Verdant View - December 2025

What does living sustainably mean to you?

Living sustainably is a lifestyle that minimizes environmental impact by reducing the use of natural resources and waste, while also supporting social equity. It involves making conscious choices about consumption, such as energy use, transportation, food, and products, to ensure that resources are available for future generations. Examples include using renewable energy, wasting less water, reducing consumption, and reusing or recycling items.

Sustainable development is development that meets the need of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

1987 Brundtland Report – United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

I often question if my life is sustainable. It is from an economic perspective in that I have resources for all my needs. Environmentally, I feel I could do better. Spiritually, my connection with nature sustains me and I believe I reciprocate accordingly as seen through my environmental work. Perhaps we each create our own definition of sustainability and try to live by that definition every day.

What is your definition of living sustainably?

What to plant in December

December in our area is cool in the mornings and at night, but warm in the afternoons. You will start to see poinsettias everywhere you look. The Aztecs called poinsettias “cuetlaxochitl.” During the 14th-16th century, the white sticky sap was used to control fevers, and the bracts (modified leaves) were used to make a reddish dye. Poinsettias (which are also known as nochebuena flowers) are native to Mexico and are a popular Christmas decoration all around the world. They were originally cultivated by the Aztecs, and their red color symbolizes purity, which fits perfectly with Catholic Christmas traditions.

In the viveros you’ll also find Christmas cactus, cineraria, Fuchsias, Petunias, pansies and snapdragons. The birds-of-paradise may stop blooming, but they’ll come back as soon as it begins to warm up. Many plants will be going into a dormant period, and this is a good time to prune them, before they start putting out new growth as the weather warms. Don’t over water your plants at this time and fertilize less or not at all. Irrigation should be reduced, not stopped, as plant photosynthesis slows down and cold weather dries plants out. The garden pests are slowing down as well but keep an eye on them as our ground never freezes and they are with us all year.

Plant more spring-blooming bulbs early this month, and save some to plant from mid-February through mid-March for extended bloom through late spring.

You can still plant cool weather veggies now. Sow chard, kale, leeks, Bibb, butter crunch and romaine lettuces, mustards, green and bulb onions, flat-leaf parsley, peas, radishes, and savoy-leafed spinaches. Sprinkle just enough seeds to settle them in.

Norfolk Island pines can become mini holiday trees or solstice bushes by including some tiny lights and sparkly ornaments. Think about repurposing items around the house and garden as decorations.

Don’t worry that your house plants don’t seem too lively now. They are going dormant, just like many plants outdoors. Plants need this rest.

Additionally, I like to incorporate flowers such as Begonia, Browallia, Lobelia, Dianthus, dusty miller, and Nicotiana to add color and attract beneficial insects to the garden.

Some fruits that also thrive in Zone 10 during this time are melon and grapefruit.