Environment

24 posts

honeybee

Bee Better

After thoughtful consideration, we’ve decided to discontinue Bee Good Couscous for 2017. This product contains bee pollen, which comes from the pollen of plants collected by honeybees. Honeybees have been dying off in record number for more than a decade because of human interference. In good consciousness, we will no longer purchase products coming from bees.

turkey flock

Turkey Talk and Thanking a Vegetarian this Thanksgiving

When Wild Turkey numbers dwindled in the twentieth century from hunting and habitat loss, various states, such as California, adopted programs to reintroduce them. These programs have saved them from extinction. Today, wild turkey populations have recovered throughout the United States. Here in Northern California, wild turkeys are a daily occurrence. You’ll find them roaming free in suburban front yards and public parks. Drivers routinely stop for a pack of turkeys to cross a busy street. The gang will stroll across the street without concern, fanning their tail feathers and pecking at bits of leaves while crossing. Although most people […]

Hiking with Venomous Snakes

Have you ever gone hiking with an edgy friend who is always on the lookout for snakes on the sides of the trail? When discussing your previous weekend backpacking trip with your co-workers, how many times have you heard, “Aren’t you worried about snakes?” You should be cautious, but not worried about venomous snakes. Here’s why. Your Odds of a Snake Bite It is no surprise that many people fear interaction with snakes when most of the images presented to us about snakes through books, stories, and TV is a negative one. Modern sensationalistic documentaries would lead an uninformed person […]

Harmless or Deadly? How to Identify Common Spiders

Find a giant furry spider nestled in your backpacking gear? It is Spring and spiders are coming out of hiding to eat and breed. Before you dig out your backpacking gear from the closet or garage, you might want to know how to identify what spiders are harmful. You can probably tell the difference between a Black Widow and a common Daddy Longlegs spider. However, can you distinguish a Brown Recluse from a Common House Spider? Depending on where you live, this infographic by Pest Control Experts shows how to recognize common house spiders that are common to the United States. Familiarize […]

When is the Best Time to go Hiking?

Most people think hiking season commences in the spring and concludes after the summer, however, fall and winter are some of the best seasons to visit the trails – especially the national parks. The trails are less crowded than in the summer, which means you can take photos of scenery instead of tourists.  Here are the top 5 reasons you should consider the “off-season” as prime hiking time. 1. Fewer Crowds Fewer people on the trails mean you can hike at your own pace. There is less chance of stepping on the heels of a hiker in front of you or […]