All Blog Posts (445)

Netherland School Bans Parents from Dropping Kids Off By Car

A school in the Netherlands recently banned vehicles from stopping at its curb which in turn discouraged parents to drop their children off by car. The Netherlands already has the highest rate of bicycle commuters so this probably wasn't a huge shift in the structure of the community, but still very neat to see.

Check out the delightful video! It will make you want to get out and ride to fanciful music!…

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Added by Deanna Lloyd on November 19, 2009 at 8:30pm — 1 Comment

Great quote spurs the mind

“In times of drastic change, it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned usually find themselves beautifully equipped to live in a world that no longer exists.” - Eric Hoffer, 1972

This quote comes from research into experiential education and service learning. I feel these words will become progressively more prescient and relevant as the future unveils.

More literally, the quote reminds me of a discussion I had with a friend the other day. I told him of… Continue

Added by Brian Carpenter on November 16, 2009 at 12:30am — 1 Comment

Biogas Generation

I found a great book "A Chinese Biogas Manual" which was translated from chinese and is a guide on how to build simple, biogas generators from local material in small communities. It even goes into storage and use of the biogas. I know that the reason most dairies are not generating biogas is due to the the high costs of the stainless steel digesters. This book explains how to make suitable digesters in the ground out of stone, brick, clay and concrete for cheap. Does anyone know of any local… Continue

Added by Travis Linds on November 14, 2009 at 3:30pm — 7 Comments

Good Food-Documentary on local NW food production on KCTS Channel 9 Thursday Night at 10 pm

KCTS public television is broadcasting "Good Food," a documentary on local food production in the Northwest. It is being shown at 10 pm Thursday 11/12/09.

The preview looks like it would be well worth watching. I am attaching a link to the film's website. I noticed the video is for sale ($275) or rent ($95), so catching the broadcast tonight is the way to go.

Good Food Website

Added by Rob Olason on November 12, 2009 at 9:33am — 2 Comments

The IEA and World Oil Supply Projections

A front page report November 9, 2009 in The Guardian tells us that "Key oil figures were distorted by US pressure, says whistleblower."

"The world is much closer to running out of oil than official estimates admit, according to a whistleblower at the International Energy Agency who claims it has been deliberately underplaying a looming shortage for… Continue

Added by David MacLeod on November 11, 2009 at 9:30pm — 2 Comments

The Creation of a Local Peak Oil Task Force

The Energy Resource Scarcity / Peak Oil (ERSPO) Task Force of Bellingham and Whatcom County will soon be releasing its report. In preparation, I thought it would be a good idea to provide some background.

In the spring of 2007, local peak oil educator John Rawlins suggested to me that it might be a good idea to pass around a petition in support of a peak oil task force here in Bellingham, Washington. I didn't have time to get a petition drive going, but soon after that… Continue

Added by David MacLeod on November 1, 2009 at 6:30pm — 1 Comment

Don't Forget to Vote!

Voting is important this year, especially for the Port, Bellingham city council, and the County Council. Your ballot must be postmarked by Tuesday, November 3rd.

Added by David MacLeod on November 1, 2009 at 5:52pm — 2 Comments

To Whomever is Interested

To Whomever Is Interested,

For the past couple years we’ve had an unconventional dream (to create a small, sustainable homestead with a humble cob dwelling) that we’ve gone about trying to fulfill in a conventional way (searching real estate ads and agents, dealing with financial institutions, etc.), perhaps that is why we have come up short thus far. There are many more details to our dream, but that is the concise version, I don’t want to overwhelm you with the details of my… Continue

Added by Deanna Lloyd on November 1, 2009 at 11:30am — 2 Comments

Summary of Wendell Berry; The Unsettling of America, Culture and Agriculture

Just finished reading “The Unsettling of America, Culture and Agriculture” by Wendell Berry. His writings make so much sense as to make a complete mockery of what commercial agriculture has become in our modern age. I doubt anyone has done such a thorough job of explaining just how deep the erosive fissures run in industrial agriculture, or “agri-business” as it is known in his book. He weaves together the failed policies and practices of the “get big, or get out” era of farm consolidation… Continue

Added by David Pike on October 31, 2009 at 3:43pm — 2 Comments

We Are Not Dinosaurs

“Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning”.

Sir Winston Churchill

WE ARE NOT DINOSAURS

For weeks, maybe months now, I’ve been trying to put into words my feelings around the impending effects of Peak Oil and Global Warming in the years to come. It comes from fear and perhaps desperation as I watch most people act like nothing is wrong or out of the ordinary. Heads of state, religious leaders,… Continue

Added by Ron Snyder and Cathy Taggett on October 19, 2009 at 8:47am — 3 Comments

Local Media looks at "Peak Oil"

In the Monday October 112, 2009 edition of the Bellingham Herald on page A3:

"Peak Oil" talks set in Denver (AP)

DENVER-Proponents of the "peak oil" theory are in Denver to discuss the impacts of what they say is the quickly fading supply of world's oil.

Subscribers of the peak oil theory say the world is at or near its maximum oil production and that demand will soon eclipse supply levels.

Oil industry executives, financial analysts and peak oil… Continue

Added by Rob Olason on October 12, 2009 at 12:56pm — 1 Comment

Cover Crops-Green Manures & Soil Restoration

With Pleasure I Walk through our small garden, tossing cover crops seeds under the still standing fall plants, knowing the seeds when sprouted will protect the soil from erosion, increase soil tilth, increase bio-mass, and result in some food for both the birds & our family.

My Favorite Autumn Cover Crops for Sowing are Crimson Clover, Fava Beans, & Tyfon Greens.

I often spread a thin layer of straw (not seedy hay), onto any bare soil. Be careful not to…

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Added by Heather K on October 11, 2009 at 3:30am — 12 Comments

Art in Action photos of energy generation politically transforming: Mitch Epstein's photographs

“I mean, I’m not much of an environmentalist,” he said. “But as I worked and traveled, I came away troubled by the implications of what I was seeing and what happened to me.”

What he saw — during the first and second administrations of George W. Bush, years deep in the shadows of 9/11 — was a country that could be both largely ignorant of the immense environmental and political costs of its energy consumption and profoundly suspicious of anyone paying too much attention to the… Continue

Added by Frank James on October 10, 2009 at 6:44am — 1 Comment

Direct action on trial in Utah

Tim DeChristopher became convinced last year that global warming’s potential effects were so urgent and dire that direct action was needed. The niceties of debate and environmental lobbying were not getting the job done, he said.

link to todays NYTs article
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/10/science/earth/10leases.html?th&emc=th

The details of how a defense works or does not work when one takes direct action. A very useful and informative read.

Added by Frank James on October 10, 2009 at 6:30am — No Comments

Rich countries 'must slash living standards' to fight climate change

From the London Times Online: "Living standards in Britain and other rich countries must fall sharply over the next decade if the world is to avoid catastrophic global warming, according to a leading climate research centre."
More...

Added by Rob Olason on October 9, 2009 at 1:15pm — No Comments

“Happy Relocalisers”, Doomers, Wheelwrights and the concept of Resilience

First Published Dec 18 2006 by Transition Culture (Rob Hopkins' blog), Archived Dec 22 2006. This should now be considered a "classic" post - the discussion that brought the concept of "Resilience" into Peak Oil discussions in a major way, and a major development in Rob Hopkins' thinking regarding the principles of the Transition movement. The post was… Continue

Added by David MacLeod on October 9, 2009 at 12:30pm — No Comments

Salmon Peoples & Salish Sea Watershed - Open Space & Stewardship Campaign

I am interested in working to bring Peter Donaldson's Citizens Stewardship Campaign & his community building performance called 'Salmonpeoples', to our area during the coming year.

Our local Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association may also be interested in this.

This event could be supported by multiple groups & part of our evolving earth-people-in-transition work.

Info on the three-year partnership stewardship campaign is at… Continue

Added by Heather K on September 28, 2009 at 5:30pm — 1 Comment

local barter

As Winter approaches, my thoughts turn towards obtaining firewood. I could buy some, but before I do, Perhaps I could barter. My wife Kim (who some of you know through her cupcakes brought to our monthly gatherings), has volunteered the following services: ready to reheat meals (she is a professional chef and baker), and/or cake/cupcake decorating. In addition, I have the following skills, Handyman (I have been in construction for 15 years and can do most all phases of construction to include… Continue

Added by Keith Foecke on September 26, 2009 at 7:52am — 5 Comments

100 months

A very interesting article by Andrew Simms from The Guardian, UK:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/aug/01/climatechange.carbonemissions

100 months

Andrew Simms also has a "100 months" blog at:… Continue

Added by Rob Olason on September 2, 2009 at 3:00pm — 2 Comments

Hopping Off The Debt Cycle!

Paying your mortgage payment on time every month is a great practice and your credit will reflect that good habit. However, this practice is not enough to get ahead. It's just enough to keep you chained to the high interest rate wheel of cyclic existence. Otherwise known as thirty year mortgage hell.

To understand what's happening, take a look at the interest you are paying your bank every month for the priviledge of maintaining that account balance. Most people don't realize that… Continue

Added by Susan Templeton on September 2, 2009 at 12:30am — 2 Comments