Auxesia’s Library

07/17/2026

Join our global movement to reduce plastic pollution. Discover solutions and ideas to help reduce plastic waste in your home and community.

07/11/2026

The storms this past weekend were a powerful reminder that how we landscape our yards affects what happens when heavy rain falls.

After long dry spells, soil often becomes hard and compacted. When heavy rain then falls all at once, water can't soak in fast enough. Instead, it runs across roads, parking lots, and lawns, contributing to flooding, erosion, and polluted waterways.

One of the best natural solutions? Native plants. 🌿

Unlike typical lawn grasses, Pennsylvania's native grasses, wildflowers, shrubs, and trees develop deep root systems that help absorb rainwater, reduce runoff, prevent erosion, recharge groundwater, and improve soil health.

Even replacing a small section of lawn with native plants can make a difference. A pollinator garden, native shrubs, or a pocket prairie helps slow stormwater, supports wildlife, and means less mowing for you.

Every square foot of native habitat is another square foot working with nature instead of against it.

Have you replaced part of your lawn with native plants? We'd love to see it! Share your photos in the comments. 🌱

07/09/2026

The native perennial garden is flourishing this summer. I’m hopeful I’ll be able to save lots of seeds, including some columbine pods which has already dried up.

07/09/2026

07/08/2026

Local produce at the GoggleWorks in Reading!

07/08/2026

Black-eyed Susan attracts pollinators like bees and butterflies and creates seeds for birds, making it a valuable addition to gardens, borders, and naturalized areas. This is one of my favorite native perennials because it thrives in pots and provides cheerfulness and color in urban spaces 🌱

07/01/2026

WELCOME TO PLASTIC FREE JULY!

All month, we'll be sharing some quick tips to help you embrace a more plastic-free lifestyle! Got ideas of your own? We'd love to hear them! There are so many ways to swap plastic out of our lives and honestly, there are no perfect solutions either. But our planet doesn't need perfect, it needs people trying. So share your own plastic-free habits to keep the good news coming and maybe inspire someone else to try something new!

First, some easy plastic swaps in your kitchen... Sadly, much of the plastic stuck in our bodies gets there via the food we eat and beverages we drink. GOOD NEWS: you can make a big impact by removing plastic from just your kitchen. Better yet, there are lots of ways to do so!

Remember, there are no perfect solutions. Not all of these tips will be applicable to your lifestyle or family. But we hope over the course of this year's Plastic Free July Challenge that maybe you'll find just one plastic-free habit that works for you!

For more information, check out Plastic Free July on Facebook or Instagram!

07/01/2026

🎨 Support local students by purchasing a hand-painted rain barrel!

Look at these beauties still available! 😍

Each year, we award over $30,000 in scholarships to students pursuing environmental careers. Our Paint the Rain rain barrel competition helps support that scholarship fund.

These one-of-a-kind barrels are now $100, hand-painted by local high school students, and they help reduce stormwater runoff right in your own backyard. 🌧️💧

Interested? Send us a message or contact Jennifer Brooks at [email protected].

07/01/2026

Planning to spend time outdoors this Summer? Staying hydrated is one of the best ways to prevent heat-related illness!

Stay healthy and hydrated outdoors by following these tips ⤵️