More and more people are turning to food gardening not just because it’s great outdoor hobby, but because its budget-conscious; growing your fruits and vegetables is much cheaper and healthier. The concept of edible landscaping looks to both the aesthetic and nutritional values associated with gardening. Cabbage patches, berry bushes, and fruit trees are more pleasing to the eye than regular trees and grass. If you’re fortunate enough to own land–even something as simple as a lawn or backyard–you might consider planting your own blueberry bush.

A 12-year, multi-million federal project just recently approved will clean up and restore much of the Florida Everglades that have been ravaged by pollution and urban runoff over the last few decades. Seeing as it’s a worldwide tourist attraction and a unique ecosystem, it’s a surprise this didn’t come sooner. Regardless, the project will create jobs and ensure the park’s preservation.

A recent workshop/summit at Worcester’s Clark University brought out personnel from the EPA and regional environmental activists to meet and interact. They learned about decades of backlogged complaints of environmental injustices that have gone unaddressed despite being mandated under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Racial motivation is cited as a factor in this lag by an African American complainant who traveled from North Carolina to talk about the last 18 years of fighting he’s done for his community in preventing its demolition from nearby corporations. The article cites a sociology study that concludes that the environmental burden for people of color in Massachusetts is 20 times greater than it is for whites.

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