How landfill waste inspired a symphony

Landfill waste turned into musical instruments for Recology’s musical artist / composer Nathaniel Stookey

Music is the universal language. It soothes humans and animals alike. Its beauty inspires us, lifts us up. But what inspires composers to write their music?

Perhaps the last answer you’d ever consider would be trash. Yet that’s exactly what inspired composer Nathaniel Stookey to write his symphony, aptly named Junkestra.

Make Art, Not Landfill: Recology’s Artist in Residence Program Turns 25

Carnival Masks by Dana Albany – made of wood, recycled paint and objects found at the landfill – were featured in a Recology exhibit at San Francisco Airport in 2013

25 years is an amazing anniversary to reach, but even more so for anything related to art made from landfill waste. If that statement doesn’t make sense to you, you don’t know about Recology and/or its Artist in Residence program, which turns 25 this year.

Lassen National Park – 100 Years of Changing Landscape

Lassen Peak prior to its devastating eruption in 1915. Photo by B.F. Loomis, courtesy of National Park Service

The Cascade Mountains stretch from southern British Columbia, Canada, all the way into northern California. Part of the famed Ring of Fire – a string of volcanoes and mountains running throughout the Pacific Ocean – the southern Cascades contain hundreds of small to medium-sized volcanoes. This includes more than 30 volcanoes that make up California’s Lassen Volcanic National Park.

This week marks the 100^th anniversary of one of Lassen’s most powerful volcanic eruptions.

To learn more about the explosive history of this remarkable national park and view rarely seen pictures that were taken during a major volcanic eruption, click here.

Home Depot – pulling a fast one with neonicotinoids ?

As an environmental journalist and an organic home gardener, I’m very aware of how pesticides and neonicotinoids such as Roundup and glyphosate are having a devastating effect on bees and butterflies. I work diligently to not only provide this information to others but also to avoid bringing any of said ingredients into or around my home.

Bolivia’s new solar powered car could benefit from solar innovation

Bolivian university students have created and are road testing a solar-powered car. Outfitted with eight large solar panels, this boxy-looking vehicle runs silently through the streets. Check out the video here.

Texas bans cities from banning fracking. Will this trend become a movement?

Yesterday, both houses of the Texas legislature voted to ban cities from banning fracking. This bill, if signed by the Texas governor, would prevent communities from exercising their right to determine the health and welfare of their citizens who want nothing to do with fracking in their areas nor the earthquakes that appear to be related to it. This ban on bans pits communities against the powerful oil and gas lobby, as well as against the American Legislative Exchange Council or ALEC.