Jonathon Engels
One Green Planet
Panama
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Past articles by Jonathon:
How to Feed the Birds During the Winter Without Dropping a Bomb on Birdseed
Remember that despite birdseed being mostly composed of annual crops like sunflower and millet, birds like to eat from lots of perennial shrubs and trees. → Read More
Where to Find Old Wood for Fun Carpentry Projects
Using imperfect wood, with knots, notches, and personality, makes for much more interesting projects. Old, repurposed wood is less expensive, and there are many outlets for getting it cheaply, sometimes even for free. → Read More
Forage for Dinner: The Hen of the Woods, One Tasty Mushroom
The hen-of-the-woods mushroom goes by several other names. Ram’s head and sheep’s head are common handles for it. In Japan, it’s referred to as maitake or, due to its size, king of mushrooms. Italian Americans might call it signorina. Officially, it is identified as Grifola frondosa. Whatever we choose to call it, the fact of the matter is that it is a choice edible, both delightfully delicious… → Read More
7 DIY Projects to Do With Used Paper and Cardboard
While reusing paper doesn’t decrease the amount we use – we’ll have to do the all-important “reduce” step of the mantra for that – it does keep more of our paper products out of the landfill. And, it can be a lot of fun. → Read More
How to Winterize the Garden for More Success in the Spring
So, while those autumn days still feel inviting, the temperatures cool and comfy, it’s worth getting outdoors for a few last-minute chores to prep the garden for success in the spring. → Read More
DIY Projects for a Rainy Day: Homemade Bath Bombs
In other words, it pays to buy your bath bombs carefully (Lush does a good job of making them responsibly), and truth be known, it pays even better to simply make them at home. → Read More
7 Tricks for Keeping the Greenhouse Warm Without Using Electricity
The number one trick to heating a greenhouse without power is taking advantage of the sun. The sun is free energy, and it works day in and day out. However, there are times when it’s cloudy, not to mention that the hours of sunlight are reduced in winter. → Read More
7 Ways to Make Your Bathroom More Eco-Friendly
Without beating ourselves up over whatever inefficiencies and pollutants our bathrooms currently have, there are lots of possibilities for most of us to do better in there with regards to the planet. And, it’s our actions, our personal choices, that will kickstart real change. → Read More
10 Big Time Greens for Cold Weather Gardens
The other great thing is that, despite being ubiquitously leafy, greens have unique flavors and textures that keep the winter harvest both interesting and diverse. There are a lot of greens to choose from for cold weather gardens. → Read More
How to Avoid Creating Extra Trash When You Buy Groceries
Waste from grocery shopping comes at us from all angles. The modern food industry is built around convenience and commercialism rather than feeding us healthy meals. I → Read More
The Basics of Dealing With Cold Drafts in the House
In other words, dealing with cold drafts seems the right thing to do in a multitude of ways, and the benefits — cost-efficient comfort with less strain to the environment — seem something we all want. → Read More
How to Design Gardens for Natural Irrigation
Nowadays, when we think of irrigation, we usually envision a series of hoses, perhaps some sprinklers and municipal water on demand. And, while that all might seem convenient, that’s not the ideal, is it? In a world where freshwater sources are dwindling, we ought to not be using our drinking water in the garden. → Read More
8 of the Best Trees for Fall Leaves
Whatever the reasons, each fall a newfound appreciation for trees and their foliage overtakes us. These are some of the trees most responsible for that gratitude, and they can all be grown at home. → Read More
How to Recycle Clothes
Well, we can help to right this situation. Aside from buying our garments conscientiously, we can also dispose of them responsibly. → Read More
6 Upcycling Uses for Old Sheets
At some point our bedrooms must have makeovers. Maybe the sheets have seen better days and need replacing. Maybe we’ve painted the walls anew and our sense of aesthetics can’t stand the new clash of colors the bedsheets have with the bedroom. Maybe it’s just time for a change. → Read More
How to Grow Bamboo at Home
Amazingly, there are as many species of bamboo as there are uses for it. Giant bamboo can tower like large trees, up to 100 feet high and over seven inches in diameter. → Read More
Choosing the Right Mulch for the Garden
The word is out that mulching a garden is much, much more than an aesthetic choice. It’s not only functional but actually incredibly beneficial in many ways. There are a multitude of reasons to mulch the garden. → Read More
Fruits and Nuts to Find in Fall
Farmers’ markets in autumn should start having stands full of apples and pears, as well as beautiful squashes and pumpkins. Leafy greens like chard and baby kale will be making a comeback. Okra will be flourishing. Shelling beans will have come in, and peppers will be putting out late summer-early fall flurries. → Read More
What Tools the Average House Needs for Basic Home DIY Maintenance
Before we get to that list, it’s worth saying that many household repairs aren’t especially complicated, nor do they require a professional certification to handle. When it comes to some things, such as replacing the toilet handle, fixing a leaky faucet or even changing a light switch, a novice with instruction and the right tools can do it. → Read More
How to Grow Edible Bamboo
Bamboo can be a love-it-or-hate-it type of plant. Varieties of it grow just about anywhere, from the tropics to the cool temperate climate. It is known simultaneously to be one the most useful plants around, for building and privacy hedges, windbreaks, and food and crafts, as well as tremendously invasive because it grows so quickly. → Read More