid the megadrought, the worst drought to hit California in 1200+ years, we are now experiencing a Pacific storm with the terrifying name of a bomb cyclone. And while the atmospheric river it’s bringing with it sounds poetic, it’s anything but. This brutal storm is bringing heavy rains, damaging winds and subsequent flooding to parts of California.
In San Diego County, we’re experiencing rains and winds that may lead to major flood events in some areas. Over the last decade, flooding has caused millions of dollars in property damage, even in times of average seasonal rainstorms. (source: San Diego Co Public Works)
San Diego is a coastal desert.… Read More
Sustainability Is Worth The Struggle
Good Earth Plant Company loves it when our clients consider how their purchases impact our environment. Study after study demonstrates consumers want to buy products and services from companies taking a stand on saving the planet. A 2019 study of consumers found 83% of Americans are concerned about the environmental impact of products they buy and say it’s important for companies to design more environmentally friendly products. We think it should be 100% but it’s a good start.
During a recent conversation with my son Ted, it hit me how pessimistic he feels about our earth’s health. The environmental outlook is dire.… Read More
Get High On World Green Roof Day 2022
When we first installed our green roof at Good Earth Plant Company fifteen years ago in 2007, all the information about the long-term impact came from Europe. There weren’t many green roofs in the United States, just a few in the northern United States and southern Canada. There were very few studies conducted on them, none in our Southern California region.
Times change, and we are much more enlightened about the positive impact of green roofs on the immediate environment and their contribution overall. We love green roofs and everything they stand for at Good Earth Plant Company. We have now built several green roofs in the decade since then, from private homes in Del Mar, Encinitas, and Santa Monica, to the “Fallen Star” art installation at UCSD, to the spectacular green roof at Sharp Memorial Hospital in Kearny Mesa.… Read More
Hooray, It’s Time to Celebrate Earth Day 2022
The first Earth Day took place in 1970. It is now an annual event celebrated on April 22 in more than 192 countries each year in hundreds of communities in the United States
Guess which city has the BIGGEST Earth Day event? Yes, it’s right here in San Diego. The annual Earth Day Fair 2022 returns to Balboa Park after two years off due to the pandemic this Sunday, April 24. It is the largest free, all-volunteer Earth Fair in the United States. Organizers definitely need both volunteers and cash donations. Please help if you can.
This year’s Earth Fair features 300 exhibitors, the Children’s Earth Parade from 9:30 to 11 a.m.,… Read More
San Diego Tree Week: Calling All Treehuggers!
Some of my favorite quotes are about trees. I love what they express about the power of nature, optimism, and time.
“The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit” – Nelson Henderson
“Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago” – Warren Buffett
“He who plants a tree, plants a hope” – Lucy Larcom
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now” – Chinese proverb
I love all things trees. I always have. One of the very first blog posts I ever wrote was about the magic of treehouses in September 2013.… Read More
Celebrating 15 Years of Our Thriving Green Roof
Fifteen years ago this month, the first permitted commercial green roof appeared on a building in the City of San Diego at Good Earth Plant Company. Just a few days ago, I ran across the original invitation to our dedication event and even a copy of my speech that day.
Today, the roof is still thriving and teaching us something new every day.
Looking back on this milestone anniversary, I admit I took a giant leap of faith installing the roof in 2007. But my whole career has been filled with leaps and innovation. The only difference here was how BIG a leap it was.… Read More
Ten Ways to Go Green St. Patrick’s Day
You don’t have to be Irish (or part Irish like me) to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day today, March 17. And I won’t judge if you continue the celebration through the weekend. Slainte! We love any occasion focusing on green things.
The Eco-Warriors at Good Earth Plant Company don’t think of shamrocks when we think about going green. There are many more ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day all year long besides just wearing green and drinking green beer. Think green all year with our ten ways to go green on St. Patrick’s Day.
Eat Greener
For some of you (like me), this is a tough one.… Read More
Monarch Butterflies Making A Comeback
With so much troubling news about our environment lately, any good news is welcome, and I found some worth sharing with you. The Monarch butterfly is making a comeback!
Last month, the Xerces Society reported a surprising outcome from its 25th annual Western Monarch Thanksgiving Count. Volunteers observed 247,237 monarch butterflies observed across western overwintering sites: a more than 100-fold increase from last year.
Xerces Society biologists Isis Howard and Emma Pelton write, “This year’s total both amazed us with the monarchs’ ability to bounce up from a record low and underscores the importance of ongoing conservation efforts to recover the western monarch butterfly population.”… Read More
Sustainability Must Be More Than a Buzzword
After several years of designing and building living walls for our clients, we realized at Good Earth Plant Company we needed another option. While it’s always our preference to bring Nature into workplaces, homes, and other indoor spaces with living plants, it’s not always possible due to lighting, location, or other challenges.
Then in 2015, Good Earth Plant Company installed our first moss wall. Moss walls provide most of the benefits of traditional living walls plus a few distinct advantages:
Moss walls can thrive in any indoor setting.
Moss walls don’t need any light or water, and minimum maintenance.
Moss walls are incredibly lightweight for their size compared to the same size living walls.… Read More
Nine Best Tips to Make the Most of Labor Day Weekend 2021
Labor Day 2021 is already here! Yes, Labor Day is recognized this Monday, September 6, 2021.
Made any plans? The pandemic might be changing your traditional long weekend getaway. Why not take advantage of the situation to invest time in some late summer gardening which will pay off all through the fall month.
Your yard will look great and you will get a healthy dose of Vitamin N – as in Nature. If you enlist your family, especially the kids, they’ll benefit from activities not involving screen time.
Good Earth Plant Company’s nine best tips for Labor Day Weekend 2021:
Start a compost pile to create some organic fertilizer for next spring’s garden.… Read More