Removing nonnative vegetation. Photo credit: Friends of Five Creeks. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is inviting all Californians to learn about — and join the fight against — harmful nonnative plants and animals that threaten our state’s natural resources.
The eighth annual California Invasive Species Action Week, or #CISAW, runs from Saturday, June 5, through Sunday, June 13.
Historically, agencies, nonprofits and volunteer organizations across the state have teamed up to host events for CISAW.
This year features both in-person and virtual events including webinars, videos and Facebook live events.
All Californians can help stop the spread of invasive species by taking small, everyday actions, such as landscaping with native plants, not releasing unwanted pets into the wild, reporting invasive species findings, and cleaning, draining and drying gear when recreating in bodies of water.
The Action Week website lists simple actions Californians can take all year long while visiting natural areas, boating or fishing, or at home.
Additionally, the winners of CDFW’s annual California Invasive Species Youth Art Contest will be announced on social media during CISAW. The theme of this year’s contest was “Be an Invasive Species Detective!”
The mission of CDFW’s Invasive Species Program is to reduce the impacts of invasive species on the wildlands and waterways of California.
The program is involved in efforts to prevent the introduction of these species into the state, detect and respond to introductions when they occur and prevent the spread of those species that have established.
For questions or more information about CISAW, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Authorities on Saturday continued their search for a man who went missing in Clear Lake after an early morning boating accident.
The man, whose name so far hasn’t been released, was in a boat with four other people offshore of Clearlake Oaks when the boat capsized shortly before 12:30 a.m. Saturday, as Lake County News has reported.
Radio reports described the missing man as a Black male in his 50s.
The man was reported to have been trying to rescue someone shortly before he disappeared.
The boat was recovered near the Clearlake Oaks boat launch and removed from the scene early Saturday morning.
Lt. Corey Paulich of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office told Lake County News that the sheriff’s Marine Patrol had searched for the man throughout the day on Saturday but hadn’t located him.
Paulich said the search will continue on Sunday morning.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
What's up for June? A partial solar eclipse, the scorpion's sting and June is for Juno!
Following last month's total lunar eclipse, June brings us a solar eclipse. On June 10, the moon will slip briefly between Earth and the sun, partially obscuring our local star from view.
Whereas May's lunar eclipse was best viewed around the Pacific, this month's solar eclipse will be a treat for those in the northeast U.S., eastern Canada and Northern Europe.
For U.S. viewers, this is a sunrise event, with the moon already appearing to have taken a bite out of the sun as it's rising. So you'll want to find a clear view toward the eastern horizon to observe it.
Those farther to the north and east will see more of the sun obscured by the moon. For those in northern Europe, it's more of a lunchtime eclipse.
Wherever you are, please review eclipse safety practices, and never look at the sun without proper protection for your eyes.
On summer evenings, you may notice a curved grouping of stars crawling across the southern sky, among them a brilliant red beacon. This is the constellation Scorpius, the scorpion, and beginning in June, it's the prime time to look for it.
This grouping of stars has been thought of as having the shape of a scorpion going back to ancient times in the Mediterranean and Middle East.
In the Greek myth, the scorpion's deadly sting brought down the great hunter Orion, and that's why — the story goes — we find them on opposite sides of the sky today.
This pattern of stars also been seen as part of a great dragon, in China, and the fish hook of the demigod Maui in Hawaii. That fish hook shape also forms the tail of the scorpion.
At the beginning of June, if you're in the northern hemisphere, the scorpion's tail might still be below the horizon for you, early in the evening. It rises over the first few hours after dark. But by the end of the month, the scorpion's tail will be above the horizon after sunset for most stargazers.
That bright, beacon-like star in Scorpius is Antares, which is a huge red giant star, and one of the brightest in the sky. It forms the blazing heart of the scorpion. So look toward the south and use Antares as your guide to find the constellation Scorpius.
Finally, this month, you'll remember back in December, when Jupiter and Saturn had their incredibly close meetup in the sky.
In the run-up to that "Great Conjunction," Jupiter led Saturn across the sky all through 2020.
Well, six months later, the pair continue to move farther apart, and now Saturn has the lead position as the two planets rise and set. Look for them in the east after midnight, or toward the south at dawn.
And for more Jupiter excitement in June, NASA's Juno spacecraft is making its next close flyby over Jupiter on June 8, and this time it will also make a low-altitude flyby over the planet-sized, icy moon Ganymede on June 7.
This is the first of several planned flybys of the Jovian moons by Juno, over the next couple of years, that include encounters with icy Europa and volcanic Io!
You can catch up on all of NASA's missions to explore the solar system and beyond at nasa.gov.
Preston Dyches works for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Mark Poindexter puts a tarp on the damaged roof of his home in Gulf Breeze, Louisiana, on Aug. 29, 2020, in the aftermath of Hurricane Laura. AP Photo/Gerald Herbert
The approach of summer in the U.S. means that it’s time to be ready for hurricanes and wildfires. The incidence of weather and climate disasters is increasing in the U.S., a trend due partly to climate change but also to human decisions.
Since the 1950s, population growth has increased significantly in Sun Belt states. Millions of people have moved to coastlines, from Texas to the Carolinas, putting more lives and property in harm’s way during hurricanes. Florida, the hurricane capital of the United States, now is the third-most-populous state in the nation.
Recognizing that Americans are increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Weather-Ready Nation initiative is helping communities plan for events like violent tornadoes, destructive hurricanes and widespread flooding. As a meteorologist and supporter of this effort, I believe that everyone should understand what kinds of severe weather hazards could affect their family and home and be ready for them. Here are some ways to do it.
What to do instead of taping windows
The U.S. experienced a record 22 billion-dollar weather and climate disasters in 2020 that wreaked about US$95 billion in total damage. This included a historic hurricane season, with 30 named storms and seven billion-dollar tropical cyclones – the most in one year since NOAA started keeping track of billion-dollar disasters in 1980.
For Atlantic and Gulf coast residents, hurricane preparedness has to be a way of life. It means knowing whether you live in a designated evacuation zone. That’s key in the event of storm surge – when a hurricane pushes seawater up onto local beaches and inland areas. Readiness also means having a family and business disaster plan that details preparations, and maintaining a hurricane survival kit.
Another priority is knowing how to protect your home and business from damaging winds. Conducting a home insurance review with your agent and scheduling a wind mitigation inspection will identify what you can do to strengthen and protect vulnerable parts of the building such as windows, entry doors, garage doors and roofs.
Adding metal hurricane shutters or hurricane-resistant windows can help. So can retrofitting the attic or eaves with metal hurricane straps, which connect the rafters to the walls to prevent the roof from blowing off.
The owner of a Mexico Beach, Florida, house that survived Hurricane Michael, a Category 5 storm in 2018, describes his home’s stormproofing features.
Here’s one step to skip: Putting tape onto windows for wind protection from a hurricane. Tape does nothing to reduce wind damage, so this is a waste of time.
Consumers also need to rethink how they shop for a new home in storm-prone areas. It’s OK to want granite countertops, walk-in closets and a safe neighborhood near schools and parks. But buyers should also consider how well a house is built, its age, the materials it contains, the shape and condition of the roof, and building code requirements at the time it was constructed.
And they should ask whether the house is located in a flood-prone area, has wind-resistant features or has been retrofitted against hurricanes. Even residents who don’t live in a zone where it is required should consider taking out flood insurance.
Storm-testing buildings
Florida International University’s International Hurricane Research Center, which is part of our Extreme Events Institute, was designated NOAA’s first Weather-Ready Nation ambassador in South Florida. Our Wall of Wind facility is capable of creating Category 5 hurricane conditions – winds with speeds over 157 mph.
Like crash testing for vehicles, wind testing can help ensure that structures, traffic signals and building components can hold up under stress. The Wall of Wind is part of the National Science Foundation’s Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure program.
A Wall of Wind demonstration shows how inexpensive building reinforcements can prevent costly hurricane damage.
For educational outreach, we host the yearly Wall of Wind Mitigation Challenge, in which teams of local high school students develop innovative wind mitigation concepts and solutions. And the Extreme Events Institute uses a risk equation to help the public understand and support measures to confront the “risk drivers” that lead to major losses.
NOAA’s National Weather Service is also investing in new forecasting tools and linking its forecasts to lifesaving decisions made in every state and county. The goal is to provide timely forecasts that emergency managers, first responders, government officials, businesses and the public can act on.
Across the United States, Weather-Ready Nation ambassadors are preparing for many types of extreme weather events.
Flooding can occur almost anywhere across the country, and hazards can develop quickly. In mid-May 2021, over 12 inches of rain fell on the Lake Charles, Louisiana, area in a single day, triggering flash flooding that completely submerged parked cars. Flooded roadways can be deadly, so take heed of NOAA’s “Turn Around Don’t Drown” message and avoid walking or driving in flooded areas – it could save your life.
Tornado safety is critical: So far in 2021, twisters have killed a dozen people, in Alabama, Louisiana, Texas and North Carolina. Tornado readiness includes knowing the safest room in your home – usually a windowless interior room on the lowest floor – and tuning in to NOAA Weather Radio, which will provide severe-weather information directly from your local National Weather Service office.
Apathy and complacency can also be dangerous when it comes to weather-driven disasters. In my view, weather readiness has to become a way of life – something that all Americans see as their responsibility. The best forecasts in the world may be useless if the public doesn’t respond or hasn’t taken the needed actions to protect themselves when extreme weather threatens.
Most importantly, remember to help your neighbors when needed, especially if they are elderly and can’t help themselves. In addition, consider supporting local nonprofits or churches that help residents in your community who have financial or transportation needs to be ready and safe. We are all in this together.
“Farewell to spring,” Clarkia amoena. Photo by Kim Riley. LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — As temperatures heat up in the mid to late spring and summer begins to draws near, vibrant pink to fuchsia to violet wildflowers, some with highlights of red to white, begin to show up in profusion and bid a “farewell to spring,” which is the name of one aptly-name species of clarkia that graces us in Lake County.
There are 18 different species of clarkia identified as growing in Lake County, according to CalFlora, with different blooming periods that can last from January through September and each with their slightly different bloom times, colors, petal shapes, and soil/sun preferences.
If you’re looking for a native wildflower to add to your gardens that doesn’t require a lot of water, clarkia is a great choice and with a little irrigation, bloom times can be extended to early summer, with elegant clarkia blooming into the fall.
From left, “red ribbons,” Clarkia concinna and “graceful clarkia,” Clarkia gracilis. Photo by Kim Riley. Most species of Clarkia thrive in well-drained clay soils or any dry soil that doesn't retain a lot of water and can grow well in sandy soils as long as they have full sun to partial shade.
All of the clarkia species play important roles in their local ecosystems as they provide habitat for native pollinators so are a good choice for your home gardens in Lake County.
Some pollinators even rely on clarkia exclusively, such as the “clarkia bee,” according to Wikipedia. They’re also used as host plants by some species as caterpillars, such as Sphingidae moths.
Seeds of the clarkia germinate easily when sown at the beginning of the rainy season and make a wonderful addition to your home gardens with gorgeous flowers and attractive reddish hued stems that require little to no water; ideal for our summer dry climate.
From left, “winecup clarkia,” Clarkia purpurea and “elegant clarkia,” Clarkia unguiculata. Photo by Kim Riley. More information can be found here on the 18 species of clarkia in Lake County.
To see and learn more about the species of clarkia in Lake County, visit CalFlora.
Terre Logsdon is an environmentalist, certified master composter, and advocate for agroecology solutions to farming. An avid fan and protector of California wildflowers, plants, natural resources, and the environment, she seeks collaborative solutions to mitigate the effects of climate change. Kim Riley is retired, an avid hiker at Highland Springs, and has lived in Lake County since 1985. After 15 years of trail recovery and maintenance on the Highland Springs trails, she is now focused on native plants, including a native plant and pollinator garden on her property as well as promoting and preserving the beauty of the Highland Springs Recreation Area. Karen Sullivan has operated two nurseries to propagate and cultivate native plants and wildflowers, has lived in Kelseyville for the past 30 years, rides horses far and wide to see as many flowers as possible, and offers native plants and wildflowers for sale to the public. You can check her nursery stock here. They are collaborating on a book, Highland Springs Recreation Area: A Field Guide, which will be published in the future. In the meanwhile, please visit https://www.facebook.com/HighlandSpringsNaturalists and https://www.facebook.com/HighlandSpringsRecreationArea.
“Tongue” or “diamond clarkia,” Clarkia rhomboidea. Photo by Kim Riley.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Firefighters and deputies searched overnight for a man reported missing after the boat he and several other people were riding in early Saturday overturned near Clearlake Oaks.
Firefighters were first dispatched to the boating accident shortly before 12:30 a.m. Saturday.
The initial call that reported the incident said that the boat overturned about 500 yards offshore of Island Drive.
Dispatch directed firefighters and deputies to respond to the Clearlake Oaks boat launch at 12684 Island Drive for the water rescue, according to radio traffic.
The sheriff’s Marine Patrol responded and the Northshore Dive Team was requested. A REACH helicopter also came to help search from the air.
Incident command reported over the air that five people had been in the boat and that three people had gotten to shore.
It was later reported that four people were accounted for, but that they were still searching for the fifth.
The missing person was described as a Black male in his 50s who was reported to have been trying to pull someone from the water when he was last seen.
Shortly after 2 a.m., incident command reported that they had still not located the missing man and that they needed a tow truck to help pull the overturned boat to shore because the Marine Patrol boats were having difficulty navigating in the shallow water.
About a half-hour later, incident command said that all rescue personnel were out of the water and they were planning to switch from a search to a recovery mission.
Additional information will be published as it becomes available.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
This male domestic shorthair is in cat room kennel No. 120, ID No. LCAC-A-874. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male domestic shorthair
This male domestic shorthair has a gray and white coat.
He is 1 year old and weighs nearly 6 pounds.
He is in cat room kennel No. 120, ID No. LCAC-A-874.
This female yellow tabby kitten is in cat room kennel No. 135, ID No. LCAC-A-822. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.Female yellow tabby
This female yellow tabby kitten has a short coat.
She is in cat room kennel No. 135, ID No. LCAC-A-822.
This young male domestic shorthair is in kennel No. 150a, ID No. LCAC-A-836. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male domestic shorthair
This young male domestic shorthair has a gray coat.
He is under 1 year old and weighs more than 2 pounds.
He is in kennel No. 150a, ID No. LCAC-A-836.
This female Abyssinian kitten is in cat room kennel No. 150, ID No. LCAC-A-837. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female Abyssinian kitten
This female Abyssinian kitten has a short brown and black coat.
She weighs just over 2 pounds.
She is in cat room kennel No. 150, ID No. LCAC-A-837.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County Animal Care and Control has a big and varied group of dogs waiting for new homes this week.
Dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of Airedale terrier, Belgian malinois, German shepherd, Great Pyrenees, husky, Labrador retriever, McNab, pit bull, Rottweiler and shepherd.
Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.
The following dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (additional dogs on the animal control website not listed are still “on hold”).
This male Airedale terrier is in kennel No. 7, ID No. LCAC-A-889. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male Airedale terrier
This male Airedale terrier has a curly tan and red coat.
He is estimated to be 10 years old.
He is in kennel No. 7, ID No. LCAC-A-889.
This male German shepherd is in kennel No. 11, ID No. LCAC-A-879. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.Male German shepherd
This male German shepherd has a medium-length black and tan coat.
He is 8 years old and 101 pounds.
He is in kennel No. 11, ID No. LCAC-A-879.
This female Rottweiler-shepherd mix is in kennel No. 12, ID No. 14575. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female Rottweiler-shepherd
This female Rottweiler-shepherd mix has a medium-length black and red coat.
She is in kennel No. 12, ID No. 14575.
“Indie” is a female German shepherd mix in kennel No. 13, ID No. LCAC-A-768. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Indie’
“Indie” is a female German shepherd mix with a short black and tan coat.
She weighs 51 pounds and is estimated to be less than 1 year old.
She is in kennel No. 13, ID No. LCAC-A-768.
“Stimpy” is a young female McNab mix in kennel No. 14, ID No. 14570. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Stimpy’
“Stimpy” is a young female McNab mix with a medium-length white and brindle coat.
She is in kennel No. 14, ID No. 14570.
“Ren” is a young male McNab mix in kennel No. 15, ID No. 14571. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Ren’
“Ren” is a young male McNab mix with a short brindle and white coat.
He has been neutered.
He is in kennel No. 15, ID No. 14571.
This female Labrador retriever mix is in kennel No. 16, ID No. LCAC-A-850. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female Labrador retriever mix
This female Labrador retriever mix has a short black coat with white markings.
She is 3 years old and weighs 53 pounds.
She is in kennel No. 16, ID No. LCAC-A-850.
This young female Belgian malinois is in kennel No. 18, ID No. LCAC-A-842. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female Belgian malinois
This young female Belgian malinois mix has a short brown brindle coat.
She is under 1-year-old and weighs 35 pounds.
She is in kennel No. 18, ID No. LCAC-A-842.
This female Great Pyrenees is in kennel No. 19, ID No. LCAC-A-892. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female Great Pyrenees
This female Great Pyrenees has a medium-length white coat.
She is estimated to be 2 years old and 84 pounds.
She is in kennel No. 19, ID No. LCAC-A-892.
This female pit bull terrier is in kennel No. 22, ID No. 14486. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female pit bull terrier
This female pit bull terrier has a short blue and white coat.
She is in kennel No. 22, ID No. 14486.
This female Rottweiler-pit bull mix is in kennel No. 27, ID No. 14551. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Rottweiler-pit bull mix
This female Rottweiler-pit bull mix has a short black coat.
She has been spayed.
She is in kennel No. 27, ID No. 14551.
“Brutus” is a male pit bull terrier in kennel No. 28, ID No. 14507. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Brutus’
“Brutus” is a male pit bull terrier with a short gray and white coat.
He is in kennel No. 28, ID No. 14507.
“Apollo” is a male husky mix in kennel No. 31, ID No. 14569. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Apollo’
“Apollo” is a male husky mix with a medium-length red and white coat and blue eyes.
He is in kennel No. 31, ID No. 14569.
This female German shepherd mix puppy is in kennel No. 34a, ID No. LCAC-A-839. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. German shepherd mix puppy
This female German shepherd mix puppy has a short tan coat.
She is in kennel No. 34a, ID No. LCAC-A-839.
This female German shepherd mix puppy is in kennel No. 34a, ID No. LCAC-A-840. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. German shepherd mix puppy
This female German shepherd mix puppy has a short tan coat.
She is in kennel No. 34a, ID No. LCAC-A-840.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Mendocino College graduates enjoyed a free dinner and virtual commencement ceremony this year.
In April, a survey was sent to all graduating students to gather input about how best to celebrate their accomplishments this year. The response from the majority of students was that they preferred a virtual ceremony.
“This past year has forever changed our world. Despite all the adversities, our graduates exemplified the resiliency the world needs,” said Mendocino College Superintendent/President Tim Karas. “Our graduates are strong and will make the world a better place for everyone. We are very proud of our graduates! They will forever be an alumnus of Mendocino College and part of our family.”
Thanks to the Mendocino College Foundation, students were given a $50 dinner voucher to be used at a select group of participating local restaurants throughout the district. This allowed students to celebrate the actual day of graduation with a meal at home with their families while at the same time supporting local restaurants.
There will also be a listing of all 2021 graduates in a special magazine that will be circulated in both Lake and Mendocino counties.
Amy Adams, who received two AS degrees, one in business management and the other in business accounting, said, “Although I was sad not to be able to walk the stage for my very first time, I felt the college did their best to celebrate my accomplishments, even in the midst of a pandemic. To top it off, they provided a graduation dinner in partnership with various local vendors. I chose Taqueria Bravo in Willits, which was delicious and the manager was so sweet and congratulated me on my graduation.”
“The foundation is honored to provide financial support towards this year’s commencement activities. Now more than ever, it’s important that we sufficiently honor and recognize our 2021 Mendocino College graduates,” said Mendocino College Foundation Board President Tom Dow.
Mendocino College hopes to have a traditional in person commencement ceremony next year and will invite all 2020 and 2021 graduates to participate if they wish.
The recording of the 2021 virtual commencement ceremony can be viewed above.
To the left are plantains, a variety of banana. Plantains are firmer and starchier than the Cavendish bananas to the right and are typically used in savory cooking. Cavendish bananas are in the category known as dessert bananas because of their sweetness. Photo by Esther Oertel. They’re the most consumed fruit in the United States and, if you exclude tomatoes (which aren’t really fruit from a culinary standpoint), they’re also the favorite fruit of the world.
Despite their ubiquity, there are some surprising things that you may not know about them. They’re far more than a creamy white fruit in a bright yellow jacket. Read on to discover a few banana facts that may be new to you.
There are pink hairy bananas and lots of other types, too.
Bananas are grown in more than 150 countries and it’s estimated that there are over 1,000 types worldwide. These include a wide variety of shapes, sizes, textures and colors, some quite exotic.
Blue Java bananas (also known as ice cream bananas) have blue skin and flesh that tastes like vanilla ice cream.
The tangy Apple banana, popular in Hawaii, has a tart apple-like flavor, and the square-sided Burro banana tastes like lemon when it’s ripe.
Diminutive Lady Finger bananas are just 3 inches long with a creamy texture and honey-like flavor.
The Macabu banana is black when fully ripe and the scarlet banana, native to China and pollinated by bats, has bright red skin.
As to the aforementioned hairy pink bananas, they’re grown mostly for ornamental purposes; however, the flesh is edible and sweet. Watch out for the seeds, though! Like wild bananas, the pea-sized seeds are hard and plentiful.
Don’t throw those skins away — you can cook with them!
While banana peels are common in some world cuisines (Southeast Asia and India, for example), in the last few years they’ve been trending as a culinary alternative in the Western world.
I recently read that British culinary superstar Nigella Lawson demonstrated a fragrant curry using banana skins and cauliflower on her television show, causing a bit of consternation in the British media. This led me to a flurry of research and to my surprise I found that using banana peels as a component of cuisine is becoming a popular topic.
I’ve learned that if banana skins are cooked with onions, garlic and barbecue sauce, they can become a no-meat alternative to pulled pork or chicken (“pulled not-pork,” as some like to call it), and that banana peels can also be made into an alternative for bacon.
Banana skins can be pureed to use in baked goods to punch up flavor (think banana bread or cake) and chopped bits of peel add texture.
If you’d like to try your hand at cooking with banana skins, be sure to buy organic bananas to avoid pesticides and scrub them well.
Banana skins are also good for some pretty surprising things!
I haven’t tested any of these claims, but banana peels are said to be useful for a plethora of ailments, bodily and otherwise!
They can be rubbed on the skin to remove ink, to soothe insect bites or to help loosen splinter fragments. Dusting plant leaves, polishing shoes, and even whitening teeth are in the banana peel’s repertoire.
Some have rubbed them on a scratched CD or DVD to prevent skipping. (They say this fills the scratches without damaging the plastic finish.)
Perhaps most surprising of all (at least to me) is that powder made from banana skins is used to clean heavy metal contamination from rivers and other water sources. Up to 65% is removed after just 40 minutes, and the process can be repeated.
Despite appearances, bananas don’t grow on trees.
Banana plants are not trees at all (though they’re called that colloquially); rather, they’re an herb distantly related to ginger. They’re classified as such because the stem is a succulent stalk rather than a woody trunk. In scientific circles the stalk is referred to as a “pseudostem.”
As a bonus, I’ll note that bananas grow in what are known as “hands” because of their fingerlike appearance.
Some scientists believe that bananas may have been the first fruit.
Bananas are believed to have originated in Southeast Asia, in the jungles of Malaysia, Indonesia or the Philippines, where many wild varieties still grow today. Some horticulturists believe they may be the world’s oldest fruit.
The first bananas were likely first cultivated some 7,000 years ago in what is now Papua New Guinea. They’re mentioned in ancient Hindu, Chinese, Roman and Greek texts, with the earliest, written in Sanskrit, dating back 5,000 years.
Apart from this and as an aside, Carl Linnaeus, an 18th century Swedish botanist, theorized that the fruit eaten by Eve in the Biblical story was a banana.
You can make paper and textiles with banana trees and it’s good for the environment!
Banana fabric is soft with a natural shine and is often compared to silk. It’s made from fiber from the stalks of the banana plant — the pseudo stem — which are often discarded once the bananas have been harvested. (This happens since fruit can only be harvested from the plant once in its lifetime.)
Fabric made from banana fiber is experiencing a rise in popularity, however, the process isn’t new. Textiles have been made in Asia from this resource since at least the 13th century, but the fabric fell out of favor with the rise of silk and cotton.
A leather-like, biodegradable paper is also made from banana fiber. Used mostly for artistic purposes or products like paper pens, notebooks, wallets, and business cards, it’s produced in a rainbow of colors.
Utilizing banana stalks in these ways drastically reduces the waste from banana agriculture which would otherwise negatively affect surrounding ecosystems.
Every part of the banana plant is useful.
The banana plant is quite generous. In addition to delicious fruit and the various beneficial uses of its skins and stalks, it offers its flowers and leaves for some interesting culinary opportunities.
Banana leaves are used in a variety of cuisines (Asian, Caribbean, Hispanic and Hawaiian, for example). They add a mild, sweet, earthy flavor to foods that are wrapped in them when cooked, and because they’re sturdy and large with a deep green color, they make decorative and practical serving vessels.
Banana flowers are subtly sweet, with a similar aromatic profile to a banana, though more delicate and less pronounced. They can be eaten raw, such as in a salad, or cooked, often in a stir-fry or soup.
Tea is made from the blossoms, as well, and is obtainable online if you’d like to try it.
Commercially grown bananas are clones and monoculture may be a death knell.
Bananas grown commercially are propagated through cuttings and not sprouted from seeds, making each banana a clone of the original. (Unlike wild bananas, the seeds of cultivated bananas are mere specks and not viable.)
There is no banana cloned more than the Cavendish variety. It’s the banana we commonly see in supermarket produce aisles.
Of the more than 1,000 varieties of bananas that are grown throughout the world, the Cavendish makes up a full 47% of global banana production.
This all means that bananas are grown in a monoculture system (i.e., planting just one type of crop rather than a variety), and while this can increase production, it makes the crop notoriously vulnerable to disease.
Before the Cavendish banana was the most popular variety, there was the Gros Michel (also known as the Big Mike), the first to be cultivated on a large scale. Unfortunately, a virulent fungus known as the Panama Disease descended on Gros Michel plantations, devastating the crop and rendering the Gros Michel banana virtually extinct.
A variety of the Panama Disease is successfully attacking Cavendish bananas because of its lack of genetic diversity and the fear of extinction once again looms.
On a brighter note, today’s recipe utilizes plantains, a member of the banana family popular in cuisine around the world, particularly in the Caribbean, Central and South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia.
Plantains are starchier and less sweet than other bananas, making them perfect for savory dishes like these griddle cakes.
Plantain Griddle Cakes
6 plantains, soft and very ripe (skin will be blackened) 1 cup milk, either dairy or plant-based ½ cup whole wheat flour 1 ½ cups cornmeal 4 tablespoons coconut oil, liquefied, plus more for the griddle* 1 small onion or medium shallot, chopped 4 scallions, chopped 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
Chop and mash the plantains in a large bowl.
Add the remaining ingredients (other than the oil reserved for the griddle) and combine, stirring and mashing until thoroughly mixed but slightly chunky.
Cover bowl and refrigerate mixture for about 30 minutes.
Heat a large nonstick pan or griddle and brush with coconut oil.
Ladle ½ cup plantain mixture onto pan or griddle and spread it into a circle that’s roughly four inches in diameter.
Cook over medium heat until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.
Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking pan to allow excess fat to drain.
Repeat until all batter is used. This should make about 8 griddle cakes.
Serve hot and enjoy! (They’re yummy accompanied by black beans and avocado.)
*Note: If preferred, a neutral oil such as canola or sunflower can be used for the griddle in place of coconut oil.
Esther Oertel is a writer and passionate home cook from a family of chefs. She grew up in a restaurant, where she began creating recipes from a young age. She’s taught culinary classes in a variety of venues in Lake County and previously wrote “The Veggie Girl” column for Lake County News. Most recently she’s taught culinary classes at Sur La Table in Santa Rosa. She lives in Middletown, California.
The horseshoe bat is known to carry a variety of coronaviruses, including strains that closely resemble those that cause severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and COVID-19 in humans. Photo by Davidvraju via Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 4.0. BERKELEY — Global land-use changes — including forest fragmentation, agricultural expansion and concentrated livestock production — are creating “hot spots” favorable for bats that carry coronaviruses and where conditions are ripe for the diseases to jump from bats to humans, finds an analysis published this week by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, the Politecnico di Milano (Polytechnic University of Milan) and Massey University of New Zealand.
While the exact origins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus remain unclear, scientists believe that the disease likely emerged when a virus that infects horseshoe bats was able to jump to humans, either directly through wildlife-to-human contact, or indirectly by first infecting an intermediate animal host, such as the pangolin, sometimes known as the scaly anteater.
Horseshoe bats are known to carry a variety of coronaviruses, including strains that are genetically similar to ones that cause COVID-19 and severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS.
The new study used remote sensing to analyze land use patterns throughout the horseshoe bat’s range, which extends from Western Europe through Southeast Asia.
By identifying areas of forest fragmentation, human settlement and agricultural and livestock production, and comparing these to known horseshoe bat habitats, they identified potential hot spots where habitat is favorable for these bat species, and where these so-called zoonotic viruses could potentially jump from bats to humans.
The analysis also identified locations that could easily become hot spots with changes in land use.
“Land use changes can have an important impact on human health, both because we are modifying the environment, but also because they can increase our exposure to zoonotic disease,” said study co-author Paolo D’Odorico, a professor of environmental science, policy and management at UC Berkeley. “Every formal land use change should be evaluated not only for the environmental and social impacts on resources such as carbon stocks, microclimate and water availability, but also for the potential chain reactions that could impact human health.”
Most of the current hot spots are clustered in China, where a growing demand for meat products has driven the expansion of large-scale, industrial livestock farming.
Concentrated livestock production is particularly concerning because the practice brings together large populations of genetically similar, often immune-suppressed animals that are highly vulnerable to disease outbreaks, the researchers said.
The analysis also found that parts of Japan, the north Philippines and China south of Shanghai are at risk of becoming hot spots with further forest fragmentation, while parts of Indochina and Thailand may transition into hot spots with increases in livestock production.
The analyses aimed to identify the possible emergence of new hot spots in response to an increase in one of three land use attributes, highlighting both the areas that could become suitable for spillover and the type of land use change that could induce hot spot activation,” said study co-author Maria Cristina Rulli, a professor in hydrology and water and food security at the Politecnico di Milano in Italy. “We hope these results could be useful for identifying region-specific targeted interventions needed to increase resilience to coronavirus spillovers.”
Human encroachment into natural habitat can also indirectly increase exposure to zoonotic disease by reducing valuable biodiversity. When forest lands become fragmented and natural habitats are destroyed, species that require very specific habitat to survive, called “specialists,” may dwindle or even go extinct. Without competition from specialists, “generalist” species, which are less picky about their habitat, can take over.
Horseshoe bats are a generalist species and have often been observed in areas characterized by human disturbance. Earlier work by Rulli, D’Odorico and study co-author David Hayman has also linked forest fragmentation and habitat destruction in Africa to outbreaks of the Ebola virus.
“By creating conditions that are disadvantageous to specialist species, generalist species are able to thrive,” D’Odorico said. “While we are unable to directly trace the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from wildlife to humans, we do know that the type of land use change that brings humans into the picture is typically associated with the presence of these bats who are known to carry the virus.”
While China has been a leader in tree planting and other greening efforts over the past two decades, many of the trees have been planted in discontinuous land areas or forest fragments. To tilt the ecological balance back in favor of specialist species, creating continuous areas of forest cover and wildlife corridors are more important than increasing total tree cover.
“Human health is intertwined with environmental health and also animal health,” D’Odorico said. “Our study is one of the first to connect the dots and really drill down into the geographic data on land use to see how humans are coming into contact with species that might be carriers.”
Co-authors of the paper also include Nikolas Galli of the Politecnico di Milano and David Hayman of Massey University
This research was supported by the Eni Enrico Mattei Foundation (FEEM), the Cariplo Foundation (SusFeed project 0737 CUP D49H170000300007), Regione Lombardia (RUD0CONV01/ASSO project D44I20002000002), a Royal Society Te Apārangi Rutherford Discovery Fellowship RDF-MAU1701 MAU1701, and the Massey University Foundation.
Kara Manke writes for the UC Berkeley News Center.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. — Clearlake Animal Control has half a dozen dogs waiting for new homes this week.
The following dogs are ready for adoption or foster. The newest dog is listed at the beginning of the list.
“Princess.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Princess’
Is a female American pit bull terrier mix with a short fawn and white coat.
She is dog No. 4840.
“Bear.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.‘Bear’
“Bear” is a male American Staffordshire terrier mix with a short brown coat.
He has been neutered.
He is dog No. 3476.
“Cleo.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Cleo’
“Cleo” is a female Doberman pinscher mix with a short gray coat who is new to the shelter.
She has been spayed.
She is dog No. 4865.
“Dusty.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Dusty’
“Dusty” is a male American Pit Bull Terrier with a tan and white coat.
He is dog No. 4750.
“Sassy.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Sassy’
“Sassy” is a female Labrador retriever and pit bull mix with a short black with white markings.
She is house-trained.
She is dog No. 4602.
“Toby.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Toby’
“Toby” is a friendly senior male boxer mix.
He has a short tan and white coat.
Toby is house trained and neutered.
He is dog No. 4389.
Call the Clearlake Animal Control shelter at 707-273-9440, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to inquire about adoptions and schedule a visit to the shelter.
Visit Clearlake Animal Control on Facebook or on the city’s website.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
