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We've all heard the news – the planet is in strife. The wheels are off the wagon (Wagon Wheel by Old Crow Medicine Show is one of our favorite free range rock & roll tracks of all time) and the boat (BOAT is also a band that we play from time to time) USS Earth is taking on water. We're choking on carbon emissions, chopping down forests and sticking it to our fragile ecosystems. The planet needs help, but what can one rock gardener (Garden Island Song by the Mountain Goats is so good I don't even want to talk about it) do? Here you go:

A well-planned residential landscape, incorporating trees (Treefinger by Radio Head is a choice track if you plan on doing some late winter pruning), can reduce the demand for artificial heating and cooling in a building. This reduces the rrequirement for energy derived from fossil fuels. In fact shading your windows with trees on the eastern, northern, and western aspects of your home can reduce household heating and cooling costs by up to 20%. This is significant, as up to 25% of a household's yearly energy consumption is attributed to artificial 'climate control'.

By utilizing gardens and landscapes to provide external shading, radiant heat from the sun won't bust into your home. This allows your home and mother earth (if you've ever listened to Earth To Buffalo by Ruben and the Jets you win a sweet virtual Kevin Kostner bobble head doll) to operate like Reggie Jackson (Coach always says there isn't enough mustard in the world for Jessie Jackson because he's one big hot dog, more or less) and the 77 Yankees - in a delicate balance of harmony (Beach Boys Good Vibrations is the only song on my top 10 list that will probably remain there until I die).

Why not consider planting a deciduous tree or seven in your landscape, and, while you're at it, remember there are some amazing deciduous fruit (I just added Peach, Plum, Pear by Joanna Newsome to tonight's playlist) trees! Reducing energy costs, absorbing greenhouse gases, all while growing healthy (I wonder if members of The Joggers are named after exercise), fresh produce?…Holy H! (Hell by the Roadside Graves is great free range rock & roll), now that's sustainable. (Keep it rural)

There's your public service announcement.