Green Blog

One-third of the world's food is spoiled or tossed rather than eaten, a fact that is tragic when nearly one billion people go hungry. The injustice of food waste is worsened by the fact that food decomposing in landfills emits greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.

June 18-24 is National Pollinator Week. Do you know where your pollinators are? Think bees, birds, butterflies, bats and beetles. And think flies. Especially syrphid flies, also known as "flower flies" and "hover flies.

A new UC Cooperative Extension podcast that focuses on growing orchard crops in the San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys is now available free at http://growingthevalleypodcast.com, Apple iTunes and Google Play Music.

Californians can help in the fight against invasive species by learning and participating during California Invasive Species Action Week, June 210.

Sweeping acres of striking golden flowers may soon grace California's desert southwest. UC Cooperative Extension irrigation specialist Khaled Bali believes sunflowers may be an ideal crop for the state's most punishing agricultural region.