Growing a Greener World

In the years of creating episodes for our national television series, Growing a Greener World on PBS, we’ve had the privilege of meeting and featuring some of the world’s most genuine heroes to tell their extraordinary stories. Over the three days our crew was embedded in CS-55, the school where Stephen voluntarily spends most of his life (along with his wife Lizette and adult daughter Michaela), our unique perspective allowed witness to a man fully present in his life’s mission—to nurture his students with love and respect. Through passion, patience, and the power of a plant that produces real food (as in fresh fruits and vegetables), Stephen Ritz and his Green Bronx Machine are building healthy minds and bodies and empowering thousands of children to discover and exploit the potential they never knew they had. The Power of a Plant is the recently released book on the extraordinary journey of Stephen Ritz—indeed one of the world’s most genuine heroes and important role models of our time.

As they fly through the night skies, bats save U. S. farmers over $23 billion annually. These amazing mammals can fly hundreds of miles in a single night to hunt the insect pests which might otherwise decimate area farm crops. Every evening from March through October, tourists watch in awe as this important colony of bats streams over Lady Bird Lake en route to surrounding corn and cotton fields. Settle in for an awe-inspiring look at these tiny animals, the extreme measures being taken to preserve their species, and the ways these powerhouse hunters can go to work in any home garden.

What he began in 1996 as a single sheet offering of 28 unusual seed varieties quickly grew into the first organic seed company in the United States. The mission of High Mowing Organic Seeds isn’t just about business as usual. Committed to a more ecologically-friendly approach, High Mowing remains one of the few resources for certified organic seeds. The joe gardener Show Episode 038: How to Start Seeds Indoors: The Non-Negotiables for Success, Pt. 2

A native of the Pacific Northwest, she was accustomed to the unique requirements of gardening in the glacial till of the Cascades. A new client reached out to Stacie, asking her to put her skills to the test on an 8.5 acre property on Whidbey Island at the northern end of Puget Sound. Tranquil meadow spaces provide shelter and food for deer and a wide array of birds and other beneficial creatures. : Gardening for Wildlife: How-to Create an Inviting Habitat, with NWF’s David Mizijewski