Projects Inspiring Us At Good Earth Plants RN

Regular blog readers know about my passion for improving our communities and our health and well being through strengthening our connection to nature. It’s amazing to me how something simple like introducing natural elements in our work environment like plants and natural light can reduce job stress and improve our health overall. I get inspired when I see people around the world creating projects taking this simple idea and making it real. Yes, I also admit to being a little envious too, because I would love to see more projects like this in San Diego. Several projects got a “wow” out of me and I’d like to share them with you for your daily dose of “wow” instead of a basketball trick shot or cute pet video.… Read More

Our 12 Tips to Prevent Stormwater Pollution Runoff

I heard the weather report like everyone else, but I never expected the steady amount of rain we received in San Diego County this week, did you? After more than 100 days without measurable rainfall, it was a welcome sight. Rainfall has many benefits, but there is one downside. When rain falls in San Diego after many months of dry weather, pollutants that build up on surfaces like rooftops, parking lots and streets get washed into our storm drains. The reason it’s a big deal: those storm drains dump out directly into the Pacific Ocean, and all those pollutants end up in the water hurting sea life.… Read More

Green Roofs Are Even Greater Than We First Thought

North America’s largest living roof – about the size of eight football fields – continues to flourish atop Dearborn Truck Plant’s final assembly building, part of the Ford Rouge Center. Photo: Courtesy Ford Motor Company
When I first installed the green roof at Good Earth Plant Company in 2007, all of the information about the long term impact came from Europe. There weren’t all that many green roofs in the United States and there weren’t many studies being conducted on the few that existed. Times change and we are much more enlightened about the positive impact of green roofs on the immediate environment and their contribution overall. Some of the best studies are coming from The Green Roof Research Program at Michigan State University. One of MSU’s collaborators is a company which might not come to mind when you think about green roofs: the Ford Motor Company.… Read More

Get Down On The Farm: San Diego Farm Tour Day is September 17

It's especially important to avoid using chemical fertilizers and pesticides if you're growing fruits and vegetabes in your garden.
If I asked you to name San Diego’s major industries, you would probably come up with tourism, the military, maybe biotech or craft beer. The one I bet you’d miss is agriculture and farming. Agriculture is the fourth largest industry in San Diego County. It’s a two billion dollar industry. San Diego County has more individual farms than any other county in the United States. Remember this if you get on the TV show “Jeopardy!” Most of our local farms are small boutique farms growing ornamental trees and shrubs, indoor plants and flowers. This is two-thirds of the farming income. Avocados take up more land but generate less profit.… Read More

Helping Homeless San Diegans One Plant At A Time

Alpha Project residents show off their new orchids from Good Earth Plant Company.
Several months ago at a Citizens Coordinate for Century 3 (C3) panel discussion on the homelessness problem in San Diego, one of the panel members really energized me. Her name is Amy Gonyeau, and she is Chief Operating Officer with the Alpha Project. For those who aren’t familiar with it (like me I’m embarrassed to say), Alpha Project is a nonprofit human services organization that serves over 4,000 homeless men, women, and children each day with a variety of services like affordable housing, residential substance abuse treatment, transportation, mental health counseling, employment training, and also emergency services. I started my career in the plant industry with a flower kiosk on the corner of 6th and B streets in downtown San Diego.… Read More