🌱 Singing to Plants: Science or Myth?

Happy Friday my friend,

My wife has been busy in our garden, making the most of Montana’s short growing season. She often sings and hums while she’s gardening, but is there any proof this actually helps plants grow? 🎶 Here’s a fascinating article about talking to plants for any other garden whisperers out there!

ECL TRIVIA: What North American tree produces sap that can be turned into a sweet syrup during late winter and early spring? (Answer below)

🌎 Planet Health

🌿 FARMING FUTURE: What salt water plant improves ocean health and requires no fresh water or fertilizer? Seaweed! In coastal Tanzania, seaweed farming is empowering women and supporting sustainable livelihoods as fish stocks decline. With training and new processing facilities, farmers can earn more while helping the planet— learn more about it here. 

🦉 NEW NATURE PRESERVE: England just designated a new national nature reserve in the moorlands that inspired the Brontë sisters' novels like Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre. “More than 40% of the new reserve will be protected for the first time,” EcoWatch reports. Over 3k acres, the new Bradford Pennine Gateway connects eight biodiverse sites, protecting rare species like unique owls and snakes. 

🦸‍♀️ GUERRILLA GARDENER: Why wait for permission to grow beautiful plants? Ellen Miles is leading a “guerrilla gardening movement” to transform urban spaces into vibrant green areas. By planting in neglected spots (without formal permission,) she aims to reconnect communities with nature, promote biodiversity, and inspire collective action. Click here to read more about Ellen and her mission.

🧑‍⚕️ Human Health

🎨 IN THE ZONE: Flow is a state of deep focus and immersion where time fades, self-consciousness drops, and joy rises. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi gave this brilliant Ted Talk on the topic decades ago, linking a “flow state” to a life worth living, after personally observing how many adults post-WWII had difficulty living a “normal, contented, happy life.” See how flow state can protection against depression and anxiety, and Click HERE to learn which 7 specific conditions “seem to be present when a person is in a flow state.”

🧠 5 MINUTE MEDITATION: Need a break from “the climate of uncertainty” in the news, or dealing with something overwhelming? Meditations from Headspace can calm your anxiety instantly. Find a spot to sit, then hit play on this quick 5-min guided audio that will instantly soothe your nervous system and recenter your mind when you find yourself feeling uncertain or overwhelmed.

☢️ METALS & GUT HEALTH: How is metal exposure in children connected to gut health? This small study of children aged 8–12 found that exposure to metals like zinc and cadmium may disrupt gut bacteria linked to obesity, diabetes, and inflammation. These changes in kids’ gut health could stem from natural sources, or human-made ones like lead paint or pesticides— raising new concerns about kids’ environmental exposure. Click HERE to see which other minerals were linked with obesity and diabetes.

🌤️ Healing power of LIGHT

Modern indoor living often means a lot of excess screens and artificial human-made bulbs…with a lack of photons from the sun’s healing spectrum.

It’s one reason I’ve been using Red Light Therapy (RLT) for years.

Use code ECL for 20% off right now by Clicking HERE.

RLT is safe, effective, and clinically proven for a variety of conditions, including:

• Skin: Reducing wrinkles, scars, and blemishes, while promoting firmer, more youthful-looking skin.

• Hair loss: Stimulating hair growth and reducing inflammation of the scalp.

• Pain: Reducing pain caused by a variety of conditions, including arthritis, muscle pain, and neuropathic pain.

• Inflammation: Helpful for treating conditions such as arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and asthma.

• Mood: Reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.

• Cognition: Shown to improve cognitive function in people with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.

• Athletic performance: Shown to improve athletic performance and reduce muscle fatigue.

Why choose Bon Charge?

• Science-backed tech: Their devices are backed by research and deliver proven results.

• Personalized options: Choose from a variety of devices to suit your needs, from targeted skin treatment to full-body relaxation.

• Stacking the hacking: Combine red light therapy with PEMF and infrared sauna for a truly transformative experience.

Ready to unlock your inner glow? Most devices require only 10-20 minutes per day, a few times per week!

Relaxing, simple sessions can lead to almost immediate relief from pain, or workout recovery…and more longterm benefits to skin, hair, mood and brain health.

Check out their full store for other bio-hacking goodies. Use code ECL to get 20% off your whole order.

Photo of the week

Trivia Answer:

Sugar maple — When days warm and nights are still cold, sap begins to flow, creating the perfect conditions for maple syrup tapping.

🎥 Solar Water Heater & Off-Grid Energy

Upgrade to ECL Membership for new videos each week on DIY & homestead advice, gardening support, holistic health expert interviews, recipes and more.

Become an Earth Conscious Life Member for weekly solution-focused videos, recipes, Deep Dive articles, expert interviews, and other subscriber-only content.

Already a paying subscriber? Sign In.

...and a healthier planet:

• • Improve health awareness: Deep Dive articles & recipe videos
• • Protect ecosystems: expert video tutorials with leaders around the world
• • Prioritize mental health: custom meditations for relieved stress
• • Camaraderie: likeminded community (app coming soon!)
• • Inspiration: members-only ebooks, personal picks, and DIY ideas
• • Portion goes to support independent films, local food projects, and planting trees