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Articles from ‘November 2025’ Issue

A Garden’s Beauty for Healing in These Times

By Linda Wiggen Kraft

Healthy Planet Green & Growing Editor

Beloved poet Mary Oliver said: “I got saved by the beauty of the world.” Right now, beauty is needed to help heal us from dealing indirectly or directly with the horrors of what is happening in parts of the world and in our own country.Overload, mostly from […]

America Recycles Day — November 15

Each year on November 15, communities across the country celebrate America Recycles Day, a national initiative dedicated to promoting the importance of recycling and waste reduction. This day serves as a reminder that even small efforts — like recycling a plastic bottle or reusing a shopping bag — can have a powerful impact on the […]

ARTful Living  

November is a busy ARTful month….

By Michelle “Mike” Ochonick, Healthy Planet Arts Editor

ARTWORK: Painting by Alvin Horst, at Norton’s Fine Art Gallery.

The Sheldon, 3648 Washington, reopens galleries after extensive renovations, presenting We Each Hold Stories for its inaugural exhibition, November 7-May 2. Co-curated by Tom Jones of the Ho-Chunk Nation and Paula Lincoln, Sheldon gallery […]

Buzz is Building for 2026 Beekeeping Workshop & Honey Show Weekend in St. Louis

ST. LOUIS, MO — The Eastern Missouri Beekeepers Association (EMBA) is gearing up for its highly anticipated 2026 Beekeeping Workshop & Honey Show Weekend, set to take place February 20–21 at the Holiday Inn SW –  Route 66 in St. Louis.

Now in its 18th year, the event draws beekeeping enthusiasts from across the region for […]

Conservation Corner: Missouri’s “Loch Ness Monster”

By Dan Zarlenga, Missouri Department of Conservation

Photo caption: Some say it’s an elusive myth, while still others tell stories of tangible encounters with the mysterious muskellunge.

Photo courtesy of the Missouri Department of Conservation

The giant lake shimmers with the rising sun. Early morning mist caresses the water in an ethereal cloak. These aquatic depths conceal a […]

Dear Valued Fresh Thyme Neighbors

As the leaves turn vibrant shades of gold and crimson here in the Midwest, we’re reminded of the simple joys of the season: crisp apples from local orchards, hearty root vegetables perfect for cozy soups, and the warmth of gathering with loved ones around the table. At Fresh Thyme Market, this time of year always […]

Earthworms Castings

By Jean Ponzi

Leave Your Leaves!

As trees drop this year’s productivity, what fall efforts do plants and their pollinators need from you, to help them get through winter? Next to nothing.

Perfect supports are accumulating now, right in their summer activity places.

Most butterfly and moth species overwinter in the landscape, as an egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, or adult. […]

Enjoy the Christmas Barn Sale Trail in Southernmost Illinois – Nov. 13-15, 2025

Join us November 13th, 14th & 15th near Metropolis IL for a magical weekend of shopping, entertainment, and community spirit.

The Christmas Barn Sale Trail offers 14 barns within 7 miles of each other, you’ll discover a wide array of unique gifts, handmade crafts, vintage collectibles, antiques, photo ops, and delicious treats. There’s something for everyone […]

Food Sensitivities and Holiday Stress: Finding Balance This Season

By Dr. Amy Davis, MD

The holidays are a time for connection, gratitude, joy, and let’s face it, plenty of indulgent meals. But for individuals with food sensitivities, this joyful time can quickly become stressful, uncomfortable, and even isolating.

Food sensitivities differ from allergies. They typically don’t cause immediate or life-threatening reactions, but they can still lead […]

Founder’s Forum: Dehydration & Paths We Choose

By JB Lester

Our area has recently been experiencing drought conditions. Not enough rain means that the land becomes dry, and many plants and animals suffer. Just like the land, the human body needs adequate fluids to survive and live an optimal life. Dehydration is a very serious medical condition, especially with seniors. Now 74, I […]

Gateway Outdoor Expo + Summit Returns November 14-16, 2025

Missouri’s premier gathering for outdoor recreation is back. The Gateway Outdoor Expo + Summit will return to the St. Charles Convention Center on November 14-16, promising its biggest and most immersive experience yet for adventurers, nature lovers, and industry professionals alike.

“We’re thrilled to bring the outdoor community together for our eighth expo this fall,” said […]

Gratitude For Ourselves

By Jasmin Acosta, Healthy Planet Staff Writer

When we think of gratitude, we often reflect on the people in our lives such as family, friends, and loved ones who have stood by us in difficult times or simply made us smile when we needed it most. We pause to be thankful for their presence and the […]

Healthy Routines for Busy Families: Finding Balance in a Hectic World

In today’s fast-paced world, families are juggling more than ever before—school, work, extracurricular activities, household responsibilities, and social commitments. Amid the hustle and bustle, maintaining a healthy lifestyle can often feel like an added stressor rather than a solution. But establishing simple, sustainable healthy routines can bring structure, reduce chaos, and most importantly, help every […]

Healthy Routines for Senior Citizens: Staying Active, Engaged, and Well

As we age, maintaining a healthy lifestyle becomes more important than ever. But healthy living isn’t just about avoiding illness, it’s about enhancing quality of life, preserving independence, and finding joy in each day. For senior citizens, building consistent, supportive routines can help achieve all of that and more.

Healthy routines don’t have to be complicated. […]

Holiday Healthy Green Beans Almandine, with Mushrooms and Shallots

By Natalie R. Toney M.F.A., CHA Healthy Planet Food Editor

Even though the holiday season seems to start well before Halloween, I generally don’t begin thinking of Thanksgiving or Christmas until the last fun size treat has been carried away in a jack o’ lantern of goodies! After marveling at all the costumes (and usually dressing […]

Irresistible Community Builders, LLC presents:

Having Your Data Center Cake and Being Able to Eat it, too! 

By Tom & Carol Braford

Macro data center proposals in the St Louis area are coming under heightened scrutiny for good reason, given their massive energy and water use, but let’s not throw out the baby with the bath water. 

Some advantages of having dispersed micro […]

Jane.

By Bobby Myers

Childhood is one of the most memorable times in our lives. As a girl, Jane Goodall dreamed with the ambition of a man in the shadows of World War II. She dreamed of studying animals in the wilds of Africa and her early work involved observing chickens laying eggs and keeping a nature […]

Keeping Our Furry Family Members Safe with Holiday Food

By Susan Hunt-Bradford, Publisher, The Healthy Planet

The holidays are a time for family, friends, and delicious food—but for many households, that includes our four-legged family members too. Unfortunately, veterinarians often see an uptick in emergency visits this time of year because curious pets get into food that isn’t safe for them. While it’s tempting to […]

Mineral and Gem Show

The 2025 Mineral, Gem, Fossil Show & Sale, presented by St. Louis Mineral & Gem Society, is coming to Affton Community Center, 9801 Mackenzie Road, on November 21st, 22nd, and 23rd.

This annual show is a great place to shop for gems, minerals, crystals, fossils, jewelry, rock carvings and more! If you are looking for a […]

Moving Through Darkness to Light

By Dr. Gail Cloud

During this time of year in the Western hemisphere I think of it being time to harvest my garden. I think of things dying. I think of shorter and darker days, and colder days before the earth heats up again and things start regrowing and blossoming. In other words, I think of […]

Publisher’s Corner

November is a Special Month

By Susan Hunt-Bradford

November is such an interesting month. It’s that time of year when the anticipation of the holidays begins to build. After Halloween, our thoughts shift to the upcoming celebrations, gatherings, and—yes—the stress that can come with them. The air turns cooler, leaves continue to fall, and we start to […]

Recycling 101: America Recycles Day

By Steven Davies, Healthy Planet Columnist

Yes, it’s that time of year again. No, not Thanksgiving. First up is America Recycles Day, also known as National Recycling Day. America Recycles Day is November 15th, Thanksgiving is of course, the fourth Thursday of the month. For many it may be a day easily forgotten while for me, […]

The Season to Show Yourself Some Gratitude

As November brings crisp air and the busy holiday season, it’s important to reserve time for self-care. Cooler temperatures often lead to muscle stiffness, joint pain, and slow circulation. Massage Therapy offers a natural and effective way to release tension and increase blood circulation to help relieve pain and strengthen immune function to help prevent […]

Tidy Up After the Holidays!

Katie’s Cleaning Service, now in its 11th year, is currently looking for bi-weekly and monthly customers located in Webster Groves, Kirkwood and the South County area.

Katie’s Cleaning Service offers you the best cleaning services you can find. We are dependable, trustworthy and we go the extra mile, always paying attention to details. 

Independently owned and operated, […]

What This Moment Needs is Our Imaginations

By Maeve Elder, Communication & Outreach Coordinator

Missouri Gateway Green Building Council

Positive momentum feels like a scarce resource right now, with so much good work being undone. In the world of green building, we’re particularly attuned to the dismantling of achievements around climate change policy, green energy and decarbonization. Banned words, cancelled programs and incentives, clawed-back […]