Strings on Shoestring Budgets, by Next American City

According to a 2003 Gallup poll, 95 percent of Americans believe that “music is a key component in a child’s well-rounded education.” A 2007 study also showed that music education supports other key academic areas, leading students to score at least 20 percent higher on English and math standardized tests. Despite public support for public arts education and evidence of its benefits, however, funding is still sorely lacking, and many students in ailing public school systems go without an arts education altogether.

Juniper: The New Green Lumber?, by Sustainable Industries

Juniper is an invasive species that has become the target of a federal eradication program. Until now, removed trees were burned. About 80 percent of each Juniper log ends up as waste during the milling process, compared with just 20 percent of a pine log ending up as waste. Milling juniper just didn’t pencil, Cobb says.

Dirty Dogs and Carbon Cats, by Slate Magazine

Whether you have a dog or a cat, you’ll have two problems to deal with: How do you collect your animal’s poop, and what do you do with it once you have it in hand? Most dog owners have been conditioned to clean up after their pets when they walk on public streets and sidewalks. But it’s just as important to dispose properly of dog waste in your own backyard. Pet waste contains bacteria that can contaminate local waterways if it washes from your lawn into storm drains. In large enough quantities, this pollution can remove oxygen from streams and rivers and contribute to algal blooms, threatening marine life.

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Daily Sustainable consists of three daily relevant environmental issues gathered in one place. Just for you.