During the holiday season, it is a tradition to give and receive gifts, share homemade treats, and decorate our homes to celebrate this special time of year. According to the EPA, waste disposal typically increases by 25% around the holidays. We've curated a list of helpful tips to make your holidays more sustainable, produce less waste, and connect with others in a more creative and unique way.

1. Make your own wrapping paper from old newsprint, recycled wrapping, reused gift bags or old clothing. Or make reusable gift bags from fabric scraps.

2. Make handmade gifts, such as soy candles scented with essential oils, (even better, use recycled glass jars).

3. Mount pressed flowers onto cardstock for...

If you not yet watched the movie, “The Big Year,” with Steve Martin, Jack Black, and Owen Wilson, make some popcorn, snuggle up, and take some notes to prepare for Audubon's Annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is a free, fun, and easy event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of bird populations. Anyone can take part whether or not they are a beginning bird watcher to more seasoned experts.

Audubon collaborates with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology for this event. The Cornell Lab has also created an mobile application which can help identify birds simply by songs...

Climate change can feel a bit overwhelming, making it hard to know what one person can do. You do not need to be a scientist or an activist to make a difference. The truth is that every little positive action taken can have big impacts. Here are some easy and low-cost ways to make a difference in your own home or neighborhood. 

• Plant trees: Shade trees not only bestow beauty to future generations but also offer shade, purify the air by removing pollutants, and provide essential habitat. Some communities in Ventura County offer recycled water and tree watering bags to help out with the cost of maintenance. Check with your local city public works...

As the impacts of climate change increasingly affect our way of life, numerous cities are addressing a key issue with a simple yet effective solution: the expansion of urban tree coverage. The term 'heat island effect' is a prevalent reality in densely populated urban areas lacking tree canopy cover, where the built environment primarily consists of concrete pavement and hardened buildings, which absorb and retain heat. Heat islands not only raise temperatures but also contribute to various illnesses and, in extreme cases, resident mortality. Low-income and disadvantaged neighborhoods are often the most affected by these increased temperatures. 

Research shared by the U.S. Environmental Protection...