I started writing One World when I was hired in 2021 to be the editor of the LaGrange Standard and News and Middlebury Independent. In LaGrange, readers saw a lot of rapid changes – from black and white to color, from Bill Connelly to the Hurd Media Group, from a brick building on the south side of town, a former... READ MORE >
Every creature on the earth serves a purpose to the greater whole. Though it’s hard to believe, that includes mosquitoes. Mosquitoes play a part in the transmission of serious diseases in humans, horses and dogs, says the United States Environmental Protection Agency. While, of course, we love our fellow humans, horses and dogs, in a world left only to biological... READ MORE >
I love the idea behind No-Mow May. It retains pretties like dandelions and clover, which are food for early season pollinators like bees. However, May is also a time when the grass grows fast and thick. I could not wait until June to mow but I tried to leave plenty of clover at the edges of the lawn. No-Mow May... READ MORE >
During the Arbor Day Memorial Tree planting at ParGil Natural Resources Learning Center, it was noted that the late Joyce Weber always pulled invasive garlic mustard when she saw it. A longtime Parkside Elementary School teacher, Weber involved her students in environmental pursuits – to create an “appreciation of the world that they would one day take charge of,” said... READ MORE >
Earth Day came and went. Then, Saturday, we celebrated Arbor Day. But let’s keep on celebrating. One of my grandma’s favorite sayings is “Every day is my birthday!” In my mind, every day is Earth Day. Today, I am celebrating Earth Day by appreciating Indiana legislators. I wrote a column in early April about Senate Bill 414, a proposed law... READ MORE >
I saw my first butterfly Friday! It was a comma – named for a marking that resembles the punctuation symbol – warming its wings on a branch of a tree. I looked at it for a long time, taking in its beauty, the five black spots and one black bar at the top of its wing, the whitish spots surrounding... READ MORE >
Indiana legislation is again targeting wetlands. A law championed by developers a couple of years ago changed the state’s classification of some wetlands, disparaging ecosystems that had already been polluted and encroached upon instead of protecting and restoring them. Now, Senate Bill 414, under the guise of regulating private septic tanks, is giving our law makers another chance to consider... READ MORE >
My New Year’s resolution was to be more positive. I’ve tried to write columns that show hope instead of anger, caring instead of concern, love instead of despair. I am going to make a resolution for the second quarter of 2023 – to be more peaceful, really experience peace. Where do you feel most peaceful? For me, it might be... READ MORE >
On average in the U.S., water use at home adds up to about 138 gallons per household per day, or 60 gallons per person per day, according to the Water Footprint Calculator, available at watercalculator.org. Recent studies of how Americans use water throughout their homes show that, for most families, indoor water use is highest in the bathroom, followed by... READ MORE >
Along with being National Goof Off Day, American Red Cross Giving Day and Bavarian Crepes Day, Wednesday, March 22 is World Water Day. World Water Day is an annual United Nations observance that highlights the importance of fresh water. The day is used to advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. The United States has been a member of... READ MORE >
