It’s been a hard year: tornado, derecho, pandemic. Yet in the midst of the many and varied losses, trees became a symbol of hope more than ever — a sign of brighter days ahead. Business as Usual 2020 for the Cumberland River Compact began as usual, with trees. During the colder months, the Compact staff […]
According to the Stanford Recycling Center, Americans throw away 25% more trash during the holiday season than any other time of year. This waste contributes to about 1 million extra tons per week! Below are some measures we can take to reduce these numbers and have ourselves a more sustainable holiday season! Wrapping paper While most […]
The National Stormwater Center is proud to join in celebrating EPA’s 50th birthday, December 2, 2020. In this article, we’ll look back 50 years to see how EPA got its start. The ’60s Awakening A half-century ago, our nation was in the grips of an unpopular war in Vietnam, a maze of new social norms, […]
The Cumberland River Compact and SLANT (Student Literary Artists of Nashville, TN) are excited to publish six pieces of original creative writing from our 2020 Notes on Nature competition. Over 90 students submitted work to the inaugural competition. Each student completed one of four nature investigations and then used a writing prompt to guide their […]
While there are plenty of ways to get out and connect with nature in person, reading can allow you to connect with the natural world in ways like never before. Below are some of our staff’s favorite picks about the environment that cover stories both fiction and non-fiction. Happy Reading! Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin […]
Fall is one of our favorite times of the year. Not only is it the start of tree planting season with Root Nashville, but it’s a great opportunity to set some goals for your spring landscape and set them up for success! As the first frost draws nearer, your lawn is beginning to slow […]
Rain Gardens are like a sponge –they soak up water, clean pollutants, and slowly release it back into the ground. What is a Rain Garden and What Does it Do? After rainfall hits the ground, it becomes “runoff” and begins its journey back to a waterway, picking up any harmful chemicals or pollutants on its […]
A sunny Saturday on the Red River in Adams, Tennessee. On your drive, you can see clusters of vehicles pulled off the road at popular bridge crossings where you can hike down to the creek and plop your chairs in the water and the kids can swim. The kayak put-in at the Red River Campground […]
Summer rainfall in the Cumberland River basin can be unpredictable from year to year. Unless you are able to irrigate or provide water to all the plants in your yard (a more expensive and less water-friendly option) you’re going to want some plants that can withstand a Tennessee summer. When choosing plants for your yard […]
Water is the source of life… …it’s life-sustaining. We already know that drinking more water is crucial to mind and body function, but what about the benefits of being in and around water for our health? Studies have shown time and again that simply living near a body of water significantly improves people’s well-being. Even […]