What A Plant Knows
"As I was planting my seasonal crop of tomatoes last month, a good friend (and my personal gardening guru) informed me that they liked their leaves rubbed, "like petting a pet's ears," which I received with equal parts astonishment, amusement, and mild concern for my friend. But, as Tel Aviv University biologist Daniel Chamovitz reveals in What a Plant Knows: A Field Guide to the Senses (public li... posted on Jun 30 2012, 14,993 reads

America's First Public Food Forest
Imagine a 7 acre plot of land in a large American city, with hundreds of different kinds of edibles: walnut and chestnut trees; blueberry and raspberry bushes; fruit trees, including apples and pears; exotics like pineapple, yuzu citrus, guava, persimmons, honeyberries, and lingonberries; herbs; and more. The best part? All will be available for public plucking to anyone who wanders into Seattle's... posted on Jun 08 2012, 34,876 reads

Life Lessons from A Winged Visitor
"Something in the sunlight caught my eye. A moving something. A small moving something. Could it really be? A butterfly had landed on the floormat inside the house. Beating its wings ever so slowly, trying to catch its breath. I crept closer, just wanting to capture its beauty in my hands. To just admire its simplicity and intricate design. She sensed my presence, and we locked energies. Slowly, s... posted on Jun 02 2012, 15,463 reads

Gleaning for the Greater Good
"An old-fashioned concept -- gleaning for the greater good by harvesting unwanted or leftover produce from farms or family gardens -- is making a comeback during these continued lean economic times. In cities, rural communities, and suburbs across the country, volunteer pickers join forces to collect bags and boxes of fruits and vegetables that find their way to homeless shelters, soup kitchens, a... posted on May 12 2012, 11,910 reads

Seeing in the Dark
A visually stunning ode to time, music, and the stars, Timothy Ferris' film "Seeing in the Dark" celebrates the wonders of stargazing -- from kids learning the constellations to amateur astronomers doing professional-grade research in discovering planets and exploding stars. Here, Ferris reflects on the PBS film, which features never-before seen astronomical photography and special effects. "Our a... posted on Apr 02 2012, 7,347 reads

Office Workers Raise 5 Day Old Kitten
"He was all soaking wet. The house had been power washed earlier but no one knew there was a baby kitty over in the bushes or that he had gotten wet. I cleaned him off with paper towels in case he had offensive tasting soap on him and put him back down and went back inside so the mama could get her baby. After much sitting there watching him cry, she walked away and didn't come back. I ran over... posted on Mar 12 2012, 19,307 reads

Cat Saves Owner's Life Hours After Adoption
Amy Jung and her son Ethan stopped into The Humane Society near their home in Wisconsin to play with the cats, but one feline -- a 21-pound cat named Pudding -- stood out to the pair. They made an impulsive decision to adopt him and his friend Wimsy. That same night, Jung, who has had diabetes since childhood, started having a diabetic seizure in her sleep. That's when Pudding sprang into action. ... posted on Feb 27 2012, 25,594 reads

Going into Debt to Rescue Abandoned Dogs
"On any given Saturday, you'll find volunteer rescuer Tracie Mitchum sitting outside in front of the Whole Foods Market with an array of cats and dogs she's rescued. She brings the pets to the parking lot hoping to find applicants to adopt them and to raise funds to provide veterinary care. "I feel welcome at Whole Foods and it's refreshing," Tracie says during our recent chat on the campus of the... posted on Feb 19 2012, 12,838 reads

A Dying Boy's Special Bond with a Rescue Dog
Every moment is extra precious for 4-yr-old Lucas Hembree. Suffering from Sanfilippo syndrome, he isn't expected to live past 15. As the disease started to take a toll on Lucas' joints, his father Chester looked into getting a service dog to keep Lucas steady when he walked. A combination of prayer and persistence led Chester to Juno. "I had the feeling in my gut that I had to go see this dog," sa... posted on Feb 08 2012, 47,927 reads

The Green School in Bali
With natural light and a breeze that passes through, John Hardy's dream of building a green school comes alive in Bali. Created with bamboo architecture, no walls and a diverse range of teachers, this school not only teaches reading, writing, and arithmetic but also teaches how to reconnect to nature, endeavoring to develop future green leaders from 25 different countries. This 14 minute TED talk ... posted on Feb 04 2012, 4,195 reads