Daniel Salzler No. 1302
EnviroInsight.org Four Items April 18, 2025
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- Natural Easter Egg Dyes. Last week the editor presented vegetables that can provide synthetic chemical free Easter egg dyes. Thjs week, the editor wants you to know that flowers also can provide wonderful source of egg (or fabric) dye. These include:
Plant Name Dye Color Plant Parts Used Recommended Mordants Alum
Yarrow Yellow Leaves and stems Alum
Bloodroot Yellow (depending Roots Alum, Tin
on mordant)
Black-Eyed Susan Yellow/Orange Green Leaves and Stems
(yellow flowers(green) Alum
Dyer’s Coreopsis Gold, Orange, Dusty Rd Flowers whole plant Alum
Zinia Beige and tan Flowers Alum
Alkanet Red Roots None
DyersWoodruff Red Leaves Alum
Hollyhock Yellow, Gold, Brown,
(light flowers) Lilac,
Flowers ( dye color will be Purple, Pink
(dark flowers) affected by flower color) Alum
Woad Blue Leaves None
Indigo Indigo Leaves None
Russian Sage Blue Flowers None
Bachelor’s Buttons Blue Flowers Alum
What flowers make the best natural dyes?
Some of the best flowers for natural dyeing include coreopsis, rudbeckia, and yarrow for yellow tones, alkanet and woodruff for purples and reds, and Japanese indigo for blues. Each flower produces unique shades depending on the mordant used.
Do I need a mordant to dye with flowers?
Yes, most natural dyes require a mordant to help the color bond to the fabric. Alum is commonly used for bright, clear colors, while iron or copper can modify hues to create richer or darker tones.
How long do natural dyes from flowers last on fabric?
The longevity of natural dyes depends on the type of dye, fabric, and mordant used. Some colors, like weld yellow and indigo blue, are highly lightfast, while others, like bee balm pinks, may fade over time with repeated washing and sun exposure.
What fabric works best for natural dyeing?
Natural fibers like cotton, linen, wool, and silk absorb dye best. Synthetic fabrics typically do not hold natural dyes well. Wool and silk tend to absorb color more vibrantly than plant-based fabrics like cotton.
For more information on150 different plants, go to
https://www.ecofriendlyhomestead.com/sustainable-garden/learn/list-of-plants-to-grow-in-a-dye-garden
2. Preparing For Earth Day: Earth has warmed 1.5˚ C above preindustrial levels reached in 2024 according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service. That was the first year the number exceeded 1.5 C (2.7°F).
220: US Solar capacity in gigawatts at the end of 2024. This was a 24% Increase From The Capacity In 2023 And Enough To Keep The Lights On and 35 Million Homes.
$2.9 trillion: the total tally from extreme weather events that each caused at least $1 billion in damages between 1980 and 2024. Source: Sierra Spring 2025
3. Earth Day/ Earth Month Celebration. Earth Day is celebrated somewhere in Arizona every week in April. Doing something to promote the protection of Mother Earth is now more important than at any time in recent history.
What Are You “Doing To Protect Mother Earth? The Editor compiled a list of what he does in an effort to protect our other planet. These include:
1. Recycle all glass
2. Recycle/Repurpose plastic bags
3.Recycle plastic food containers labeled 1& 2
4. Recycle all cardboard and paperboard (ie. cereal boxes)
5. Repurpose newspapers to a local animal shelter, used as bedding
6. Reuse plant pots. Recycle when they wear out.
7. Organically grow much of the food eaten. Store purchased produce grown organically.
8. Chip/Shred & Compost all lawn clippings, shrub and tree trimmings, kitchen scraps, coffee grounds, etc.
9. Compost (with pH of 7.0) added to garden to maximize growth of plants without synthetic fertilizers.
10. Use Haywood Pool Water Pleated Filter -Clean with water 1X every 3 months instead of monthly.
11. Water yard plants with a soaker hose, saving water by applying water only where it is
needed by plants.
12. Use a broom instead of a hose to clean pavement, etc.
13. Drive a Ford Cmax gas/electric hybrid vehicle. 40+ mpg
14. Food storage containers in glass, not plastic (See Watershed Info No. 1300, article 3, Microplastics)
15. Drink filtered water (filtered tap water- replacing filter 1X every three years)
16. Utilize “Clean People” laundry sheets (6″w x 5″h) with recyclable cardboard container instead of using detergents in large plastic bottles
17. Make my own bird seed cake (to feed wild birds) for under $2.50 per cake instead of purchasing commercially prepared for $24.00 without the preservatives.
18. Pay bills electronically instead of land mail
19.Use electronic communications
20. Solar panels on my roof to reduce carbon footprint for power. Since July 2024, I’ve prevented the production of 5.06 tons of CO2 or the equivalent of what 77 trees planted could absorb.
21. Upgrade A/C Unit to maximum Seer to increase efficiency for cool air
22. Use LED light bulbs instead of standard wattage bulbs.
What are you doing? Source: editor
4 Earth Day Quiz
- Environmentalist…. is credited with founding Earth Day
Al Gore
Jane Goodall
Gaylord Nelson
David Attenborough
2. The first Earth Day increased environmental awareness in America, and later that same year, the ______ was established.
A. US Environmental Protection Agency
B. US Department of Agriculture
C. US Department of the Interior
3. What major climate milestone was achieved on Earth Day in 2016?
A. The most substantial investment in clean energy, the Inflation Reduction Act, was passed.
B. The Paris Agreement was signed at UN headquarters.
C. Over 40 countries agreed to phase out coal power at COP 26 in Glasgow.
D. EPA declared greenhouse gases are a threat to human health.
4.The plastics industry and the fossil fuel industry go hand in hand. Which of the following are true about the plastics industry?
A. Studies have indicated that microplastics can damage cells in the body, contributing to cancers, lung disease, and birth defects.1
B. Over 99% of plastic is made from chemicals sourced from fossil fuels.2
C. Petrochemical plants are frequently built near low-income areas and communities of color.
D. All of the above.
5, Which of the following has been linked to the climate crisis? (Select all that apply.)
A. Rising rates of heart and lung diseases caused by poor air quality.
B. Increased instances of extreme weather/climate events like wildfires, hurricanes, floods, and droughts.
C. Crop failure and food insecurity.
D. All of the above.
6. True or false: Because it is happening on a global scale, the climate crisis impacts every country in the world equally.
True
False
7. Which of the following countries is Climate Reality hosting in-person Climate Reality Leadership Corps trainings this year?
A. France
B. Kenya
C. Brazil
D. Mongolia
E. All of the above.
0-4 correct: Budding Activist – there’s always more to learn!
5-8 correct: Climate Expert – you really know your stuff!
Thank you for taking our quiz! Checkvyourcnswersct the end of the newsletter.
Answers:
- Gaylord Nelson. In 1970, then-Sen. Gaylord Nelson organized the first Earth Day. Fun fact: Nelson sponsored an amendment to the Clean Air Act that would have phased out gasoline-powered vehicles… in 1970! Polling found the amendment popular with a majority of Americans, and it was also supported by United Auto Workers, but sadly it was defeated. (Source: https://grist.org/transportation/the-forgotten-fight-to-ban-gas-powered-cars-in-the-1960s/)
- 20 million. Back in 1970, some 20 million Americans(10% of the population at the time) join in on a day of protest, teach-ends and other events around the country, calling on the government to get serious about protesting the environment. (source.: https://www.epa.gov/history/epa-history-earthday
- The Pais Agreement. The Paris Agreement was signed on Earth Day in 2016 and entered into force on Nov. 4 of that same year4D, all of the above. The fossil fuel and plastic industries are deeply intertwined, and fighting petrochemical and plastic pollution is a critical part of fighting the climate crisis and building a just and clean energy future. (Sources: TheGuardian.com1, Ciel.org2, and EarthJustice.org3)
- D, all of the above. The fossil fuel and plastic industries are deeply intertwined, and fighting petrochemical and plastic pollution is a critical part of fighting the climate crisis and building a just and clean energy future. (Sources: TheGuardian.com1, Ciel.org2, and EarthJustice.org3)
5, All of the above. The climate crisis is multifaceted – worsening air quality, accelerating the spread of certain diseases by widening the ranges of vectors like ticks and mosquitos, and increasing the severity of extreme weather/climate events like storms, fires, floods, and droughts.
6. True. Unfortunately, many of the countries that are most vulnerable to the worst impacts of the climate crisis are also among the poorest places on the planet and least able to cope. Sea level rise, storms, or droughts exacerbated by climate change could also make some regions uninhabitable in the not-too-distant future, creating full-blown humanitarian disasters.
7. All of the above. With the climate crisis growing more dangerous by the day, Climate
Reality’s mission to train climate activists to advocate for change is more urgent than
ever. Source: Climate Reality Project
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