Goal For The Green

Whether you are actively pursuing a fulfilling career as a land development specialist or you are drafting up the important documents as a planning policy and law advocate, your role in developing the world’s land and accommodating the growing population is one of the most critical jobs in the world today. Perhaps you have thought about the prospects of international affairs overseas or are looking to expand your career and work as a program expert in geographic information systems and planning. If you are looking to get ahead in the workplace, an urban planning degree from a top online school can expand your career in ways you never imagined.

a zone model (urban planning) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Most of the top schools are now offering an online master’s degree in urban planning, and you can complete your degree in as little as three years. These schools recognize the importance of your industry, and their professional educators design curriculums to reflect the current demands of your trade. They also recognize the importance of your busy schedule and that your job often requires overtime and imposes an inflexible schedule. The University of Florida is a great example of a school that offers a self-guided curriculum, a diversified program, knowledgeable professors, flexible financing options and an opportunity to choose from a variety of specializations within your field.

As a student in the master’s degree program, you will engage with other like-minded professional students from all over the world and utilize the latest 3-D mapping systems and web applications to enhance your expertise. You can choose to study day or night, weekends or weekdays, and you will always have access to unlimited resources, advisors and staff to assist you at any time.

Spatial analysis, advanced planning systems and geographic information systems have become extremely important aspects of the planning and development field as our digital technology continues to grow and change. With a master’s degree in urban planning, you can be on the cutting edge of the technology. You can have an active voice in creating the programs that developers use, and you can spear head major global projects and be in the boardroom during huge corporation expansions. Whether you are looking to move up in your current company or you are looking for an entirely new area of expertise within the industry, an online master’s degree in urban planning will give you the confidence and skills needed to excel in an ever-changing industry.

Native Americans for generations tried to treat the land with care and give back so that nature could continue giving. Thomas Jefferson had a great admiration for native plants and trees and he tried to incorporate as many of them as possible in his Monticello estate.

This photograph is of the grave site of Thomas Jefferson, which is located at Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

However, the general art of landscaping began long ago as kings and emperors hired the best gardeners and architectures to design fabulous gardens on the grounds of their palaces. Through the centuries, tried and true styles and techniques for landscape architecture have developed. Today, many skilled landscape designers and architects are also incorporating sustainable techniques for eco-friendly landscapes like the Park Slope Design, that use native plants along with hardscapes and irrigation that cooperates well with the natural environment.

Contemporary society is increasingly interested in landscaping that improves and gives back to nature. Habitats are respected and parks and gardens are established with the natural world in mind. As more governments, corporations, small businesses and individuals are interested in sustainable landscape architecture, professional landscape architects specialize in eco-friendly methods and design.

In fact, on the local television as well as on radio and the web, landscape design businesses that create sustainable landscapes advertise locally. Although the economy of local regions and countries do significantly affect the landscaping industry, parks, businesses and individuals desire to improve the outdoor surroundings on their properties. The popular trend for eco-conscious landscape architecture to improve the outdoor environment for the present and for future generations will continue into the decades to come.

Is that cockroach that just crawled out from behind the fridge making your stomach churn? There’s a chance it’s not your imagination—cockroaches carry bacteria that can cause gastric problems, including diarrhea. Flies are disease factories that can transmit diseases including hepatitis and tuberculosis.       

Some bugs put your home’s health in danger as well. Termites eat wood, and an infestation can cause serious damage to the structure of your home and often requires aggressive termite treatment to take care of the problem. While there are some woods such as cedar, redwood and eucalyptus that are toxic to these pests, this is no help unless you’ve already built your home out of these materials. Though plants can’t help much with termites, they can help control many other types of pests and toxins found around the home. Here are four examples of plants that help eliminate toxins and repel pests:

Bay Leaves

Bay leaves are most commonly used to add flavor to soups, stews and sauces, but few people realize they can help keep roaches under control. The leaves won’t necessarily hurt existing cockroaches, but they find the scent unpleasant and are likely to head in another direction.

Lemongrass

According to Hortmag.com, the best thing to plant to keep away mosquitoes is lemongrass. Lemongrass is the plant where citronella is found, which is widely used to control these pests. Bees are also not fond of the plant, making it even more beneficial. Although lemongrass is bad for bugs, it’s good for you. For many years it has been used to treat headaches and aid digestion, and recent research at Ben Gurion University in Israel suggests that it can even cause cancer cells to self-destruct.

Basil

It turns out a roach’s bay leaf is a housefly’s basil. When you’re making that homemade pizza or spaghetti sauce, save some basil to help control flies. The spice may be deliciously aromatic to you, but flies can’t stand it. Bugs aren’t the only things that clear out when basil’s around. According to Health.com, basil can also help get rid of skin blemishes and detoxify the liver.

Pyrethrum Chrysanthemums

Chances are you are more familiar with this flower’s common name, mums. There are many mum varieties that contain a natural insect repellant, pyrithrin, but pyrethrum mums are the most potent. These flowers resemble daisies and come in a variety of colors. Mums can keep away a lot of different insects, such as silverfish, roaches, fleas, lice, ants and bedbugs—and they won’t bother your pets.

Plants to Control Toxins

Besides insect control, these and many other plants also help improve the quality of the air in your home. Carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, radon, nitrogen oxide and other airborne pollutants can invade the air in homes and cause a wide range of problems including headaches, nervous system problems and cancer. Scientists at NASA have discovered that many plants help neutralize these chemicals.