| Listen to recent Green Horizons episodes: |
 Biopesticides-
A closer look at biopesticides.
(aired 01/06/10) |
 Environmental education-
West Texas A&M University in Canyon has an Environmental Science program with a specific focus for students who want to keep their skills here on the High Plains.
(aired 12/30/09) |
 Christmas trees-
Soon, those with live cut Christmas trees will have to decide how to get rid of them. We'll give you some options, plus an idea for next year.
(aired 12/23/09) |
 Caring for poinsettias-
If you want to keep your Christmas poinsettia alive after the holidays, you'll need to give it plenty of light. You'll also need to remove the wrapper when watering so that the soil will drain properly.
(aired 12/16/09) |
 Windbreaks-
Windbreaks. We examine the efforts to inventory windbreaks in Kansas.
(aired 12/09/09) |
 Wind-energy law and "severance" - Can the rights to a land's wind resources be separated from the surface rights in the same way that mineral rights can be severed from the surface estate? A look at the legal concept of severance as it relates to wind-generated electricity.
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 Climate change -
We visit with two professors who've been studying climate change and have two different views on how much temperatures could rise within 100 years.
(aired 11/25/09) |
 Shifting gears with generation processes - Utility-scale wind-generated electricity must be partnered with another generation source, usually coal or natural gas. Since gas generation is easier to manipulate, this means that gas is the preferred partner for wind generation.
(aired 11/18/09)
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 Corn burning stove -
We visit the home of a Garden City resident who relies partly on a corn burning stove for heat.
(aired 11/11/09) |
 Tres Amigas Superstation - A proposed electricity conversion station near Clovis, N.M., would facilitate the transfer- and sale- of wind-generated electricity from the High Plains to all of the electrical grids in the United States.
(aired 11/4/09) |
 E-waste program -
In northwest Kansas eight counties are recycling electronic waste, but whether or not the program is sustainable is questionable.
(aired 10/28/09) |
 Controlled burning on ranchlands- Fire is a part of the high plains ecosystem's life cycle. Properly used, the destructive power of fire can help ranchers and others improve their property.
(aired 10/21/09) |
 Continuous CRP -
We learn more about the Continuous CRP Program (CCRP) and visit an enrolled playa in Scott County, Kansas.
(aired 10/14/09) |
 A "green" approach to flu season - Staying flu-free over the winter isn't just a matter of hand-washing with antimicrobial soap. Proper nutrition strengthens the immune system. And herbs such as elder and boneset have been used to both prevent and treat the flu.
(aired 10/7/09) |
 Recycle Cycle visits Southwest Kansas -
Recycle Cycle is making its way across Kansas. Bicyclists are stopping in various Kansas towns to highlight recycling programs. They stopped in both Garden City and Dodge City. We'll hear the highlights of their programs and what improvements could be made.
(aired 9/30/09) |
 Is the Spanish model relevant? - What role should public investment play in wind energy development? The successes and failures of Spain's ambitious renewable energy programs may offer lessons for the High Plains. A recent Spanish study has sparked controversy.
(aired 9/23/09) |
 Stormwater pollution - We affect water downstream in ways we might not give thought to--in what we let get down into storm drains. This week we learn more about stormwater runoff and common pollutants.
(aired 9/16/09) |
 Groundwater monitoring in Oklahoma - The State of Oklahoma has unique systems for monitoring groundwater usage and well levels. Panhandle commercial users are allowed two acre-feet per surface acre annually.
(aired 9/09/09) |
 Drip irrigation - One way to become more efficient on the farm is to install drip tape irrigation. We'll learn more about that plus some programs to help you pay for it.
(aired 9/03/09) |
 Food bank developing garden - High Plains Food Bank, which serves nonprofit agencies throughout the Texas Panhandle, now has a large garden, produce from which will help supplement food supplies year-round. We visit the garden on Amarillo's east side.
(aired 8/26/09) |
 Boost composting with earthworms - If the rate of organic activity in your compost seems a little slow, you can crank up the pace with the help of earthworms. Vermi-composting is easy, though it does require a little management to keep your creatures healthy. Here's how.
(aired 8/19/09) |
 Reporting and mapping invasive plants - The State of Texas is training "citizen scientists" to help track the presence of invasive plant species throughout the state. The Texas Invasives program will be coming to Wildcat Bluff in Amarillo for a workshop on August 22nd.
(aired 8/12/09) |
Owning a Wind Turbine- Installing a wind turbine on your farm or homestead might be appealing for economic or environmental reasons. We'll hear tips on things to think you about if you're considering adding wind power to your energy supply. For more information visit Midwest Energy's website.
(aired 8/05/09) |
 Local Foods Field Day - An event designed to help develop the local foods network in the Texas Panhandle is coming to Amarillo on August 29. The Local Foods Field Day will feature tours and workshops for those interested in eating food that was produced close to home.
(aired 7/29/09) |
 Learning to Compost - It's summer and you're likely using more fresh produce. Instead of adding those clippings to your kitchen trash, perhaps you're interested in learning how to compost. We learn the basics of composting this week.
(aired 7/22/09) |
 Using the wind and the sun, off-grid - One home in the Texas Panhandle is completely "off grid" - a combination of wind and solar electricity, generated right on the premises, provides all the power this three-bedroom house needs.
(aired 7/15/09) |
 Take Charge Challenge - We learn about six Kansas towns that are competing in the Take Charge Challenge to save energy and save money.
(aired 7/8/09) |
 Passive solar home - Life in a house without central heat or air conditioning can be cool in the summer, warm in the winter.
(aired 7/1/09) |
 Park on the Plains - Recycled tires might not sound fun, but they'll be providing the surface for a new playground in Scott City, Kansas.
(aired 6/24/09) |
 Organic vegetable farming - Organic vegetable farming may not be common on the High Plains, but one small operation on the north side of Amarillo is producing tomatoes, squash, berries and more.
(aired 6/17/09) |
 Sandsage Bison Range - A visit to the Sandage Bison Range in Finney County, Kansas, where the bison still roam. A lot of planning goes into how to maintain a bison herd, right down to the grass they eat.
(aired 6/10/09) |
 Rainwater harvesting - Rainwater-harvesting systems can be simple and cheap or complex and less cheap. But they all provide water that can be used for gardening or xeriscaping. And every drop of rainwater we use in lieu of groundwater prolongs the life of the Ogallala Aquifer.
(aired 6/3/09) |
 Solar pump demonstration - Learn about using solar-powered pump systems--their components and how the pumps work in different conditions.
(aired 5/27/09) |
 Original shortgrass prairie - Just southwest of Amarillo lies an example of what the High Plains looked like before agriculture or development. The 175-acre stretch of shortgrass prairie on the Buffalo Lake Wildlife Refuge property is a National Natural Landmark.
(aired 5/20/09) |
Garden City recycling - A visit to the recycling center in Garden City, Kansas. A look at what happens to our recyclables and the business of recycling itself
(aired 5/13/09) |
 Canadian River - A system of wells in Eastern New Mexico controls the flow of brackish groundwater into the Canadian River. The result - less salt in Lake Meredith, which supplies Amarillo and other Northwest Texas cities with municipal water.
(aired 5/6/09) |
Jetmore wind turbines - We travel to Jetmore, Kansas, where the town is supplying part of its electricity from two wind turbines.
(aired 4/29/09) |
 Buffalo Lake - Learn more about a little-known jewel of the Texas Panhandle. Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge provides habitat for migrating waterfowl and endangered raptors.
(aired 4/22/09) |
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