I think I would like to create a pollinator garden. Pollinator gardens are gardens that attract birds and insects that carry pollen to different plants. These gardens mainly consist of flowers, which are easier to maintain than edibles in the coming winter. Some positives of having a pollinator garden are:
- They attract hummingbirds, butterflies and other visually appealing creatures
- Pollinator gardens are visually appealing
- Attracting pollinators can improve local plant life because they will spread pollen throughout the area
- The nectar in the flowers gives the bees, hummingbirds, butterflies etc. the nutrients they need to survive
The materials that we would need for this are:
- Nectar/pollen-rich flowers of all different shapes, colors and sizes
- Flowers that bloom at different times throughout the year so the pollinators have a continuous string of flowers to return to
- Food for the insects and birds, but not too much since we don't want birds of prey coming and eating all of the birds
- Nesting spots for the insects
- Spots for eggs and larva to hatch, this way we could have more bees which are critically important for us as humans to survive
- Water for the flowers and a shallow pool of water for the birds and insects that come by
- No pesticides or chemicals allowed
There are several different pollinators and each one has a different preference for flowers etc. Some pollinators common to Southern California include:
- Bats
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Flies
- Hummingbirds
- Moths
- Pollinating beetles
I think that our garden should probably attract butterflies, hummingbirds and bees. These three are very common to the area that we live in, so we stand a better chance of attracting these creatures. Also, these three are some of the most effective pollinators, and the most visually appealing. Each of these pollinators have their own preference for flowers and plant life.
Bees like yellow, blue and purple flowers. Smaller bees like small flowers, often grouped tightly together. Some flowers that bees, (particularly small ones) like are marigold, butterfly weed and daisies. They also like fragrant herbs.
Butterflies like orange, red, blue, yellow and pink flowers. Butterflies can't keep flying while extracting nectar and pollen, so the need flatter flowers that they can land on top of. Some good examples of these are butterfly weed, daisies, calendula, yarrow and zinnia. They prefer sunny locations, and they need places to lay eggs and larva, so plants like milkweed, lupine, aster, thistle, violets, black-eyed Susan, fennel and hollyhock are good places for them.
Hummingbirds like tubular flowers that are red, orange, and purple/red. They like plants that have a lot of nectar in them, so things like honeysuckle, sage, jewelweed, fuchsia, cardinal flowers, nasturtium, fireweed, bee balm and century plants.
From what I can see, I think that we should definitely bring in some honeysuckle, black-eyed Susan, hollyhock, marigold, butterfly weed, and daisies. These plants handle well in the cold, plus the are exceptionally good pollinating flowers, so they would be perfect for our garden.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Six Degrees of Separation
I am a vegan, so I don't eat anything that comes from an animal. Basically this means that I don't eat meat, dairy or eggs. Because of this, I need to get my protein from other sources, such as tofu!
Tofu is basically soybeans and water compressed together into a block. Soybeans are typically grown in North and South America, as well as several Asian countries. Often, the soybeans will be sprayed with pesticides or other chemicals, which can both cause health problems and ruin the flavor of the tofu. Because of this I only buy 100% organic tofu. Soybeans are incredibly high in protein which is great for people that don't eat meat. Unfortunately, soybeans can cause several health problems, such as deformities in babies, (there are properties in soybeans that mimic estrogen) and other health problems.
Once the beans are harvested, they are shipped off to different tofu factories worldwide. The company that I buy my tofu from is called San Diego Soy Dairy. SDSD is entirely organic, so they don't use any chemicals when processing their tofu. Because of this, the taste is greatly improved and there are more health benefits, (tofu is proven to help and reverse the effects of osteoporosis and heart disease). Unfortunately, the machines in the factory do have to be run off of energy from power plants, but otherwise there are very few negative effects on the environment.
After this, the tofu is shipped to the stores. I have yet to see a single package of tofu that wasn't wrapped in plastic, which is a problem since it can't be recycled. Once the tofu gets to my house, I have to throw out the packaging, then I begin the preparation process. I will often chop up other vegetables to throw in with the tofu, (since it doesn't really taste that good on its own). Sadly, the more vegetables you use, the more trees that have to be chopped down in order to make room for plants. However, when you think about it, the more soybeans that are planted, the more tofu there is. The more tofu there is, the less animals have to die. So rather than killing an animal for a couple of pieces of extremely expensive meat, why not just buy a package of tofu?
So, over all, here are some of the ways that tofu affects the environment, both good and bad:
1) Trees get cut down in order for crops to grow2)Soybeans can cause birth defects and other health problems
3) Tofu manufacturing plants have to use energy from power plants
4) Some tofu/soybean manufacturers use pesticides5) Tofu comes in plastic packages
6) A lot of soybeans are grown in the US, (less fuel used on shipping)
7) Tofu prevents osteoporosis and heart disease
8) Tofu is high in protein
9) Tofu helps keep animals alive
So the next time you are going to the store, please consider trying tofu. It is delicious and is extremely good for you in reasonable portions.
Tofu is basically soybeans and water compressed together into a block. Soybeans are typically grown in North and South America, as well as several Asian countries. Often, the soybeans will be sprayed with pesticides or other chemicals, which can both cause health problems and ruin the flavor of the tofu. Because of this I only buy 100% organic tofu. Soybeans are incredibly high in protein which is great for people that don't eat meat. Unfortunately, soybeans can cause several health problems, such as deformities in babies, (there are properties in soybeans that mimic estrogen) and other health problems.
Once the beans are harvested, they are shipped off to different tofu factories worldwide. The company that I buy my tofu from is called San Diego Soy Dairy. SDSD is entirely organic, so they don't use any chemicals when processing their tofu. Because of this, the taste is greatly improved and there are more health benefits, (tofu is proven to help and reverse the effects of osteoporosis and heart disease). Unfortunately, the machines in the factory do have to be run off of energy from power plants, but otherwise there are very few negative effects on the environment.
After this, the tofu is shipped to the stores. I have yet to see a single package of tofu that wasn't wrapped in plastic, which is a problem since it can't be recycled. Once the tofu gets to my house, I have to throw out the packaging, then I begin the preparation process. I will often chop up other vegetables to throw in with the tofu, (since it doesn't really taste that good on its own). Sadly, the more vegetables you use, the more trees that have to be chopped down in order to make room for plants. However, when you think about it, the more soybeans that are planted, the more tofu there is. The more tofu there is, the less animals have to die. So rather than killing an animal for a couple of pieces of extremely expensive meat, why not just buy a package of tofu?
So, over all, here are some of the ways that tofu affects the environment, both good and bad:
1) Trees get cut down in order for crops to grow2)Soybeans can cause birth defects and other health problems
3) Tofu manufacturing plants have to use energy from power plants
4) Some tofu/soybean manufacturers use pesticides5) Tofu comes in plastic packages
6) A lot of soybeans are grown in the US, (less fuel used on shipping)
7) Tofu prevents osteoporosis and heart disease
8) Tofu is high in protein
9) Tofu helps keep animals alive
So the next time you are going to the store, please consider trying tofu. It is delicious and is extremely good for you in reasonable portions.
Environmental Science Post One
Essay Questions:
Q1: What all organisms are in your house, (living, non-living etc.) and where they can be found in your home.
A1: List should include people, different plants, possible bacteria, pets, pests, different bugs and wildlife common to their area and where all of these things can be found.
Q2: (Continuation of question one) How would you describe your home? Would you call it a community, ecosystem, population etc? Why would you call it that?
A2: It would most likely be considered an ecosystem because it has both living and non-living elements. Also, all of these elements are living in one general area.
Q3: Describe the difference between an ecosystem and a population. Which one would you consider our classroom to be? Why?
A3: An ecosystem includes both living and non-living elements. These elements are all located in one general area and the surrounding area would be greatly altered if one of these organisms were removed. A population consists of one species living together in a specific area. Our classroom could be considered an ecosystem if you are including the snake, bugs, bacteria and other elements that live in or near the classroom. If you do not count those factors and only think of the people that are going to class, you could call it a population because it is a singular species temporarily living in the same space.
Q1: What all organisms are in your house, (living, non-living etc.) and where they can be found in your home.
A1: List should include people, different plants, possible bacteria, pets, pests, different bugs and wildlife common to their area and where all of these things can be found.
Q2: (Continuation of question one) How would you describe your home? Would you call it a community, ecosystem, population etc? Why would you call it that?
A2: It would most likely be considered an ecosystem because it has both living and non-living elements. Also, all of these elements are living in one general area.
Q3: Describe the difference between an ecosystem and a population. Which one would you consider our classroom to be? Why?
A3: An ecosystem includes both living and non-living elements. These elements are all located in one general area and the surrounding area would be greatly altered if one of these organisms were removed. A population consists of one species living together in a specific area. Our classroom could be considered an ecosystem if you are including the snake, bugs, bacteria and other elements that live in or near the classroom. If you do not count those factors and only think of the people that are going to class, you could call it a population because it is a singular species temporarily living in the same space.
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