schenker is an avid traditional grower with wild roots, but along with the other organization members, she will be pivoting toward an innovative form of gardening called hydroponics that wild roots is incorporating.

hydroponics is the technique of growing plants using a water-based nutrient solution rather than soil, according to the usda national agricultural library.

“it’s kind of like a constant flowing water system, and there’s no soil needed,” schenker said. “the plants are just growing out of the water.”

rachel silverman, a mccormick school of engineering second-year industrial engineering major, is the co-vice president of engineers without borders, a student organization using engineering to promote sustainability. their newest project is partnering with wild roots to build the hydroponic system.

silverman said hydroponic systems pump water directly to the roots of the plants, which is beneficial for the environment.

“due to soil degradation, we lose soil faster than we can make it, so having an alternative available when we can grow produce without soil is really essential,” silverman said. “second of all, it uses a lot less water than how you would normally grow plants because it doesn’t have to be saturated in the soil and water can be recycled through the system.”

hydroponic systems work circularly, with water pumping from the nutrient-filled water into the grow tray, and then cycling back to the solution tank where more nutrients are added. the nutrient-water solution is typically replaced every two to three weeks for an average-sized hydroponic structure, according to floraflex. an energy source is needed to provide light for the plants when grown indoors and to pump the water.

engineers without borders and wild roots are working out these technical details in an effort led by silverman and juliana gonzalez, a mccormick second-year majoring in manufacturing and design engineering. silverman said she and gonzalez weren’t familiar with gardening alternatives like hydroponics before wild roots reached out, but when the organizations connected, engineers without borders researched the system and decided to take on the project.

“i think you learn a lot more through doing. joining this club has taught me a lot more about the different solutions that exist,” silverman said. “[i am] just getting a better grasp of the situation with the environment and the ways we can help.”

once engineers without borders agreed to collaborate with wild roots, they put together a rough design and worked through logistics with wild roots advisor corbin smyth. their final sketch is a 6-feet long and 4-feet wide structure with plants growing in horizontal rows above a water basin. while many hydroponic structures feature lights above the plants for controlled growth, this system will not need them because it will receive natural light outdoors. 

gonzalez said the biggest barrier they faced was getting their materials approved. engineers without borders sent their material proposal to the northwestern student organization finance office (sofo) to order before spring break, she said. sofo officials asked the students to restructure their plans solely with materials from vendors approved on ibuynu, a web-based ordering platform providing organizations with streamlined purchasing options.

“they ended up sending us the materials [list] back, and then we redid the materials and sent it back to our advisor, who sent it to sofo,” gonzalez said. “the whole process took a really long time. it was very frustrating, honestly.” but the process and patience paid off.

gonzalez said the students decided to exclusively choose items from home depot when rebuilding their materials list because the store is approved on the sofo platform. while engineers without borders initially planned to unveil the structure in late may of 2024, gonzalez said they are postponing the project launch until the coming academic year due to the delays. she said that even with delays, she thinks a hydroponic system will be meaningful enough for the university that the students are sticking with the plan.

the hydroponic system will bring awareness about water consumption and waste on campus, gonzalez said. she added that sustainability is a large part of the world now, and integrating it into engineering projects is very interesting to her.

eric weber, director of operations at plant chicago, embraces and builds upon the sustainable aspects of hydroponics, they said. plant chicago, on chicago’s south side, adopted hydroponic and aquaponic urban gardens in 2011 when the organization launched. their first systems were located at the plant, a former meat processing warehouse welcoming a collaborative community of small food businesses, according to the plant website. plant chicago relocated their hydroponic and aquaponic structures to their current space a few blocks away in 2020, said weber.

hydroponics is one component of an aquaponics system, which pumps naturally fertilized water from fish tanks to plants growing in water, then redirects the plant-purified water back to the fish tanks, according to nelson + pade. fish waste fertilizes the water and special bacteria in the water breaks down the ammonia in the waste that would be harmful to plants.

weber walked us through plant chicago’s indoor space, which boasts several hydroponic and aquaponic towers of various sizes. in the aquaponic structure, fish swim lazily on the lowest level and a series of pipes lead up to neat rows of plants growing in the water. weber said the main benefit of aquaponics over hydroponics is that it grows fish in addition to plants.

“you get the ability to have a potential protein source that you can harvest and eat in addition to your veggies,” weber said. “you treat the system as its own living organism; you’ve got fish, you’ve got plants, you’re trying to keep them living in harmony with each other.”

the nutrient source in a hydroponic system differs significantly from that of an aquaponic system, weber said. in a solely hydroponic structure, the plants rely on a synthetic fertilizer rather than organically processed fish waste. according to weber, this ties into one of the main criticisms of hydroponic growth.

critics of hydroponic growth don’t see hydroponics as organic and instead prefer more natural methods, said weber. while the u.s. department of agriculture (usda) makes no mention of soil growth in their definition of organic, the usda does specify that “the basic rule for organic agriculture is to allow natural substances and prohibit synthetic,” according to the website’s organic 101 subsection. if hydroponic and aquaponic systems do not use synthetic fertilizers, the usda recognizes them as eligible for organic certification.

but, according to the real organic project, a defining characteristic of organic produce is growth in soil. weber acknowledged that for both hydroponic and aquaponic growth, the plants grow in a controlled environment rather than letting nature take its course.

“you’re trying to control as many parameters of the environment as possible, so the amount of light, temperature, humidity, airflow, oxygen, co2…” weber said. “all that requires technology in some form, which tends to be fairly expensive, and electricity. depending on your electricity source or part of the world, it can vary in its environmental impact and cost.”

weber said the “gut check” for these technology-based growth methods is properly weighing cost and energy use against the systems’ benefits. they said some gardeners can build a small in-home hydroponic system for a couple hundred dollars, but the systems can cost upwards of $10,000 depending on size customizations and energy needs. some structures rely primarily on renewable energy sources, such as the systems at plant chicago, which operate from a 16-kilowatt solar array on the roof installed over a year ago, according to weber. however, others can rack up energy from non-renewable sources such as coal or natural gas, they said.

opposing organizations such as the real organic project look at the potential cost- and energy-related negatives of hydroponic growth and rule it out as a sustainable option. weber takes a more holistic approach. they said multiple factors should be considered when implementing hydroponics, such as which crops thrive naturally in that geographical area, which financial resources are available, and whether renewable energy is easily accessible. hydroponics also recycles water in a world where drought is spreading due to climate change.

“just as easy as it is to say, ‘oh, hydroponics is going to save us from world hunger,’ those broad strokes could be used to say, ‘oh no, this is terrible, it’s a huge waste of space and time and money and electricity,’” weber said. “i don’t think either of those are right.”

to exemplify their point, weber said they would never set up huge greenhouses in florida to grow trees inside because the climate is ideal for growing them naturally outdoors. however, they may consider growing leaf lettuce in nevada using indoor hydroponics. the state’s desert climate means far more water would be required to irrigate fields than it would be to grow plants in a nutrient-based water solution. they said in that case, the overall water loss is significantly less, which is a clear benefit to growing crops in a desert environment.

kellye fleming, branch assistant at the evanston public library’s robert crown branch, said hydroponics may not always be sustainable, but offers a great resource nonetheless. she implemented a rental program for hydroponics systems at her branch two years ago, where patrons can rent out small structures for 11 weeks at a time for free.

hydroponic growing is great for people such as fleming who live in apartments and don’t have much access to greenspace, she said. she added that soil can contain lead or other heavy metals in urban areas, making it impossible to grow healthy crops. indoor hydroponic growth makes fresh produce more accessible in that circumstance and for growing greens and herbs off-season. flemings said she doesn’t rule out the benefits of hydroponics simply because it’s not considered organic.

“if you are sustainability growing items, does it matter if it’s organic?” fleming said. “as long as people are growing, it’s great.”

schenker also frowns upon black-and-white criticism of hydroponic systems. to her, everything has a positive and negative, she said, and giving people more options for plant growth in different situations is a move in the right direction.

“i’m not saying that we should completely move toward hydroponics — i think that would be unsustainable,” schenker said. “but when it comes to how little access to good, clean food people have nowadays, a diverse amount of solutions to implement is great.”

the hydroponic system created by engineers without borders and wild roots will tentatively be placed outside norris university center in 2025.

silverman said the system will feature a qr code with information about hydroponics so students can learn more about why this structure was built. she thinks the project will spark interest in the environment on campus, she said.

“i hope it draws curiosity toward sustainability-focused tools,” silverman said. “i want it to open the conversation about other ways we can be more environmentally conscious.”

this article was originally published in north by northwestern.

globally, over 40% of insect species are declining in population. their disappearance is happening faster than plant or bird populations. the main threat is habitat loss created by expanding agricultural fields, followed by chemical pollution, according to a 2019 study.

“many towns, and most farmers, are using very potent chemicals to kill off insects to protect their crops…but there’s been a real neglect of the reality that those chemicals are toxic to the small insects that need to pollinate things, so there’s nothing left to do the pollinating,” says jackie algon, co-founder and current board member of pollinator pathway.

forging a new path

pollinator pathway, an organization founded in wilton, connecticut in 2017, seeks to combat the issues that pollinators and their habitats face. their aim is to create north-to-south migration corridors across north america by planting pollinator-friendly gardens with native plants, and to stop the use of pesticides. individuals or groups can register their gardens or even flower boxes as official pollinator gardens. the organization now has pathways in over 350 towns in 13 states, most in the northeast, as well as one in ontario, canada. just this year, it was registered as a 501(c)(3) organization.

the original pollinator pathway was conceptualized and founded by artist sarah bergmann in 2007, and her concept inspired the pollinator pathway organization, according to their website. bergmann’s goal was to connect two green pieces of land in seattle’s urban landscape by planting along sidewalks and in other underutilized areas, according to her website. 

last spring, a group of mansfield residents registered the township with pollinator pathway. the process started with mansfield’s sustainability committee successfully passing a resolution that declared the town a “pollinator-friendly community” in early 2020. due to this resolution, getting municipal approval to build and maintain pollinator gardens became easier, and helped with getting pollinator pathway on board with the group’s proposed garden, according to melissa sheardwright. a private-practice psychologist by day, sheardwright handles outreach in the mansfield chapter of pollinator pathway. 

mansfield and wilton show the successes of local sustainability advocacy, however, both towns are suburban areas surrounded by woodland. migratory species, which pollinator pathway focuses on, are most affected by habitat loss caused by urbanization and suburbanization. this is why the end goal of the organization is to create stretches of pollinator-friendly land in both urban and rural areas. without adequate “pit stops,” the pollinators cannot survive the trip.

restoring pollinator habitats

monarch butterfly populations in north america have decreased by more than 90% over the last two decades, according to the national wildlife foundation. the areas in which the migratory butterflies seek food and rest are disappearing, taking monarch populations with them. this is caused not only by urban/suburbanization, but also by global warming, which shifts the seasons and throws off the growing cycles of many organisms. this causes the species that rely on each other to fall out of sync, affecting food and shelter availability.

“the insects’ life cycles are now out of sync with the birds’ hatching cycles or with the trees’ leafing out cycles, so nature is confused,” said algon.

monarchs are just one example of the many pollinators whose numbers have been decimated. bees, flies, bats, birds, and other organisms also face migration and habitat issues. bees are a quintessential example, but most people mistakenly think of honeybees as the main pollinators. 

“honeybees are not native bees…they do a lot of important pollinating, especially for farmers, but 40% of the pollinating that gets done is done by what’s called ‘solitary bees.’ people spray their yards with pesticides to get rid of them, but they can’t sting you,” said algon. 

it’s important to restore plant life to developed areas. but supporting pollinators doesn’t just call for more greenery. the pathways must comprise native plant species that pollinators rely on.

algon’s first brush with native plant species and habitat protection came when she moved to wilton with her husband. she wanted to plant some colorful bushes on their property, but the landscape architect told her that part of the property is on wetlands, and those bushes were invasive. “at that moment, i realized that i was dangerous to the ecology because i didn’t know anything,” she said. 

this lack of knowledge is all too common. many of the most popular plants sold in traditional garden centers are non-native. forsythia, for example, looks beautiful in a garden, but “it’s not native and it doesn’t feed the insects,” sheardwright said.

according to the pennsylvania department of conservation and natural resources (padcnr), invasive plants usually are species that can survive in many conditions, and that rapidly grow and reproduce. this allows them to crowd out native species, especially since invasive plants have few natural predators in the new areas. moreover, invasives directly affect pollinator reproduction. garlic mustard, a widespread invasive species, attracts monarch butterflies, who lay their eggs on the plant. but the plant does not provide adequate nutrition for the emerging caterpillars, causing them to die off or grow improperly.

invasive species have cost the united states an average of $26 billion annually in the 2010’s, according to a 2021 study. this is a substantial rise from the $2 billion per year spent in the early 1960’s.

“[invasives often] have multiple seeds that spawn more than our natives do, so they take over easily,” said pamela nobumoto, a resident of wilton and frequent collaborator with pollinator pathway. a stay-at-home mom, she started gardening as a hobby. but she has since turned it into her passion. she was certified as an “advanced master gardener” through uconn extension, a program offered by the college of agriculture, health, and natural resources.

much of her work involves restoring the dunes and native grass at the beach on sherwood island in westport, conn., for which she has applied for and received multiple grants. she has also planted pollinator gardens on the island and in wilton.

as a result, she has seen a dramatic increase in the numbers and types of pollinators that visit the area. “a lot of the things i put in are like magnets for butterflies, bees [and] hummingbirds.”

preserving a future for connecticut pollinators

in addition to planting gardens, pollinator pathway places a heavy emphasis on educating people about the environment around them. one of the main goals of the founders was “making people aware of what they could do,” said algon.

making your yard pollinator-friendly doesn’t necessarily mean ripping up your grass lawn and planting trees and bushes. sometimes, it can be as simple as not mowing as often. algon has seen people do this in her neighborhood. “we encourage people to embrace dandelions, and to love clover; if you let them just grow, they will provide a great food source and some habitat.”

as a result, lawns would require less maintenance. “the less you do, by taking out more of your lawn, by converting it into little meadows or garden beds…the less you have to do.”

sheardwright and nobumoto also emphasized the importance of educating community members about native species and pollinators. sheardwright described her work as “neighbor education”. nobumoto sometimes works at a plant clinic, wherein people can bring in plants to identify or treat for diseases. she said that gardening is a community. 

“it’s a lot of sharing knowledge; it’s not just [for] yourself, but helping others.”

audio story by chris zatarain

tucson resident charles collins’ backyard garden may be unlike any other home garden you’ve ever seen. he’s opted to grow aquaponically rather than in a traditional in-ground garden. 

aquaponics is a system of growing food in a closed-loop system that integrates live fish, a soilless medium, plants, and mineral-rich water. charles designed and built his aquaponics system by blending forms of traditional ecological knowledge and modern scientific understanding, as well as low and high technologies to grow an abundance of fresh vegetables and sustainable protein to feed him and his family.  

his work and influence continues to expand across his local community and around the world, with technologies he developed being adapted and used in cutting edge scientific  endeavors at nasa and the world health organization (who). his main mission, though, is in getting more people interested in growing their own food.  

according to charles, aquaponics is the answer to growing abundant, nutritious, and sustainably-sourced food in a changing climate for everyday people interested in taking more control of their food security. 

this piece is intended to acquaint you with the warm and wonderful charles collins, a man working to change the way that the world grows food.

as the earth heats up, the climate justice movement strengthens its fight for a livable future.

the movement looks different for many. there are crowds of protestors walking to the u.s. capitol calling for change. protest happens off the streets too, in our own backyards, the ways we spend our money, how we manage our trash, and much more. it can look like teaching youth or farming sustainably or eating more plants. the more people that prioritize the environment today, the bigger the positive trend that can result.

our house is on fire and environmental activists are determined to put the fire out. they are determined, hopeful, and passionate about finding solutions. scroll through this photo essay for a look at those fighting to save our planet.

once you’re done with your banana, what happens to the peel if it sits in a plastic trash bag? the natural breakdown of food slows immensely when leftovers end up in a landfill or on the sidewalk. if you want to make a change that will help the planet, look no further than your own food scraps. 

“composting is essentially a renewal process. it is a verb and it’s a noun,” said najwa womack, a d.c. native who has been composting for the past seven years. “the action of composting is actually monitoring the decomposition process of organic materials, and what you come out with is a very nutrient-dense soil amendment.” 

womack runs sistained 8, an action step movement that increases awareness around environmental sustainability and teaches the community about composting. she admits that at first people may be wary of the smell, but they are almost always impressed with the end result. 

composting is an aerobic process, meaning it requires oxygen. in this process, organic material is heated and breaks down into nutrients which enrich soil and results in much lower carbon dioxide production, compared to the lengthier breakdown process in a trash bag. 

“you probably heard about methane when it comes to animal waste and pig manure, and too much of it can cause an issue. so that’s also the case with food waste going inside of plastic bags. it has been very harmful over time to the planet. it’s literally trapped methane gas that could be decomposing naturally,” womack said. 

in the u.s., the third-largest source of methane comes from landfills. this means every time food goes into the trash can, the release of methane increases, heating up the earth and furthering the climate crisis. 

“composting is an easy, fascinating, and natural way to recycle,” writes rhonda sherman, an extension solid waste specialist at north carolina state university, in a backyard composting publication. 

for those who don’t have outdoor access or prefer to be more hands-off, one method involves leftovers and a freezer. after cooking, throw any food scraps in a compostable bag (paper works too) or reusable container. organic materials like grass or house plant clippings, paper products, coffee grounds, tea bags, and more can be added. 

with this “freezer method,” there are no requirements for what or how many scraps get frozen. it all depends on what you have available. and that’s it, you’ve started composting! once the bag is full you will need to do a little research about your town. drop off your compost at a municipal facility or pay a small fee to have it picked up by a service. some farmers markets and universities also offer free composting programs to the public and handle the decomposition process at a dedicated facility. 

the other option is to be involved in the composting process from start to finish. start your pile on the ground or place your bin in a shaded area, so it stays moist. here you must have two main components — your browns and your greens. browns are dried leaves, newspapers, cardboard, twigs, etc. they absorb moisture, help keep your compost pile structured, and are sugar-rich carbon sources. greens are your leftover food discards like fruits, veggies, and even your coffee grounds. greens help provide moisture for microorganisms and are protein-rich nitrogen sources. you should aim for a browns to green ratio of about 70 to 30. note that it is best to avoid adding meat and or dairy products as they don’t decompose well in a traditional compost pile, and can attract bugs.

is it possible to compost meat and dairy? yes! “they can be placed in an in-ground digester, such as the green cone,” according to sherman from nc state. some municipal composting programs also may allow them. if you use the freezer method and have meat and dairy leftovers, check with your drop-off program for their specific guidelines.

as for the size of your compost pile, it should reach three to five feet in height and at least three feet in diameter. this is key to having the pile retain heat and be self-insulating, which decomposes the materials. alternate between layers of browns and greens or mix them very well and the breakdown process will happen naturally. to speed up the composting process, add water to keep it moist and turn the pile frequently. chopping your leftovers into smaller pieces doesn’t hurt either. 

to avoid having excess food overall, womack says the first step is awareness, and to study your own eating patterns. from there, one can shop smarter and label your food with dates to monitor your food consumption. even with a perfect harvest or shopping list, there inevitably will be leftover inedible parts — and that’s where the sustainable practice of composting comes in. the resulting nutrient-rich amendment regenerates soil, optimizes the taste of the crops, and can decrease pathogens. 

womack finds composting “very solution-based … you are a single ambassador and if we have enough people — more than enough — ambassadors doing that activity, we’ll start to see a lot more change.” 

composting is a quick change one can make at home that truly benefits the earth and improves soil health, with options to dedicate as much or as little time as you have. 

like the pandemic, climate change can feel like a massive, impossible problem that we as individuals have no control over. fortunately, just like how people all over the world choose to wear a mask and socially distance from others every day, you have the ability to make an impact on the environment from the safety of your home. 

1. whip out your green thumb 

as covid-19 has held the world hostage for the past few months, not only has people’s physical health suffered but so has their mental health. according to a recent poll conducted by the kaiser family foundation, 45% of american adults say that stress associated with worrying about the virus has had a negative impact on their mental health. another survey conducted in early april by researchers at yale university and george mason university shows that about 66% of americans “feel a personal sense of responsibility to help reduce global warming” even during the pandemic.

how can people address their stress about the state of the environment, while also managing their anxiety about exposure to covid-19? gardening might help. 

an article published by the national institutes of health (nih) in 2018 explores the idea of green care, defined as therapy by exposure to plants and gardening. the article cites a japanese study that found just looking at plants reduced stress and fear. physically, patients experienced a decrease in blood pressure, pulse rate, and muscle tension. in terms of the current pandemic, gyms across america remain closed, in addition to a number of parks and beaches, depending on individual state restrictions. this has made staying active each day substantially more difficult. gardening can be a way to get out of the house, get fresh air, and make an impact on the environment. 

on a larger scale, gardening reduces the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and increases oxygen. according to the national wildlife federation, trees can absorb up to one ton of carbon dioxide pollution from the atmosphere. so if every american planted one tree, millions of tons of carbon dioxide could be absorbed each year. essentially, this would reduce global warming and improve air quality, which is particularly important during a pandemic that can affect the respiratory system. gardens also attract pollinators, including insects and birds, which are “vital to the production of healthy crops” and essential for maintaining ecosystems, according to the united states department of agriculture. 

if you’re someone who lives in a city or doesn’t have access to your own outdoor space, you can keep plants inside your home. the nih article mentions that indoor gardening has been used to treat mental health issues, not just for an at-home change in scenery but because plants can remove toxins and dust from the air with their leaves. if you don’t have the greenest thumb or feel stressed about keeping something alive, there are several types of low maintenance plants that thrive indoors. 

2. take something off your carbon plate

during the pandemic, going to the supermarket has become a stressful experience as shoppers do their best to socially distance while searching the aisles for what their family needs. many people have opted for delivery services such as instacart but still face the issue of an increase in food prices. according to the u.s. bureau of labor statistics, the price of meat, eggs, and poultry jumped 4.3% from march to april, the biggest monthly increase in 50 years.

is it possible to spend less time in the grocery store, save money, and eat more sustainably? the answer is yes, and it starts with purchasing less meat. 

methane is a greenhouse gas 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide, which means it traps heat more efficiently in the atmosphere, according to the environmental protection agency (epa). the epa also states that livestock, especially cattle, produce methane when they digest their food, specifically by belching. the storage of livestock manure also produces methane, making agriculture the largest source of methane in the united states. 

in addition to contributing a lot of methane, beef production takes up a significant amount of natural resources. according to the world resources institute (wri), one-quarter of the planet (excluding antarctica) is used for cows to graze on. this pastureland is often the result of substantial deforestation. according to the yale school of forestry and environmental studies, cattle ranching is responsible for 80% of deforestation of the amazon. the wri also states that beef production uses between two to four times the amount of freshwater as other livestock does and 7.5 times more freshwater than plant-based food. 

if consumers were to swap beef for pork, poultry, or plant-based protein, the wri predicts global greenhouse gas emissions would drop by 15%. making that simple choice next time you’re in the supermarket allows you to make a positive impact. plus, you can save room in your freezer. 

3. do a little digging before you click ‘buy’ 

as weeks have turned into months, people have been scrambling to find ways to kill time while maintaining social distancing. besides relying on streaming services, there has been an increase in online shopping. according to the u.s. department of commerce, americans spent $146.47 billion online with u.s. retailers in the first quarter of 2020, increasing 14.5% from the same time last year. 

major retailers specifically saw a jump in numbers. target experienced a 141% increase in digital sales in the first quarter of 2020 and sales fulfilled by the delivery service, shipt, went up by 300%. amazon also had a successful first quarter, making $75.5 billion in net sales, an increase of 26% from the same time last year. 

with great power comes great responsibility — and a lot of packages. you have to wonder what the total amount of cardboard and plastic pollution will be when we look back on these few months of the pandemic. there are some numbers we do currently have. according to national geographic, 8 million tons of plastic wind up in the ocean each year. we also know that companies like amazon have struggled to make environmentally conscious choices in the past. last year, the washington post reported that amazon’s newly introduced lightweight plastic mailers created to reduce the use of cardboard boxes weren’t easily recyclable and clogged up machinery in recycling systems. 

on the other hand, amazon has launched a few initiatives to become more sustainable, including a guide on how to recycle different types of packaging. if you’re still worried about contributing to potential packaging pollution, you can buy products from companies that have consistently prioritized sustainability. 

according to the united nations economic commission for europe, the fashion industry emits about 10% of global carbon emissions and produces almost 20% of global waste water. however, companies like toms, patagonia, and thredup — the largest online thrift store — lead by example. there also are several organizations dedicated to educating people about conscious consumerism including remake and good on you. these resources provide a roadmap to sustainable online shopping so you can keep your life and closet guilt-free.

rowan kunz, an art teacher, ceramist, and photographer, stands apart from the trendy hgtv tiny home dwellers because living tiny means more to her than a small physical footprint. from the french doors that open up her living room to the woods around her, to the composting toilet that goes back into her garden, she lives within a self-sustaining system to become an active part of her surroundings.

she created a space where the outdoors is no longer a separate entity like traditional ways of living often shape it. she is transparent about the fact that it takes hard work, but to her, living intentionally doesn’t mean doing what’s most convenient. it means doing what is healthiest for you and your environment.

kunz, her husband, their german shepherd, and their cat live an incredibly fulfilling life on the beautiful wooded land that provides for them and that they have given back to. kunz embodies a true environmentalist by demonstrating how intentional living extends beyond the four walls of her self-built tiny home in the catskills.

1. “i don’t see why composting matters”

while composting may not sound impactful, individual action in composting can prove to be highly beneficial for the environment and the economy. below, we’ve gone ahead and explained exactly what impact food waste has:

2. “i don’t know what can and can’t be composted”

many people do not compost because they aren’t sure what can and can’t be composted, so below we’ve set the record straight with an easy visual you can print out and keep on your fridge as a reminder as well as a detailed list based off the information provided small footprint family. a mix of quick and slow composting items generally creates healthy compost.

3. “i don’t know how” or “it’s too inconvenient”

it’s easy to write off something and not act when you aren’t informed. you’ve heard the saying “ignorance is bliss” but now that you know the importance of composting and how easy it is determine what can and can’t be composted, learning how to compost for your lifestyle is a must! we’ve provided a simple guide outlining the different ways to compost suiting your needs:

4. “i’m not sure of the relevant rules/laws”

another impediment to composting could be worrying about the relevant rules or laws, however most states encourage composting and have set up programs to encourage composting in easy ways. the law is an important area to understand and get right, especially if you’re interested in outdoor composting. composting council provides a list of some of the relevant laws for most states and jurisdictions. generally, the main area of concern is for backyard composting where you just need to be sure you are composting in a manner that is not hazardous to human health or unsafe and that you acquire permits if necessary:

there are so many reasons why composting is important, including decreasing food waste, creating jobs, and reducing pollution. determining what can and can’t be composted is simple, following the guidelines above. figuring out what method of composting fits your needs and learning how to perform that method is also fairly easy. composting can be convenient and being informed of the relevant laws is important. now you have the information you need to be empowered and go out and compost!

when we are children we’re told that we can do anything, so long as we grit our teeth and try; we can become the president, go to space or even save the world so long as we decide that’s what we want to do and we work hard enough.

this is the story of susette onate, who in 2014 learned about a business transaction between the university of miami (um) and a developing company called ram group, that would threaten to destroy one of the rarest natural habitats in the world. this is the story of a sophomore at hialeah senior high school who was able to stand against two monolithic institutions in order to achieve one simple goal: saving the butterflies.

when the palm beach county-based developing company, ram group bought up a massive allotment of land from um, onate didn’t think there was anything she could do. she knew that this wouldn’t just be the latest in a series of miami’s overdevelopment crisis; this particular plot of land contained one of the rarest eco-regions in the world because it contained one of the last reserves of florida’s pine rocklands. the pine rocklands are some of the most precious forests in the world and boast some of the rarest plant and animal life in florida. onate understood that if this critical plot of land was going to be destroyed by the acquisitive designs of ram group, then the wildlife that inhabited the region would also be destroyed. her favorite animals, butterflies lived in abundance there, making their homes nestled amongst feathery green leaves and lush grasses. threatened and endangered butterfly species, like the bartram’s hairstreak, that once called the pine rocklands home were now the living-dead, surviving off borrowed time before construction began.

enter: the butterfly garden project

when the “adults,” the policymakers, the lawmakers, and the corporations couldn’t be trusted to protect the rare biomes that make south florida so indescribably unique, at least we could count on onate. she took up shop in a disused garden, which had been established by her campus nearly ten years prior and then promptly forgotten about, she organized her friends, her classmates and even her teachers with one goal in mind. she wanted to make a home for the butterflies who were on the brink of losing their habitat.

the journey was a long one. “when i started it was just a small project,” onate said. “the administration wasn’t really very supportive, they considered it (the garden) to be just attracting bugs. basically, they and maintenance just saw it as a nuisance.”

but she persisted. being a resident of south florida, onate was all too familiar with the common attitudes of people who are not interested in hearing about the environment. though the state is mired in a series of one environmental disaster after another, people there are all too often indifferent. this indifference even leads to a maintenance crew digging up her first attempts at the garden, mistaking precious native seedlings and butterfly pupas for “weeds and bugs.”  

but she persisted. once their first of the butterflies had broken free from their chrysalises and begun to flutter across the garden, stopping here or there to hover amongst flower blossoms, a tangible change swept over the students of hialeah high. the once arid and unused garden had become a hub of activity. kids who once preferred to linger indoors now had a place to communicate with nature. the garden even served as a spot for special needs students to have therapy sessions.  

a miraculous change took place. the garden was no longer onate’s, it wasn’t even the school’s anymore. it became a product of the community. something that touched everyone. children were invited to take home potted sprouts that lined their hallways so that they could begin gardens of their own at home. she even began talks with her mayor so that she could introduce him to the idea of repurposing amelia earhart park from a “green desert” into a vibrant eco-region of its own, complete with native and life-sustaining plants. she wants to encourage the green garden movement until it becomes an eco-tourism movement, something that can financially support south florida in a positive way.

planting a global garden

the night that onate applied for the browers youth award, she never dreamt that she would actually get it. “i applied for that the night it was due,” she explained in between laughs, her face glowing. “i thought there’s no way i’d get it!”

but she did. though she might’ve only seen her project as a small butterfly garden, everyone around her (including the browers selection board) saw it for what it could be: a movement. when she got the call that she had been chosen as a browers environmental scholar, she was in a state of shock and needless to say, when she landed in california to make her acceptance speech, she was overwhelmed. the people around her, fellow scholars and program organizers, told her about how her story had inspired them to research their area’s native plant life and start gardens of their own. “it’s so simple to start a garden,” onate said. “that’s why people wanted to do it. they were inspired to try themselves.”

when she returned home, she greeted by yet another surprise. a team of french journalists had reached out to onate, asking her to be featured in their documentary: les super-juniors: ils s’engagent pour la planet (the super kids: and their commitment to the planet.) they wanted to talk to the famous girl in the garden, the high school student who single-handedly called out environmentally disastrous overdevelopment and was able to actually do something about it. they wanted to tell you the story of susette onate, a kid who decided to save the world.   

with a sharp knife to its throat, the chicken that 21-year-old sarah diamond helped raise lay dead.

kalu yala, the small eco-town where diamond participated in a 10-week long internship, serves meat about once a week. but, that night was starkly different from the rest.

diamond and her culinary class raised chickens for livestock, killed them, plucked their feathers, butchered them, and then served them to the rest of the interns and kalu yala’s program directors for that night’s dinner. diamond ate the chicken but the experience made her further consider today’s food industry and led her to fully embrace veganism. it also affected her in another, more unexpected way.

“the language that we used — thighs, head, neck, stomach, fat — it was all the same language we use when talking about our own bodies. and that was eye-opening for me. how can we treat our bodies with respect if we are eating other bodies?” diamond wrote in a reflection on her personal blog called “a spoonful of the universe.”

many people go to kalu yala looking for an escape to utopia. and with the promise of a sustainable settlement in the luscious jungles of panama, it is hard not to expect that. entering the culinary program, diamond’s interest in the small eco-city and its internship program was similarly optimistic, she said. but her motivation was centered around her struggle with, and passion for, food.

she came to kalu yala with an unhealthy relationship with food but the place and program offered diamond a restorative experience. walking around the town, the experience with body image is remarkably different than in american society. at kalu yala, poor self-image is hard to develop. there are no mirrors to lose yourself in, no makeup to cover yourself, no stores to define you as a size, and no media portraying people to compare yourself to.

“there’s none of that,” diamond said. “and that’s been so healing and awesome.”

the lack of these “additives,” as she calls them, highlighted only part of diamond’s transformative time at kalu yala. her experience also was largely defined by a newfound discovery of mindful eating, which was the focus of her final project. to diamond, mindful eating means being “extremely aware of the fact that you’re eating.”

kalu yala provided a space for diamond to explore her affinity for mindful eating, a way of eating that concentrates on enjoying food in the moment and understanding where it comes from. but she also devoted energy to creating a project for others to do the same. every intern at kalu yala is tasked with a final project to complete and present by the end of their internship. for her project, diamond painted a sign with a “short eating meditation” that was hung right next to the kitchen for others to reflect on before getting their breakfast, lunch, and dinner. the meditation is at the right.

“i wanted it to be long enough that you have to actually stop and read it … but also not too long that you don’t want to read it,” diamond said. she hopes to use the sign, along with her online blog, to spread the practice into others’ lives.

in the dominant american culture, mindful eating is hard to practice. diamond, who is originally from boston, points out that eating is often just part of multitasking within busy lives: plenty of people eat on the go or in a rush at best.

“(in america) we have no idea where (our food) is coming from; we have no connection with it whatsoever; we have no idea who grew it. it’s from probably the other side of the world, literally, or at least from another country,” diamond said.

that standard starkly compares to kalu yala’s farm-to-table initiative. edible plants grow all over town, from basil to katuk, the minty leaf that has become a staple in kalu yala salads. some grow alongside the rancho that constitutes the culinary classroom, but most are in the expanding farm that is just a walk away from the kitchen.

“it’s been really healing to be able to get food from the farm. culinary allowed me to really learn about (farming) deeply,” diamond said.

kalu yala’s sustainable practices and farm-to table plans are in development. “there’s still a lot of work to do to make the farm totally produce enough for us, but it’s also really amazing to see … how difficult that really is,” diamond said. plenty of the food used in the meals at kalu yala is not grown there. in fact, most is from local farmers and, at the very least, from within panama.

beyond mindful eating, diamond’s time at kalu yala taught her the extreme difficulties surrounding food systems, even one that is set up to work sustainably. “you learn about the farm and you learn how much it can actually produce totally organically. we can’t just ramp up production with pesticides. so that’s been very interesting and humbling to realize,” she said.

diamond ended her semester at kalu yala with a stronger relationship with food and body image. in addition to this personal healing, however, she also gained knowledge on how a food system runs. with an interest in food politics, experiencing kalu yala’s approach to food was eye opening to diamond.

 “what i wanted to learn” from kalu yala is what it means for a food system to be set up well, diamond said. “our usual society is kind of (intended) to not work … and for it to be super environmentally destructive, and destructive to animals, and to just mess with your brain.”

kalu yala provided a case study for what diamond already believed. “having food work well, i think, is the backbone of a healthy and good society,” she said.

this vision of needing a system that works well fits into the ideas motivating jimmy stice, kalu yala’s founder and ceo. he launched this real estate and educational project with the mindset that “if they come they will build” instead of the traditional real estate mindset of “if you build it, they will come.” stice’s approach to making a sustainable town parallels diamond’s frustration with the current food system.

“people operate in systems,” diamond said. “they do whatever is set up for them.” her goal is not far off from the entire ideal of kalu yala: change the system.