![a tangle of fishing line, plastic beads and other plastic waste on a beach. [credit: unsplash.com, soren funk]](https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/files/2025/03/2025_Water_microplasticsBeach01_unsplashSorenFunk_CROP1650x470TINY.png)
We're hearing a lot about microplastics in the news, but what exactly are they and what can I do to reduce the impact of microplastics in our environment? Well, first, what are they? Microplastics are defined as plastic particles no larger ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Health & Nutrition, Water![photo illustration of resource conservation, with green earth globe set against backdrop of lush, green vegetation. [credit: pixabay.com, satheesh sankaran]](https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/files/2024/07/2024_Waste_gbpBannerGreenEarthVegn_pixabaySatheeshSankaranCROP1650x470TINY.png)
The James Griffith Salon opened Aug. 1, 1988, in Venice as an AVEDA Concept Salon. Next came their partnership with The Gasparilla Inn & Club in Boca Grande, opening a second salon, and then expanding with a third location in Sarasota in ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation
Welcome to our Lawn Ornament blog series, where we explore the plethora of micro-plants that can help create a biodiverse, predominantly green, yet also delightfully colorful lawn that requires much less maintenance than a traditional grass ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Work & Life
Though the goal is to conserve water in the home, we can be conscious of the water used in the production of our favorite foods and beverages, even if the local footprint doesn't have a direct impact on the water resources in our region. When ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, Natural Resources, Water![assorted microplastics shown resting on two fingertips, with a pile of microplastics in the background. [credit: uf/ifas, tyler jones]](https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/files/2025/02/2017_Waste_microplasticCloseupFingers01_ifasTylerJonesCROP1650x470TINY.png)
You might have heard about "microplastics," a term that has been in the news in recent years. But, do you know what microplastics are? What damage they can cause? Or, how to help lessen the impacts? We've got you covered. Microplastics ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Water
At the Sarasota County UF/IFAS Extension Office, we've been cultivating a Food Forest to showcase the most productive, unique, and often underutilized fruits suited to our distinctive southwest Florida climate. ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture
A year ago, I was attending the Chocolate Festival at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. Overwhelmed by the crowd, I took a short walk into the "lowlands" of the garden—an area I rarely explore unless searching for the resident crocodile. But ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
In 2020, The Charles and Margery Barancik Foundation awarded Sarasota County and the Sarasota Housing Authority (SHA) a grant to support housing affordability through energy efficiency. The grant helped to expand our Energy Upgrade program by ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation
Reading the Leaves: What Your Landscape Is Telling You As a University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) horticulture agent based in Southwest Florida, I often encounter homeowners, Master Gardener Volunteers, ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension, Work & Life
At the Sarasota County UF/IFAS Extension Office, we've been cultivating a Food Forest to showcase the most productive, unique, and often underutilized fruits suited to our distinctive southwest Florida climate. Through this project, ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture