YouTube - Robots Attack!

John Nail's Blog | Talking Points Memo | Obama = "Interconnectedness" - Awesome Video

Obama '08 - Vote For Hope from MC Yogi on Vimeo.

Study Finds Silver Lining for Maligned Saltcedars aka Tamarisk

Study Finds Silver Lining for Maligned Saltcedars | UANews.orgI love tamarisks -- a neighbor has one in their back yard. Beautiful tree with amazing pink blossoms in spring. We look to that tree on our morning walks to mark the changing season and shift from gray winter to green spring.

It has bugged me forever that this tree is such a nuisance to our riparian areas-- and considered a threat to biodiversity. It has been hard for me to hate something that is so beautiful.

And tamarisk is considered a devil. Enough of a threat that we greens and fans of native plant restoration spend millions of dollars and even more volunteer time eradicating the pesky tamarisk to restore native habitat.

Now it looks like scientists are finding a lot of good news in tamarisks. Read the story linked here on research that spells out where tamarisk thrive in the Colorado River Basin, and why.

What do you think?

For me the take away points are clear: tamarisk doesn't suck a lot of water out of riparian areas. It only thrives where native willow and other natives can't. And birds love it. Let's move on to more important problems. Tamarisk/ saltcedar is proving to be quite valuable in disturbed riparian areas, and providing habitat for threatened and endangered species.

The willows and cottonwoods on western riparian areas will still be there where we humans have not changed the riparian area because of damming, levees, and the resulting floods MIA. The native trees need the flooding to wash out the salts in the soil.

There are limited resources for changing our ecosystem, and it looks like tamarisk eradication funds could be used better elsewhere to promote ecosystem services like wetlands and estuaries we have paved over to make way for automobiles.

Let me put it this way: If we had a million bucks to kill tamarisk and spray herbicides on this invasive tree or to build rain gardens in suburban areas and rip up concrete to promote storm water spreading, soaking and seeping into the ground, rather than running into our streams and Puget Sound, which would be the better use of these resources?

What do you think?

Study explores effectiveness of rain gardens

Study explores effectiveness of rain gardens Researchers at UW Madison find that the most effective rain gardens at reducing stormwater run off have berms.

The plant mix doesn't matter so much.

Wildflower Declines In Thoreau's Concord Woods Are Due To Climate Changes

Wildflower Declines In Thoreau's Concord Woods Are Due To Climate Changes

Talking Business - So When Will Banks Give Loans? - That 700 billion? We've been taken to the cleaners

Talking Business - So When Will Banks Give Loans? - NYTimes.com Read and weep, then revolt!

It is disgusting to see the Bush Treasury Dept. using our tax money to help big banks consolidate into even bigger banks -- instead of spending the money on loans to small businesses that can repay them.

I am at a loss here. Are we an idiot nation? Senator Dodd? Are you really in favor of making big banks bigger?

I want more banks smaller. Think regional, think about sweating deals with solid small and medium size businesses with competition from credit unions and other small banks for the same business.

But the $700 billion we just gave Treasury is doing no such thing. Rip off.

The Democrats leading this bail out operation are AS Responsible as the Republicans -- who you expect nothing less than monopoly capitalism from anyway.

Time for big changes.

Basta.

Timothy

"World's Most Beautiful Maps" -- WSJ Northwest Watersheds Cascadia Map

"World's most beautiful maps." -- Wall St. Journal

Hi from Good Nature in Seattle.

Good news! I am printing my third edition of on Good Nature's Cascadia watersheds map titled Pacific Northwest Watersheds

Do you need beautiful educational biodiversity art for fundraising incentives, volunteer appreciations, outreach and education?

I recommend ordering a mix Maps Salmon, Wildflowers, NW Hedgerows and other posters for volunteer appreciations, outreach & education.

Good Nature's custom map features all the watersheds of the coniferous temperate rain forest-- the Copper River south of Anchorage to the Eel and Russian River north of San Francisco.

We cover all your turf and then some in the most glorious hypsographic color palette ever made. Don't take my word for it.

Wall Street Journal calls Raven Maps "World's most beautiful maps."

And Raven made this map just for Good Nature.

Good Nature's beautiful PNW Watershed Map (36" x 24") featuring all the watersheds in the Pacific Northwest.

Can I reserve a 100 -1000 for your outreach and education? You
benefit from a group order that is already 60% subscribed.

Here are special prices- and it is easy to order -- just enter your quantity online, reply to this email or call me @ 800 631 3086.

PNW Map Special Offer Limited Time -October 31st.

$25/ $50 laminated
Buy 2 get 2 Free
Order 10 or more for $12.50 ea -save 50% today
Order 100 for $3.99 ea save 80%+
Order 1000 for $2.99 ea and get your logo/contact info added for $300 save 88%
5000 + Maps are $2.50 ea (you can add a narrative on the back for this quantity)
10,000 maps are $1.99 ea

This map is great for people who want the highest quality watershed map for the watersheds big picture-- with no roads, and political boundaries receded so you can see the beautiful terrain we live in.

And combine that map with our Salmon, Conifers, Broadleaved Trees, Old Growth Forest and Hedgerow Riparian buffer art-- teachers have a great art series to connect kids and nature students of all ages.

Thanks!

Hope all is well.

Fincerely,

Timothy Colman, Publisher

PS: Please order today-- reply to email or call me @ 800 631 3086

You can mix titles if you like-- pick up some more Pacific Salmon

I also have an 11" x 17" version of Good Nature's Pacific Salmon for .99 cents ea per 100

Here is what Guido Rahr, Wild Salmon Center Executive Director said about our salmon art:

"The Pacific Salmon of North America print captures the tenacity and beauty of Pacific salmon and steelhead like no other. It should hang in schools, homes, and the offices of elected officials -- to give notice that these fish are worth fighting for!"
Guido Rahr, Executive Director, Wild Salmon Center

PSS: Rain Garden posters are our best seller this year -- can you use some for outreach? See art @ http://www.goodnaturepublishing.com

Obama Pro Green Energy Apollo Project

Daily Kos: State of the Nation Obama gets my support for many reasons -- but the link above seems to be the most salient for where we are in the world today.

We need green power and big investments in new manufacturing base for US. The middle class can't flip plastic and paper around and create real wealth.

Real wealth is getting redefined as we speak. Meaningful work for everyone, service -- contributing to the greater good, making love not war. That's why I support Obama for President.

Peace.

Timothy

Knowledge 'filters' down to Montpelier class: Times Argus Online

Knowledge 'filters' down to Montpelier class: Times Argus Online Read up on a great story about science classes in Montpelier VT where kids are actively engaged in stopping pollution, in growing rain gardens off the school parking lot to prevent rain run off from the school to flow down stream.

Hats off to the teachers and parents who raise these kids. We need a million kids like this helping their schools provide ecosystem services.

Good Nature is going to send this kid a free set of the Eastern Native Trees, Wildflowers and our Rain Garden poster just to thank him.

How about you? Have you read about kids in schools or your community who have taken the initiative?

Let me know.

Best fishes,

Timothy

The Daily News Record:

The Daily News Record:

Hey -- great tree nomination!

When Green Becomes Inc. - Green Inc. Blog - NYTimes.com

When Green Becomes Inc. - Green Inc. Blog - NYTimes.com Great interview with an author exposing the corporate greed and silence in Green Inc. Big green non profits like Conservation International, The Nature Conservancy, and World Wildlife Fund-- huge operations with CEO pay near a million bucks! Give me a break.

OK-- decide for yourself and read the interview with Christine MacDonald.

What do you think?
onward.

Timoteo

The Debate Over Environmental Education | Newsweek Project Green | Newsweek.com

The Debate Over Environmental Education | Newsweek Project Green | Newsweek.com Good story on environmental education in Newsweek. Check out Project Learning Tree and Project Wet -- two good national programs that help connect kids to nature.

And for those of us out of school, Master Naturalists (links to Virginia's page as example is a growing program tied into cooperative extensions around the US-- like Master Gardeners.

Best fishes,

Timothy

Conscious Choice: Beyond Eco-Apartheid

Conscious Choice: Beyond Eco-Apartheid