Earth Matters is a newsletter published by the Environmental Coalition at Riderwood (ECO-R), originally as email messages and now as Riderwood Reporter articles. Each newsletter is posted here in reverse chronological order, with the latest listed first.
For articles from the Reporter, click on the image to view the article in a new window to download or print.
To search for specific information, type relevant keywords into the search box.
9/27/26 – Let Sleeping Logs Lie
When a tree falls in the forest, does it look unsightly if no one is there to see it?
Keep reading9/20/26 – Sustainable Events
We can all be proud that Riderwood is committed to sustainability. And we residents can do our part by making sure that any gathering we host in our apartment or in a Riderwood event space is sustainabile, ending with very little trash that can neither be composted nor recycled.
Keep reading8/16/26 – Microplastics
Microplastics are present in every area of human life and in soils, air, and water around the world. Unfortunately, plastics do not biodegrade over time. Instead, they break down into smaller and smaller pieces, eventually becoming so tiny that they are invisible.
Keep reading8/9/26 Mosquitoes
In our humid Mid-Atlantic region, mosquitoes are an inevitable part of summer. But inrecent years, three invasive newcomers, the Asian tiger mosquito, yellow fever mosquito, and Culex mosquito, have been creating problems.
Keep reading7/12/26 Great Blue Herons
Who doesn’t enjoy the Great Blue Herons of Riderwood? Why, we even have a cafe named after them.
Keep reading7/5/26 Patio Gardens
This edition of Earth Matters was published as a Reporter article. Click on the image to view the article in a new window to download or print.
Keep reading6/14/26 Stay safe in the sun with reef-friendly sunscreens
This edition of Earth Matters was published as a Reporter article. Click on the image to view the article in a new window to download or print.
Keep reading3/10/26 CONCERNED ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF YOUR AI USE?
Have you wondered how you may be affecting the environment when you make use of AI? While it’s true that AI is incredibly ‘smart’ and offers us access to an enormous array of knowledge and information, AI is not without environmental costs.
Keep reading2/14/26 WHEN GRAY GOES GREEN
If you care about climate change and want to do something about it, there is good news: you’re more powerful than you think. The numbers show that elders make up the lion’s share of voters when it comes to making climate voting priority number 1.
Keep reading2/1/26 THINKING ABOUT OUR FELLOW RIDERWOOD RESIDENTS—THE ONES WITH WINGS AND WEBBED FEET
Some people love them; others hate them.
I’m talking about our resident Canada geese, those giant waterfowl who live with us year-round, here at Riderwood. They can be fascinating to watch, as they fly in formation overhead or perch serenely on the pond’s surface. And they can be annoying, when we humans have to…
Keep reading