Le sort des êtres humains est intimement lié à celui des insectes pollinisateurs, comme les bourbons et les papillons. Les experts s’entendent pour dire que moins de 0,05% de tous les insectes connus seraient nuisibles. Malheureusement, sous l’emprise d’une peur irrationnelle ou par simple ignorance, beaucoup de gens consacrent énormément d’argent et de temps à lutter contre des insectes qui se révèlent souvent être sans danger ou carrément utiles.

Tous les légumes peuvent être cultivés en pot, même les pommes de terre !

Une petite révolution a lieu présentement dans les jardins d’Amérique du Nord ! Alors que la plupart des aménagements paysagers entourant les résidences étaient jusqu’à tout récemment considérés comme des oeuvres ornementales, une nouvelle façon de concevoir les jardins vient de faire son apparition : il s’agit de l’aménagement paysager comestible. Le principe en est fort simple puisqu’il s’agit de créer des jardins dans lesquels sont cultivés des végétaux qui peuvent être mangés. L’objectif ultime étant d'obtenir un milieu de vie fonctionnel, écologique et, surtout, productif. Qu’il s’agisse de légumes, de fruits, de noix, de fleurs comestibles ou de plantes médicinales, tous ces végétaux ont leur place dans un aménagement comestible. C’est donc une formidable façon d’obtenir des aliments bio, frais, savoureux et peu dispendieux !

In many cities around the world, we see more and more plants growing on buildings roofs and walls. In urban areas, as space is limited, new unusual and amazing growing techniques have been recently developed in order to conquer locations that would otherwise be lost.

You talk to your plants, but you dare not reveal this strange aspect of your private life because you fear that people could judge you? Like me, you can now make a coming out and expose your conversations with your plants with pride, since it seems that talking to them has beneficial effects on their growth.

Scientific studies have shown that green neighborhoods are experiencing a crime reduction and an increased sense of respect. This is especially true when citizens participate in greening their environment. They gain a greater sense of belonging to their neighborhood, create more durable relationships with their neighbors and feel responsible for the trees and the flowers they’ve been planting. When humans unite to improve their environment they can perform miracles such as transforming an ugly and dirty lane into a beautiful garden!

We are currently experiencing a particularly cold winter in Eastern North America. While the thermometer indicates –24 °C, I thought it would be rather nice to write a column on cacti. So, I decided to present you a few perennial cactuses that could be planted in your garden next summer. Indestructible cactus, perfectly well adapted to cold climates! On the introduction picture you can see an Opuntia fragilis ‘Feldberg’ flower (photo : Dornenwolf).

We are currently witnessing a disturbing phenomenon since it seems that every year some living species disappear from the surface of our planet. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a little more than 800 plant and animal species have become extinct in the wild since 1500. In fact, it is very difficult to precisely define this number, since we now only know a fraction of all species living on this planet. Indeed, thousands of new species are discovered every year!

On the introductory picture, you can see a baby olinguito (Bassaricyon neblina). This species closely related to the raccoon was discovered in South America in 2013 (photo: Juan Rendon).

Here is some good news that will make you feel in harmony with human race !

The Billion Tree Campaign is an initiative launched in 2006 by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) for stimulating tree plantation througout the world. Citizens, communities, entreprises and governments are encouraged to register online, at www.plant-for-the-planet.org, their comitment to plant trees. Until now, this campaign has permitted the plantation of more than 13 billion trees in 193 countries! With a planting rate of 1,000 trees per hectare, this represent enough trees to cover entire Greece area !

Tired of all the bad news ? In the next weeks, read my blog, this will do you good !

Fear is one of the worst scourges of our times. Everyday, media reminds us that human race is a nuisance for planet Earth. Anxiety and despair builds up by listening or reading disturbing facts about the brutal deforestation in the Amazon, smog that covers our cities or unbridled melting of Arctic ice. Some days the news is so bad that it smells like Apocalypse...

What if we’re wrong ? Perhaps humans are more beneficial to this planet than we think ! During the next weeks, I will give you friendly and upbeat news that will put you in harmony with life and the human race !