As Thanksgiving approaches, there is a bounty of ARTful things to be thankful for this month.
By Michelle “Mike” Ochonicky, Healthy Planet ARts Editor
Photo Caption: Exaltation, acrylic by Gary Lang, at Green Door Gallery
Start the month with an ARTsy outdoor adventure: Laumeier After Dark on November 4. Explore the park, 4-10 p.m., illuminated with temporary light […]
The East Loop Community Improvement District (CID) repurposed ten old concrete trash receptacles, each weighing a substantial 400 pounds, into planters and decorative street fixtures. This initiative addresses a hard-to-recycle item, repurposing the hefty concrete containers into artist-designed planters filled with soil and plants. The trash receptacles were adorned with artist-created designs to serve as […]
CHARIS, The St. Louis Women’s Chorus, will perform Censored: Banned Books and Forbidden Stories on Saturday, November 18, 2023, at 7:00 pm and Sunday, November 19, 2023, at 3:00 pm at Kirkwood High School Theatre, 801 West Essex Avenue, St. Louis, MO.
Censored: Banned Books and Forbidden Stories highlights books on the American Library Association (ALA) […]
Christmas Tree Recycling **All trees must have tinsel, ornaments and lights removed.
** City recycling options: (city park sites subject to change with official announcement coming later this year.)
• St. Louis City Parks — free live Christmas tree dropoff — December 26th to January 8th
Forest Park: Lower Muny parking lot
Carondelet Park: Grand & Holly Hills, area […]
By Dan Zarlenga, Missouri Department of Conservation
Photo Caption: A flock of greater white-fronted geese takes flight in a wetland.Photo by Noppadol Paothong, Missouri Department of Conservation.
During November the sun’s rule gives way, and the darkness of night claims more and more hours of life’s daily cycle. Listen carefully in that darkness, and overhead it might […]
By Natalie R. Toney M.F.A., C.H., The Healthy Planet Food Editor
Is the holiday season upon us already? The hint of peppermint mocha while pumpkin spice still lingers in the air, wafting over Black Friday deals and decorations in the aisles, indicates we are indeed! Soon meal planning, and prepping for Thanksgiving, and Friendsgiving gatherings will […]
St. Louis HELP (Health Equipment Lending Program) accepts donations of manual wheelchairs, electric hospital beds, shower chairs, canes/crutches/walkers, grab bars, elevated toilet seats, portable commodes, lift chairs, seating cushions, back supports, diapers/bedpans, folding ramps – every type of item except oxygen tanks and medications. St. Louis HELP loans the donated home medical items to individuals […]
Grab your eclipse glasses and head to Carbondale or Makanda, Illinois. Both towns are in the centerline of the total solar eclipse that will occur at 1:59 p.m. CST on April 8, 2024, and will last more than 4 minutes in totality.
So, what exactly is a solar eclipse? A solar eclipse is a lineup of […]
TALKIN’ TURKEY: It’s The Memories That Nourish Us
By Donna Linn, The Healthy Planet Columnist
As Thanksgiving fast approaches, I’m reminded of my grandma’s festive holiday parties with food enough to feed a small army. I’ve always loved the smell of a roasting turkey, gobble, gobble, but those creamy whipped potatoes held a special place in my […]
By Jean Ponzi
As your pollinator garden fades toward winter sleep, what do all the lovely insects you have kindly nourished need? They need you to do next to nothing.
Invertebrates rely on fallen leaves for insulating cover when days turn cold. The ideal shelter is accumulating now, right in their summer places.
Most butterfly and moth species […]
By Christina Staff, Healthy Planet Staff Writer
Photo Caption: The Scott Family
Do you know where your food comes from? And, not just “the grocery store.” How do we know the foods we buy to feed our families are quality? In this day and age of chemicals and preservatives, ambiguous marketing lingo and corporate greed, it is […]
By J.B. Lester
November brings an end to the growing season and gives us time for gratitude. We are grateful for what the gardens have given us, and we honor the Earth for offering its bounty. As the temperatures tumble, crickets and other insects are busy laying their eggs and the spiders have spun their late […]
Check out all the Green Dining Alliance members at www.greendiningalliance.org
The Green Dining Alliance, a program of earthday365, is now in its 11th year as the St. Louis region’s sustainability certification program for businesses in the food and beverage industry. The GDA works with restaurants, breweries, bars, coffee shops, university campus cafes, catering companies, community outreach […]
By Sarah Wilson, The Healthy Planet Staff Writer
I kneel, swinging a small pick axe at the ground. If a shovel or garden trowel would work, I’d use one. But they don’t. The lot we purchased is downhill from all the surrounding homes, roads, and apartment complexes. The flooding this causes has ripped away much of […]
Annual fundraiser helps provide ‘hand up’ opportunities toward homeownership for local families
Habitat for Humanity of St. Charles County is building on its countywide holiday tradition with the 26th annual Frame the Future Gala on Saturday, Nov. 18, at 6 p.m., at Ameristar Casino Resort Spa St. Charles in St. Charles, Missouri.
The Frame the Future Gala invites […]
By Simon Yu MD
Another simple solution to complex health problems is the use of medical hydrogen. Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, accounting for 90 percent of all matter. It is also the most abundant element in our body, part of water coupled with oxygen. Hydrogen biology is a relatively new science […]
By Diane K. Wilson
In our grand solar system, the sun takes center stage, casting its golden rays upon the Earth and shaping the very essence of our existence. Beyond its astronomical role, the sun plays a profound role in theintricate dance of well-being including energy, mood andhealth in all life.
Our connection with the sun is […]
By Deb Powell, Healthy Planet columnist
When we reach a plateau it’s telling us something:
We need to change what we’re doing…
We’re not doing what we should…
We’re right where we’re supposed to be…
Plateaus can mean several things. Many of you know six months ago I changed what and how I ate, to lose weight. […]
By Tom & Carol Braford
It almost goes without saying that for a community to be fully inclusive it needs to also be comprehensive. I have found that when you say that, however, most people immediately assume that what you are talking about needs to be massive, something on the scale of an EcoDistrict, a technology […]
By Diane K. Wilson
In our intricate symphony of life, the concept of frequency plays a crucial role in maintaining our well-being. The unit of measurement for frequency, hertz (Hz), and its sibling megahertz (MHz) are not just terms reserved for the realm of technology; they also hold a significant place in understanding and promoting human […]
By Dr. Gail Cloud
I want to talk about the power of story. Just as it is important to move your body, it is important to tell your story and tell your families stories.
In families, stories get lost and often secrets remain.
If we think about it, what family doesn’t deal at some time with loss, embarrassing […]
By Susan Hunt-Bradford
I’m sure the mention of November brings Thanksgiving to almost everyone’s mind. A time to be thankful, get together with friends and family, and of course, eat some specific food you’ve been waiting for all year.
When my family lived in St. Louis, I often cooked Thanksgiving dinner. About 14 of us were there, […]
By Porscha Hayes, Show-Me Green Schools AmeriCorps VISTA
This year, Missouri Green Schools has the pleasure of recognizing 18 schools for achievements in sustainability, our largest cohort thus far! While the vast majority of recognized schools reside in the St. Louis metropolitan area, Missouri Green Schools has honorees in both the Springfield and Kansas City areas. […]
By Steve Davies, Healthy Planet Staff Writer
For most of us, the next couple of months are full of days that we all enjoy, from Thanksgiving to Christmas to New Years but there’s another day that many of you may never have heard of before and as ashamed as I am to admit, neither have I. […]
In today’s fast-paced world, where stress and anxiety seem to be constant companions, finding moments of relaxation and renewal is essential. Reflexology at Vitality Unlimited Spa might be the perfect choice if you’re looking for a holistic approach to balance your mind, body, and spirit. Reflexology is a therapeutic massage practice that harnesses the power […]
Did you know 6.3% of the waste stream is clothing and household textiles? Did you know the average person throws away 81 lbs. of clothing annually? Remains purchases and processes unwanted donations from charities, thrift stores, communities and gives 40- 50xxx lbs. of used clothing/household linens a second life in the reuse, rag, and fiber […]
The St. Louis – Jefferson Solid Waste Management District is a regional agency that was created in 1993 to assist the public, private and nonprofit sectors in establishing and expanding programs for recycling and waste reduction. The service area includes the City of St. Louis, St. Louis County, Jefferson County and St. Charles County. Funding […]
By Linda Wiggen Kraft, The Healthy Planet Green & Growing Editor
As the leaves turn brilliant colors and fall to the ground, we can reflect on the amazing beauty and ability of leaves to eat sunlight in the miracle of photosynthesis. Leaves inhale carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen in this process. They take in carbon from […]
By Jasmin Acosta, The Healthy Planet Staff Writer
The love that we could feel for others can at times seem inconceivable that we have the capacity to feel such a complex emotion, but with this great emotion comes with a price, which is grief.
We create relationships with the people around us like family, friends, and significant […]
By Christen Commuso
There has been a whirlwind of activity since we recommitted to working on St. Louis’ longstanding radioactive waste issue. For those unfamiliar with St. Louis’ role in the Manhattan Project and nuclear weapons production, please visit our website for a brief history.
UPDATE: Jana Elementary School
As you may recall, MCE broke the news of […]
By Dr. Amy Davis
Food intolerance is different from true food allergies. It is delayed in its onset and is less serious (not life threatening) but can be very annoying just the same. The symptoms are a result of a delayed immune response which occurs gradually 1-24 hours after eating.
If you have food intolerance, you may […]