Green Living | National Geographic

What Is Plucking & Abrasion?

Evidence of ancient erosion on Earth and Mars hints at largescale climate change brought on by megafloods that created regional -- though catastrophic -- environmental change. For geologists and geographers, part of understanding these ancient disasters involves studying ancient and modern instances of plucking and abrasion -- the geological terms for an erosion process that can occur slowly through gradual glacial movement or swiftly through violent, voluminous floods. This field of interest is particularly relevant now, because a 2010 report in the journal "Nature" proves that glacial meltwater flooding reversed warming on Earth 13,000 years ago and reopened the last ice age. (See References 1 and 2)

The Natural Way to Clean Kitchen Sinks and Drains

Many common household cleaning products contain potent chemicals that present a number of dangers. Some cause damage to wildlife, wetlands and water quality when they're rinsed down the drain. Others are caustic and can cause skin, eye or lung damage (see References 2). To minimize these potential risks to family members and the environment, many consumers are now using "greener" natural cleansers for tasks such as scrubbing sinks and clearing drains.

How to Use a Compost Jar

Eco-friendly trends come and go, but reserving biodegradable kitchen scraps in a convenient countertop receptacle is a popular lifestyle habit with staying power. In addition to curbing the volume of solid municipal waste that a household personally generates, maintaining a compost jar also helps reduce one’s overall carbon footprint (see References 1). Furthermore, incorporating the resulting organic material into flowerbeds and vegetable gardens yields high-impact, nutrient-rich results at minimal personal expense, paving the way for consistent green thumb successes that neighbors will admire, talk about and emulate.

Ten Steps to Start Recycling

When you recycle, recycling facilities are able to reuse resources, reducing the amount of raw materials needed in manufacturing. Getting started with recycling isn't difficult, and you can do it at home, at work or on the go.

When Should I Spread Out My Composted Soil?

After establishing your compost heap, knowing when to spread that compost on your garden can be challenging. Large pieces of organic material that haven’t composted completely continue to decompose in the garden, temporarily robbing plants of nutrients. If compost hasn’t “cooked” long enough, plant diseases and pathogens may still be active and attack healthy plants or spread to vegetables you want to harvest. Inspect your pile regularly, and watch the calendar to determine when to use your compost.

How to Prevent Runoff on a Sloped Lawn

The average residential property provides only limited opportunity for rainwater to soak in to, or "infiltrate" the soil. Your roof, driveway and patio are all waterproof surfaces. Even your lawn quickly becomes waterlogged at the surface, leaving rain to run downhill and find its way into storm drains as runoff. This wastewater carries many contaminants into waterways, from pet and bird droppings to silt and weed killer residues. You can limit runoff in several ways, even on a sloped lawn. Two of the least intrusive are planting trees or shrubs, or creating a rain garden.

What Are Two Ways People Use Soil as a Resource?

Soil is often called the "living skin" of the earth. In rural areas, it's easily visible, but in large cities, it's hidden beneath buildings and roads. Two important ways that people use soil are for agriculture and the support of buildings and roads. Soil surveys of large areas, geotechnical tests of soils at construction and farm sites and simpler home garden soil tests guide usage choices by identifying soil strengths and problems. (See Resources 1)