| This is Where I Eventually Want to Be | |
Friday, December 29, 2006
Sunday, December 24, 2006
New Christian Environmental Movement?: Creation Care
Click here for website.
Also click here for restoringeden.org website
These links are also probably not directly related to peak oil but I find interesting just the same as I am Christian and am finally seeing what I would like to see out of the organized church in these groups.
Also click here for restoringeden.org website
These links are also probably not directly related to peak oil but I find interesting just the same as I am Christian and am finally seeing what I would like to see out of the organized church in these groups.
Is God Green? Special by Bill Moyers
Click here for 5 part video
Maybe this is not peak oil related but I found it very interesting and want to share.
Maybe this is not peak oil related but I found it very interesting and want to share.
Saturday, December 16, 2006
ENDING OUR OIL ADDICTION NOW-www.autochannel.com
See video here. It's approximately 35 minutes long. Google video.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Bush Urged to Break Oil Dependence
This is similar to the last article posted below this one.
Full Article Here.
Full Article Here.
"America's transport system is 97 per cent dependent on oil. More than 90 per cent of world oil supply is controlled by foreign governments. "America must address this critical weakness." Said P.X. Kelley, a retired Marine Corps general. "An oil supply interruption cannot be reasonably dismissed as improbable."
However, there is deep-seated scepticism about the willingness of the Bush administration, which has yet to endorse the theory of global warming, to take the tough steps most energy experts say are necessary to reduce America's dependence on oil.
Last January Mr Bush declared that America was "addicted to oil". But Mr Bush's announcement was not followed by any significant change in energy strategy. "There is very little reason to believe that the White House will take the tough measures necessary to make this happen," said a Washington-based energy lobbyist. "There is no appetite, say, to impose a carbon tax or for putting a floor under the price of oil that would incentivise investors to put their money into alternative energy."
However, the US administration wants to step up co-operation with China on energy efficiency and the use of alternative fuels. Energy and the environment will be among the topics addressed in Friday's final session of the US-China strategic economic dialogue involving top officials meeting in Beijing."
Executives Urge Action to Cut Dependence on Foreign Oil
Full Article Here.
Still not good enough for me but here's a start:
Still not good enough for me but here's a start:
The group, which includes top executives from the chemical, trucking and airline industries, wants much tougher fuel economy standards, not only on cars and sport utility vehicles, but also on heavy trucks, which some of the companies use. They want increased drilling offshore and within the United States, a much harder push for ethanol and other biofuels, and other changes that would permanently reduce the importance of oil as a strategic commodity and an economic force.
While the group, called the Energy Security Leadership Council, has embraced no startling new ideas, it hopes that evidence of broad support from business and military leaders will add the weight needed to get its proposals adopted.
Energy policy is in “almost perfect gridlock,” Frederick W. Smith, the founder and chief executive of FedEx, who is co-chairman of the group, said in a telephone interview. “It’s the height of folly for the U.S. to continue on this course, lest we have some major economic or national security problem. Something has to get done.”
Saudis Say They Might Back Sunnis is U.S. Leaves Iraq
Full Article Here.
"Mr. Obaid also suggested that Saudi Arabia could cut world oil prices in half by raising its production, a move that he said “would be devastating to Iran, which is facing economic difficulties even with today’s high oil prices.” The Saudi government disavowed Mr. Obaid’s column, and Prince Turki canceled his contract."
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
BGB - Episode 3:
I'm posting Episode 3 first so that it can be watched from 1st to 3rd on the blog. This is an interesting story about some college grads who bought a schoolbus, painted it green, converted it to a veggie oil-consuming bus and traveled from the east to the west coast in it! Enjoy! All in the spirit of trying to live without oil!
I'm posting Episode 3 first so that it can be watched from 1st to 3rd on the blog. This is an interesting story about some college grads who bought a schoolbus, painted it green, converted it to a veggie oil-consuming bus and traveled from the east to the west coast in it! Enjoy! All in the spirit of trying to live without oil!
Small Food Battles Giants
Recent movement of local food vs. corporate food. Poughkeepsie Journal.
Click here for article.
Click here for article.
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Tonight's Reading Links
Green Living Tips e-subscription
Nothing New Under the Sun blog
Spain requires new buildings use solar power
More politically-natured links for reading on Peakonomics and Poilitics.
Nothing New Under the Sun blog
Spain requires new buildings use solar power
More politically-natured links for reading on Peakonomics and Poilitics.
washingtonpost.com: Another Way
Click here for story. (Might need registration)
A band of idealists in the mountains of North Carolina is trying to build a low-energy lifestyle. But must we all live like hippies in the woods to make a difference?
By Joel Achenbach
Sunday, November 19, 2006; Page W10
Click here for Earthhaven's website.
A band of idealists in the mountains of North Carolina is trying to build a low-energy lifestyle. But must we all live like hippies in the woods to make a difference?
By Joel Achenbach
Sunday, November 19, 2006; Page W10
"THE SOLUTION TO THE ENERGY CRISIS turns out to be, in part, mood lighting. You go with one gentle bulb, a 10-watt number that shoos away enough of the darkness to keep everyone at the table identifiable. We're having a delicious, if arguably dim, meal on a pleasant summer evening at a place called Earthaven. It's an "ecovillage." It's in western North Carolina, east of Asheville, in a notch in the Blue Ridge Mountains. We're off the grid, and deep inside one version of the human future.
Susan Lathrop and Kim Rylander, known in the village as Suchi and Kimchi, are hosting me and my guide, Earthaven resident Greg Geis, as I try to figure out how a bunch of suburbanites who've fled mainstream America are able to live in the boondocks half an hour by car from the nearest small town, without electrical lines or water mains or flush toilets or streetlights or microwave ovens or washing machines or home entertainment systems or electric garage door openers or fake-log fireplaces operated by remote control or any of the other things that most people consider essential to survival."
Click here for Earthhaven's website.
Saturday, November 18, 2006
ECOHOOD
Here's one to bookmark! Click here.
This is another link to a teacher in Arizona not unlike Path to Freedom's urban permaculture system! This looks absolutely awesome! I sure wish it weren't wintertime around here! You have to watch all of his videos. They are great and give some of us more of an idea of how water catchement systems work and so on.
This is another link to a teacher in Arizona not unlike Path to Freedom's urban permaculture system! This looks absolutely awesome! I sure wish it weren't wintertime around here! You have to watch all of his videos. They are great and give some of us more of an idea of how water catchement systems work and so on.
Via treehugger tv, a purely inspiring video of Path to Freedom's Accomplishments
Click for video here.
Two of my top ten favorite websites to visit have cooperated on showing a video which looks at the accomplishments of Path to Freedom regarding their urban homestead. Path to Freedom is one of the avenues of information that I've crossed that truly has inspired me to do what I have done so far. Unfortunately, they didn't show their oven they made! They have inspired me to make an outside oven as one of my goals for the future.
After seeing this video, my general wish for today is for some CALIFORNIA SUN!!
Two of my top ten favorite websites to visit have cooperated on showing a video which looks at the accomplishments of Path to Freedom regarding their urban homestead. Path to Freedom is one of the avenues of information that I've crossed that truly has inspired me to do what I have done so far. Unfortunately, they didn't show their oven they made! They have inspired me to make an outside oven as one of my goals for the future.
After seeing this video, my general wish for today is for some CALIFORNIA SUN!!
Friday, November 17, 2006
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Collections of Thought Related to Peak Oil After U.S. Political Races
Hello. Please forgive my absence from this blog as I, once again, became caught up in trying to save the world. They didn't mention my name but I was one of those who helped turn Indiana blue in my district this past Tuesday, contributing to the wave across the nation. The results could be disastrous or they could be instrumental or they could be totally non-effective in regard to peak oil and its implications. Nonetheless, there will be a change of course.
There have been so many times I've wanted to post some things relating to peak oil but to offer up an in-depth analysis takes time and effort when absorbing all that I am reading. My apologies for not taking time to do so. I keep figuring that there are so many peak oil-related blogs and websites out there now that my contributions only become a repeat of what has already been said or distributed. Anyway, here are some of things I've been reading, absorbing, and mulling around in my head.
Will the Democratic party be instrumental in our peak oil goals? I'm ambivalent. I don't think the American populace will ever succumb to the idea that we need higher gasoline taxes to use to prepare for a powered down world. California was the litmus test on that one. Our Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels continues to propose more highways in our state using the power of eminent domain to do so. He also believes using all of our subsidized corn for ethanol production will save us. Hmm. Okay. Also, my local trail building leader is planning on using the power of eminent domain to score a piece of land for sale by a railroading company because they refuse to let the city have it despite funding from a grant from a state environmental agency to do so. I guess this is a reversal in the thinking I had about eminent domain in which companies would takeover land from private citizens--this would be land taken away from a company in the name of economic development and growth, I guess? I guess it'll be good to walk but I'm not sure if it would be ethically right to use a law that I was not favorable to in the first place. Finally, on a nicer note, Energy Bulletin has a nice article noting that China is now perusing the peak oil websites. Maybe they will possibly absorb the implications of peak oil and pay heed more than the collective "we" here in the developed regions of the world?
I've learned that California turned down a proposition that would tax producers and the taxes would've been used to subsidize more green alternative energy producers. Again, the issue of higher gasoline prices burned that one out in a hurry!
And what does this mean? What was Murkowski trying to pull? Will his successor Palin continue on? Do we need this NG pipeline? Is it being built for future enterprizes or is it just a reconstruction to replace an old line? Of course I know we're going to need the NG because our consumption goal is to go nowhere but up.
Then there is this article written by a Palestinean living in the U.S., titled "War on Iran". So will we still invade Iran even with a political change in our House and Senate? What will Bush41's people who are ever so quickly being re-installed decide to do? Baker, Gates, etc., (Iran/Contra) are not as flashy, vocal, and Machiavellian as the neocons but they are still known for some shady tactics....I guess, as have been many in our halls of government. All I wish to see is a different approach. Some great ideas have come across the internet-s of which I've been reading lately. First of all, we could totally repeal all of the no-bid contracts of our American multinational companies involved in Iraq and offer bidded contracts to Iraqi businesses only. This would allow the Iraqis to build up their own infrastructure and provide more acceptable inside employment rather than those working for the rebuilding companies as traitors for working with American companies. They would probably get paid better, too. We also should allow them to control their own oil fields and we should help them with negotiations with foreign oil companies so that everyone, including Iraq, gets a good deal. Our troops are their to protect the profiteers now. .....Meanwhile, back at home, we could invest more money into paying off debt and then focusing on conservation and recreating our own infrastructure in a Manhattan project sort of way. Dream on, right? I guess so. But there are plenty of "green" people on both sides of the political spectrum who would agree that we need to powerdown. The economic approach as well as a diplomatic approach, I feel, is the way to go in Iraq. As the economic infrastructure improves, we can pull our troops out. This way, we would not be leaving them high and dry. This needs to be done quickly, though. We don't have much time to waste, do we?
Here is the article I was telling you about from Energy Bulletin regarding the recent 4 months of China hits they've been getting. Interesting.
Here's another little diddy on John Tester, soon to become Montana's Senator. He's an organic farmer. He may not be a staunch peak oil advocate but anyone promoting using less fossil fuels or pesticides in farming is a-okay in my book! He sounds very promising to me, and would more likely listen to someone concerned about fossil fuel depletion.
It's getting late. Will blog more hopefully this week. I've also been pondering the high tech things I would like to see saved if we have to pick and choose when things start to go. I'll make a list for another entry later but 2 things that pop into my head right now include everyone's favorite "the internet" but I also would hate to see our zoos flounder. They harbor many endangered species that I would hate to see perish. More later.
God bless all. I love ya. Yep. Everyone!
There have been so many times I've wanted to post some things relating to peak oil but to offer up an in-depth analysis takes time and effort when absorbing all that I am reading. My apologies for not taking time to do so. I keep figuring that there are so many peak oil-related blogs and websites out there now that my contributions only become a repeat of what has already been said or distributed. Anyway, here are some of things I've been reading, absorbing, and mulling around in my head.
Will the Democratic party be instrumental in our peak oil goals? I'm ambivalent. I don't think the American populace will ever succumb to the idea that we need higher gasoline taxes to use to prepare for a powered down world. California was the litmus test on that one. Our Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels continues to propose more highways in our state using the power of eminent domain to do so. He also believes using all of our subsidized corn for ethanol production will save us. Hmm. Okay. Also, my local trail building leader is planning on using the power of eminent domain to score a piece of land for sale by a railroading company because they refuse to let the city have it despite funding from a grant from a state environmental agency to do so. I guess this is a reversal in the thinking I had about eminent domain in which companies would takeover land from private citizens--this would be land taken away from a company in the name of economic development and growth, I guess? I guess it'll be good to walk but I'm not sure if it would be ethically right to use a law that I was not favorable to in the first place. Finally, on a nicer note, Energy Bulletin has a nice article noting that China is now perusing the peak oil websites. Maybe they will possibly absorb the implications of peak oil and pay heed more than the collective "we" here in the developed regions of the world?
I've learned that California turned down a proposition that would tax producers and the taxes would've been used to subsidize more green alternative energy producers. Again, the issue of higher gasoline prices burned that one out in a hurry!
And what does this mean? What was Murkowski trying to pull? Will his successor Palin continue on? Do we need this NG pipeline? Is it being built for future enterprizes or is it just a reconstruction to replace an old line? Of course I know we're going to need the NG because our consumption goal is to go nowhere but up.
Then there is this article written by a Palestinean living in the U.S., titled "War on Iran". So will we still invade Iran even with a political change in our House and Senate? What will Bush41's people who are ever so quickly being re-installed decide to do? Baker, Gates, etc., (Iran/Contra) are not as flashy, vocal, and Machiavellian as the neocons but they are still known for some shady tactics....I guess, as have been many in our halls of government. All I wish to see is a different approach. Some great ideas have come across the internet-s of which I've been reading lately. First of all, we could totally repeal all of the no-bid contracts of our American multinational companies involved in Iraq and offer bidded contracts to Iraqi businesses only. This would allow the Iraqis to build up their own infrastructure and provide more acceptable inside employment rather than those working for the rebuilding companies as traitors for working with American companies. They would probably get paid better, too. We also should allow them to control their own oil fields and we should help them with negotiations with foreign oil companies so that everyone, including Iraq, gets a good deal. Our troops are their to protect the profiteers now. .....Meanwhile, back at home, we could invest more money into paying off debt and then focusing on conservation and recreating our own infrastructure in a Manhattan project sort of way. Dream on, right? I guess so. But there are plenty of "green" people on both sides of the political spectrum who would agree that we need to powerdown. The economic approach as well as a diplomatic approach, I feel, is the way to go in Iraq. As the economic infrastructure improves, we can pull our troops out. This way, we would not be leaving them high and dry. This needs to be done quickly, though. We don't have much time to waste, do we?
Here is the article I was telling you about from Energy Bulletin regarding the recent 4 months of China hits they've been getting. Interesting.
Here's another little diddy on John Tester, soon to become Montana's Senator. He's an organic farmer. He may not be a staunch peak oil advocate but anyone promoting using less fossil fuels or pesticides in farming is a-okay in my book! He sounds very promising to me, and would more likely listen to someone concerned about fossil fuel depletion.
It's getting late. Will blog more hopefully this week. I've also been pondering the high tech things I would like to see saved if we have to pick and choose when things start to go. I'll make a list for another entry later but 2 things that pop into my head right now include everyone's favorite "the internet" but I also would hate to see our zoos flounder. They harbor many endangered species that I would hate to see perish. More later.
God bless all. I love ya. Yep. Everyone!
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Thursday, September 28, 2006
It really happened...the torture bill passed (off topic)
Read about some of it here on another peakoiler's blog. This is quite disturbing news. All Republicans and I believe between about 9 to 11 Democrats voted it through. I really can't believe it. I'm semi-tuned in to politics but less so, of late, due to focusing my concerns around peak oil, other fossil fuel depletion, and trying to make my community a better place to live for the future.
Just in case the voting isn't rigged yet (it may very well be at this point, I don't know), I think everyone that can vote should try it and see what we can do about this. Our whole government (both sides) needs cleaned up. I lost hope after '04, however, this really needs some attention. People! Wake up! Please!
Just in case the voting isn't rigged yet (it may very well be at this point, I don't know), I think everyone that can vote should try it and see what we can do about this. Our whole government (both sides) needs cleaned up. I lost hope after '04, however, this really needs some attention. People! Wake up! Please!
MarionKingHubbert.mp3
Click here for song by Kurt in Oregon. You should have Quicktime in order to play it. I thought this song would be particularly good for an goeological/environmental classroom. Nice. Clear. To the point. He gives a brief little history.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Cheap gas until the election? Augusta Press: editorial by Erik Curren
Anyone catch this little editorial online yet? Good informational editorial on peak oil. I don't know what to think about the cheap gas that has surfaced so near to the elections here in the U.S. I've been saying it would happen since January! Now that everyone else is on the bandwagon, I want to jump off! ...I'm such the contrarian! If the markets are being manipulated by the powers that be, they certainly won't hike the prices up now that everyone believes it is so! We'll wait and see but I now feel the low prices will extend through the holiday season to boost consumer spending. Not sure why, as I am no educated economist nor a market expert, but it seems to work this way. Maybe I just better stick with posting the links and let them speak for themselves....
EB: ASPO 5. Robert Hirsch scares me out of my wits....by Rob Hopkins
Click here for the most up-to-date informational peak oil news site in my book....other than the Oil Drum, of course!
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Friday, September 01, 2006
Bloomberg: Peak Oil forecasters win converts on Wall Street to $200 Crude
Click here for full story. Awesome. Covers the basics about peak oil.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Controversial UT professor warns of earth's end
Click here for story.
For those new to resource depletion and the issues surrounding the subject, a good related book to read would be Jared Diamond's Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. Or you may also go to the dieoff site listed/linked over off to the right of this blog.
I don't really believe in killing us all off intentionally either, as this professor also agrees. Likewise, I just recognize the fact that we humans are like bacteria in a petrie dish. Once it gets too crowded in the dish, the bacteria start to turn on one another and eat eachother until they all die-off. Think of the world as the petrie dish. It's either this or try to willingly and collectively control our population rates. Let the elderly die peacefully and comfortably if there are no cures, and those of child-bearing age avoid pregnancy unless it is planned! It's quite simple and would take some time but it could work. I simply don't believe that war nor abortion is a desirable means of population control. However, each avenue seems to be used more than anything else. "Are humans smarter than yeast?????" Thanks for the quote Bob.
For those new to resource depletion and the issues surrounding the subject, a good related book to read would be Jared Diamond's Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. Or you may also go to the dieoff site listed/linked over off to the right of this blog.
I don't really believe in killing us all off intentionally either, as this professor also agrees. Likewise, I just recognize the fact that we humans are like bacteria in a petrie dish. Once it gets too crowded in the dish, the bacteria start to turn on one another and eat eachother until they all die-off. Think of the world as the petrie dish. It's either this or try to willingly and collectively control our population rates. Let the elderly die peacefully and comfortably if there are no cures, and those of child-bearing age avoid pregnancy unless it is planned! It's quite simple and would take some time but it could work. I simply don't believe that war nor abortion is a desirable means of population control. However, each avenue seems to be used more than anything else. "Are humans smarter than yeast?????" Thanks for the quote Bob.
Snapshots of my learning experiences on living more simply
This is an older picture from earlier in the spring. I hope to make some wine out of these grapes someday. The grapevine has much more foilage right at the moment but unfortunately no grapes yet (unless the birds are eating them) Click here for some newer pictures I posted recently in my Picture Place!
Purdue University: Fast-growing trees could take root as future energy source
Forget corn! The nitrogen from the waste needs to be replenished back into the soil for future planting via tilling! How is the arable land going to be replenished if we take the corn's waste for renewable fuels? Click here for a possible alternative.
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Peddle Car Revised
Does anybody remember the peddle car of the '70s? Well it has returned. Or has it ever left? This is a link to a promotional video for the rhoades car. Note that you can't peddle fast enough to get a breeze in your hair, how they have to keep roller skating to help with the fun of being pulled along the back, and how they peddle up to the drive-up window! Actually, I think it looks like it would be a great source of exercise and fun! I always wanted my family to buy one when I was a kid.
Anything to promote powering down, I say!
Anything to promote powering down, I say!
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Red Alert! Red Alert! Re: BTC Oil Pipeline Plan B??
The War on Lebanon and the Battle for Oil
Okay--I have my fast crash cap on now. This is an important article to read, so please do and explain it to your friends and family if the conversation comes up. They won't hear it on the major media sources.
Okay--I have my fast crash cap on now. This is an important article to read, so please do and explain it to your friends and family if the conversation comes up. They won't hear it on the major media sources.
Peak Oil bits & pieces from the net
I'm finding myself with a bit less time to keep up my blog than I used to, partially due to the newish full-time job I have now. I'm sure everyone feels this way alot of the time but I wish I could devote all of my time and energy towards sustainability and the issues surrounding peak oil. I think I would be most happy.
I've been saving some interesting links since I last blogged, in hopes of creating one entry including all of things I've come across which have been interesting to me. So here they are in no particular order and maybe you'll find them interestign or helpful, too.
First link is Google Trends for 'peak oil'. Looks like we're on a downward trend in hit for peak oil right now. I certainly can't understand why. It's a neat little graph anyway.
I've also found out through Tim of Suburbia via energybulletin that there is a peak oil group in Indiana called Bloomingpeak that has presented a statement to their local government to acknowledge peak oil! They are based out of Bloomington, one of Indiana's most progressive areas. Too bad they are soooo far away from where I live!
If you like any form of bluegrass/folk, you'll like this posted from a fellow list member on a yahoogroup. He thought it was an appropriate peak oil focused song about living "Lower on the Hog" of which he had a part in developing/recording some years ago. Good sound, Artie!
In other media, the independent media, energybulletin put up an article about a made for TV series on peak oil, community & sustainability. You can watch some of the series here from Global Public Media. I haven't watched them yet.
In the sustainability arena, someone has ordered one of these for their future outhouse! It looks affordable and inconspicuous enough to me. All it would need is a little sawdust and nobody would know any better.
Of other interest on the peak oil lists lately has been handpumps and water well drilling. This might come in handy someday but I'm not this far yet. I don't know if I ever will be. But I'll study it and try to keep some ideas in memory in case I need to.
Another sustainable practice I found on yahoo news, actually. There is a growing desire in some areas of the U.S. to replace concrete sidewalks with rubber sidewalks. Old tires are taken and recycled and layed as sidewalk! Read here for the advantages. The actual site is called www.rubbersidewalks.com. I may have to get the city council's and mayor's attention on this one. Do you think this would be accepted in a historical downtown district? I wonder because everything has usually be specific to the era in materials and style.
I was looking for some Indiana peak oil people and I found this guy and his blog called www.myearthwatchexperience.com.
My yahoo group list has been discussing where the best place to live post-peak or mid-crash would be and I'm a little attracted to Ithaca, NY. Why? See here. I'm just kidding--it's not the *only* reason! It *does* look like a place I would like to live if I had a choice. The atmosphere, political climate, college-hosting place seems attractive.
Well, I must go now. Hope you enjoyed guided link trip and I'll be back when I find more little diddies. Someday, I might even post some gardening pictures when I buy more batteries and find some time. I also canned my first time last weekend. I canned pickles. I'll get some pictures of those, too, as well as the clothesline I just put up. Green beans are coming in now and I think I'll go out and buy myself a pressure cooker to try and can those. Wish me luck!
I've been saving some interesting links since I last blogged, in hopes of creating one entry including all of things I've come across which have been interesting to me. So here they are in no particular order and maybe you'll find them interestign or helpful, too.
First link is Google Trends for 'peak oil'. Looks like we're on a downward trend in hit for peak oil right now. I certainly can't understand why. It's a neat little graph anyway.
I've also found out through Tim of Suburbia via energybulletin that there is a peak oil group in Indiana called Bloomingpeak that has presented a statement to their local government to acknowledge peak oil! They are based out of Bloomington, one of Indiana's most progressive areas. Too bad they are soooo far away from where I live!
If you like any form of bluegrass/folk, you'll like this posted from a fellow list member on a yahoogroup. He thought it was an appropriate peak oil focused song about living "Lower on the Hog" of which he had a part in developing/recording some years ago. Good sound, Artie!
In other media, the independent media, energybulletin put up an article about a made for TV series on peak oil, community & sustainability. You can watch some of the series here from Global Public Media. I haven't watched them yet.
In the sustainability arena, someone has ordered one of these for their future outhouse! It looks affordable and inconspicuous enough to me. All it would need is a little sawdust and nobody would know any better.
Of other interest on the peak oil lists lately has been handpumps and water well drilling. This might come in handy someday but I'm not this far yet. I don't know if I ever will be. But I'll study it and try to keep some ideas in memory in case I need to.
Another sustainable practice I found on yahoo news, actually. There is a growing desire in some areas of the U.S. to replace concrete sidewalks with rubber sidewalks. Old tires are taken and recycled and layed as sidewalk! Read here for the advantages. The actual site is called www.rubbersidewalks.com. I may have to get the city council's and mayor's attention on this one. Do you think this would be accepted in a historical downtown district? I wonder because everything has usually be specific to the era in materials and style.
I was looking for some Indiana peak oil people and I found this guy and his blog called www.myearthwatchexperience.com.
My yahoo group list has been discussing where the best place to live post-peak or mid-crash would be and I'm a little attracted to Ithaca, NY. Why? See here. I'm just kidding--it's not the *only* reason! It *does* look like a place I would like to live if I had a choice. The atmosphere, political climate, college-hosting place seems attractive.
Well, I must go now. Hope you enjoyed guided link trip and I'll be back when I find more little diddies. Someday, I might even post some gardening pictures when I buy more batteries and find some time. I also canned my first time last weekend. I canned pickles. I'll get some pictures of those, too, as well as the clothesline I just put up. Green beans are coming in now and I think I'll go out and buy myself a pressure cooker to try and can those. Wish me luck!
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Is 2006 the year of peak oil? The latest figures are suggesting it could be.....
www.indymedia.org.uk
I've also heard the latest stats from the government site is showing more demand than supply in the first quarter of this year. Someone suggested the thought that stored inventories may have been or are being used to meet demand.
With oil trading at highs of around $76/bbl today, I can't imagine what is going to happen if something catastrophic happens like widespread war in the ME or another major natural disaster like Katrina.
I bought a clothesline this past weekend. That's one goal met for the summer. I think I better splurge for the water filter ASAP. For some reason, having clean water is foremost on my mind, and I am not prepared in that respect! KI (Potassium Iodide) also comes to the forefront of my mind......don't have that yet, either. I probably should move that to the front burner, too.
I've also heard the latest stats from the government site is showing more demand than supply in the first quarter of this year. Someone suggested the thought that stored inventories may have been or are being used to meet demand.
With oil trading at highs of around $76/bbl today, I can't imagine what is going to happen if something catastrophic happens like widespread war in the ME or another major natural disaster like Katrina.
I bought a clothesline this past weekend. That's one goal met for the summer. I think I better splurge for the water filter ASAP. For some reason, having clean water is foremost on my mind, and I am not prepared in that respect! KI (Potassium Iodide) also comes to the forefront of my mind......don't have that yet, either. I probably should move that to the front burner, too.
Good Reference Link: www.peakoilready.com
Click here to see this new website. This is a new website created by a fellow yahoogroup list member for peak oil. There are alot of good references for books on various issues surrounding peak oil.
Sunday, July 09, 2006
getintheirface.blogspot.com
Click here. May be too political for some. There is a PBS newspiece clip by Bill Moyers from 1987 called "The Secret Government". Some other good video clips, too. Another about the dying coral reefs. This blog rocks!
Saturday, July 08, 2006
Friday, July 07, 2006
OpEdNews.com: Peak Oil Has Arrived/Crisis Imminent
Peak Oil Has Arrived/Crisis Imminent
There is a good link to information clearinghouse where there is a 12-minute video made by ABC Australia. Check it out. Probably won't see it anywhere in our media.
There is a good link to information clearinghouse where there is a 12-minute video made by ABC Australia. Check it out. Probably won't see it anywhere in our media.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Richard Heinberg's Open Letter to Greg Palast
Read it here. I like to read Greg Palast but if he is saying things like this about peak oil, he's very wrong, in my opinion.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Peak Oil Medicine
Since I'm a nurse, I thought this website might be an appropriate thing to reference on my blog. Scroll down and read "Modern Medicine Runs on Fossil Fuel". I don't think enough people realize the impact the decline of fossil fuels could have on our healthcare system.
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Energy Bulletin: Peaksters on the Potomac
Full article here.
excerpt:
excerpt:
"For five years the peak oil movement has been largely the province of internet conspiracy buffs, church basement conferences and esoteric debates among petroleum geologists and scientists about statistical data few can understand. Last month, however, oil “peaksters” seemed to break out of their policy doldrums when they journeyed to the banks of the Potomac for what may have been their first mainstream conference in the nation's capital.
Street Cred
Sponsorship by the University of Maryland gave peak oil at least momentary “street cred” on Pennsylvania Avenue as federal, state, and local politicians joined with business executives, bureaucrats, economists, and respected scientists. City council members from places like Huntington Beach, Calif., and Bloomington, Ind., joined Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, a Democrat, and such Washington stalwarts as Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-Md.). The Maryland Republican, an engineer who invented an oxygen recycling machine used by NASA in manned spacecraft, has founded the peak oil caucus in the House.
Department of Energy consultant Roger Bezdek, who directed research for the federal Energy Research and Development Administration during the 1970’s energy crisis, discussed his strategy for a crash program to develop alternatives to oil. Former World Bank economist Herman Daly, winner of the Sweden’s alternative Nobel Prize the Right Livelihood Award, and Lester Brown, founder of the Worldwatch Institute and its annual State of the World Report, were there. So was NASA Goddard Space Institute Director James Hansen, perhaps the leading scientist to document global warming, and Mona Sahlin, minister of Sustainable Development for Sweden, which is pursuing a plan to completely end its dependence on oil. This was no crowd of radical tree huggers.
For three days, they debated how the nation and world should respond to the imminent peak in world oil production, after which the supply of Beverly Hillbilly Jed Clampett’s “black gold” will decline forevermore while demand blows through the roof as the industrial and automotive age engulf China and India."
Monday, June 26, 2006
Solar Cooking Experiment
Here is where I got the idea, and it only cost me $2.42:
solarcooking.org
1-2pm:
I put the solar cooker out in the sun today around 1pm between work and going to the anniversary celebration. It was mostly sunny and in the 80s. I had to hurry up and think of something to experimentally cook, and I also had to find a dark pot of some kind in a hurry before I left to go to the celebration. I found this small teflon-type red pot. It was small enough that I could place the pot into a large plastic bag as the instructions showed. As for the food item, I found some frozen green beans in the freezer so I threw them into the pot, put the pot in the plastic bag and set it out on the solar cooker. After that, I left for the party closer to 2pm.
5-6pm:
Arrived home. Checked on cooker and it was IN THE SHADE! But it did look like it had been heating up while I was gone. There were moisture beads on the walls of the plastic bag and the pot was warm but not hot. I went ahead and moved the whole solar cooker back into the sun and facing west to follow the remaining path of the sun....then I went inside and took a nap--big mistake but I rather enjoyed it!
8pm:
Woke up and went out and checked on cooker. It was no longer in the sun again and was cool. But it did look like it cooked--the beans were still warm. Actually, the beans looked whitened or blanched from the sun.
Conclusion:
--You need to be around to move the cooker as the sun moves. Leaving it and taking a nap was my mistake.
--The sides were a little "flappy" and curved inward at times. You have to keep adjusting it but it does heat up and work.
--Wind could be a major problem and you could lose your food if it tips over.
Overall, my impression is that this is not a real stable setup, and I think I'd rather try building a small wooden box-type of solar oven for more stability. I may have to move on next weekend and try that. It's supposed to rain here all through the week into next weekend so I probably won't have the opportunity to experiment much. This model I've tried is a very good alternative, though, if you have no other options. I believe it *will* work. Maybe I need to go and buy a $6 windshield reflector....
solarcooking.org
1-2pm:
I put the solar cooker out in the sun today around 1pm between work and going to the anniversary celebration. It was mostly sunny and in the 80s. I had to hurry up and think of something to experimentally cook, and I also had to find a dark pot of some kind in a hurry before I left to go to the celebration. I found this small teflon-type red pot. It was small enough that I could place the pot into a large plastic bag as the instructions showed. As for the food item, I found some frozen green beans in the freezer so I threw them into the pot, put the pot in the plastic bag and set it out on the solar cooker. After that, I left for the party closer to 2pm.
5-6pm:
Arrived home. Checked on cooker and it was IN THE SHADE! But it did look like it had been heating up while I was gone. There were moisture beads on the walls of the plastic bag and the pot was warm but not hot. I went ahead and moved the whole solar cooker back into the sun and facing west to follow the remaining path of the sun....then I went inside and took a nap--big mistake but I rather enjoyed it!
8pm:
Woke up and went out and checked on cooker. It was no longer in the sun again and was cool. But it did look like it cooked--the beans were still warm. Actually, the beans looked whitened or blanched from the sun.
Conclusion:
--You need to be around to move the cooker as the sun moves. Leaving it and taking a nap was my mistake.
--The sides were a little "flappy" and curved inward at times. You have to keep adjusting it but it does heat up and work.
--Wind could be a major problem and you could lose your food if it tips over.
Overall, my impression is that this is not a real stable setup, and I think I'd rather try building a small wooden box-type of solar oven for more stability. I may have to move on next weekend and try that. It's supposed to rain here all through the week into next weekend so I probably won't have the opportunity to experiment much. This model I've tried is a very good alternative, though, if you have no other options. I believe it *will* work. Maybe I need to go and buy a $6 windshield reflector....
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Wrap-Up of this Week's PO Info Gathering
The party's over (graduation, that is) and I'm back to my usual PO musings. I've decided to do a little round-up of things people have posted this week on some of the PO forums I frequently visit. Besides the excellent comedy routine of Robert Newman (posted in the entry below) about the History of Oil, the major themes this week have included food, finances, freedom, and the "fall".
In the areas of finance and the economy, there have been several references to Greenspan's comments on peak oil at the Energy Bulletin, the International Herald Tribune, and the Monterey County Herald to name a few. Will this make peak oil go mainstream? Yahoo won't let me acces the article I saved about Russia switching a fraction of it reserves out of U.S. dollars. Then, someone is concerned about the Federal Reserves recent moves in an article at The Information Clearinghouse. Finally, one of my favorite financial geeks posted a link to Freedom to Facism in order to really make the hairs stand on end.
Another interesting theme evolving this week about exponential arithmetic and population included the World Clock and Bartlett's Laws Relating to Sustainability.
Which brings us to The Crash and has become a movie in its own right. Others have been willingly offering newbies websites like this one and a guidebook on how to weather the coming storm of oil depletion.
The remainder of the discussions were concerning how we're going to eat and rocketstoves. I've noted two new blogs from people in the forums such as Entire-of-itself and Green, Blue, Brown who also liked Newman's "History of Oil" clip, too! Michael Kaer, if you're reading this, I haven't forgotten your blog and links...I just don't have them handy at the moment. I will be placing these blogs in my roll when I get some time.
There were lots of other topics discussed, of course, but these were the ones I was interested in.
On the personal front, I ordered my internet friend, Richard Embleton's "Oilephant Down" lastnight. I should be getting it in a few days now.
The garden is so-so this year. We had torrential rains that delayed planting out the seedlings at the right time, and then the graduation took the rest of the time away. My garden is about half planted at the moment. However, I have plans to start a fall crop for the cool season veggies in August. I should have more time then. My elderberries are growing and my new peach tree has leaves!!!! My grape vine is in its third year and it is taking off! Even the rhubarb is ready and it's only in its second year. Horseradish is doing great, too, as are my Tom Thumb peas. All of the herbs are doing excellent.
The Farmer's Market just opened this weekend from 7a-noon on Saturdays. It was pouring down rain but I went anyway. Everyone was huddled underneath the only tent that was up. I bought swiss chard, spinach, broccoli, and lettuce. Tonight I had the broccoli cooked in butter and water with spaghetti, drained and then mixed with parmesan cheese at the suggestion of the farmer who sold it to me. It was really good!!
I've also been garage salin' this weekend looking for tools, bikes, preserving materials, etc. I bought a small axe, a large axe, and 4 grocery bags of canning jars. That was about all I could find. Someone was selling metal shelving (great for storage) but I got there too late and they were ALL sold! All 10 of them! The bikes for sale weren't much to look at. Most of them were too rusty and they wanted too much for them in their condition, I thought.
Would someone please tell these women that garage sales aren't supposed to be all clothes all the time!? When I walk up to the sales, many of them take me straight to the clothes. I tell them "I'm not looking for what you might think I'm looking for." Then they ask what. I say hand tools, canning equipment, bikes. They grimace because they can't help me. I don't look like a person who would be looking for these things. I look more like someone who would be looking for baby things or nicnacs or something of that nature, I guess. Maybe it's just because I'm a female, I don't know. Oh! I found a good wind-up alarm clock (an old Big Ben) for $1. I walked out of that sale looking like an axe murderer with a clock.
That's it. Anyone have any good recipes for Swiss chard or spinach?
In the areas of finance and the economy, there have been several references to Greenspan's comments on peak oil at the Energy Bulletin, the International Herald Tribune, and the Monterey County Herald to name a few. Will this make peak oil go mainstream? Yahoo won't let me acces the article I saved about Russia switching a fraction of it reserves out of U.S. dollars. Then, someone is concerned about the Federal Reserves recent moves in an article at The Information Clearinghouse. Finally, one of my favorite financial geeks posted a link to Freedom to Facism in order to really make the hairs stand on end.
Another interesting theme evolving this week about exponential arithmetic and population included the World Clock and Bartlett's Laws Relating to Sustainability.
Which brings us to The Crash and has become a movie in its own right. Others have been willingly offering newbies websites like this one and a guidebook on how to weather the coming storm of oil depletion.
The remainder of the discussions were concerning how we're going to eat and rocketstoves. I've noted two new blogs from people in the forums such as Entire-of-itself and Green, Blue, Brown who also liked Newman's "History of Oil" clip, too! Michael Kaer, if you're reading this, I haven't forgotten your blog and links...I just don't have them handy at the moment. I will be placing these blogs in my roll when I get some time.
There were lots of other topics discussed, of course, but these were the ones I was interested in.
On the personal front, I ordered my internet friend, Richard Embleton's "Oilephant Down" lastnight. I should be getting it in a few days now.
The garden is so-so this year. We had torrential rains that delayed planting out the seedlings at the right time, and then the graduation took the rest of the time away. My garden is about half planted at the moment. However, I have plans to start a fall crop for the cool season veggies in August. I should have more time then. My elderberries are growing and my new peach tree has leaves!!!! My grape vine is in its third year and it is taking off! Even the rhubarb is ready and it's only in its second year. Horseradish is doing great, too, as are my Tom Thumb peas. All of the herbs are doing excellent.
The Farmer's Market just opened this weekend from 7a-noon on Saturdays. It was pouring down rain but I went anyway. Everyone was huddled underneath the only tent that was up. I bought swiss chard, spinach, broccoli, and lettuce. Tonight I had the broccoli cooked in butter and water with spaghetti, drained and then mixed with parmesan cheese at the suggestion of the farmer who sold it to me. It was really good!!
I've also been garage salin' this weekend looking for tools, bikes, preserving materials, etc. I bought a small axe, a large axe, and 4 grocery bags of canning jars. That was about all I could find. Someone was selling metal shelving (great for storage) but I got there too late and they were ALL sold! All 10 of them! The bikes for sale weren't much to look at. Most of them were too rusty and they wanted too much for them in their condition, I thought.
Would someone please tell these women that garage sales aren't supposed to be all clothes all the time!? When I walk up to the sales, many of them take me straight to the clothes. I tell them "I'm not looking for what you might think I'm looking for." Then they ask what. I say hand tools, canning equipment, bikes. They grimace because they can't help me. I don't look like a person who would be looking for these things. I look more like someone who would be looking for baby things or nicnacs or something of that nature, I guess. Maybe it's just because I'm a female, I don't know. Oh! I found a good wind-up alarm clock (an old Big Ben) for $1. I walked out of that sale looking like an axe murderer with a clock.
That's it. Anyone have any good recipes for Swiss chard or spinach?
Saturday, June 10, 2006
Robert Newman's History of Oil
Many of you peak oil addicts have probably already seen this by now but I thought it was a good link to put up on the blog. Serious but funny review of geopolitics. It's approximately 45 minutes long and it's on video.google.com.
Robert Newman's History of Oil
Robert Newman's History of Oil
Sunday, May 07, 2006
New pictures of gardening feats at my "picture place" blog
Click here to see new pictures of my gardening accomplishments. I know, it wouldn't keep me alive in a post-peak world but it's a start! Aren't you glad we still have time to learn?
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Journal Entry #3 of My Journey
Gardening 101
Hello! My, alot has happened since I last made an entry. Where do I start?
Every container I have on the deck has now sprouted the seeds I've sown. In these, I've planted lettuce, Tom Thumb peas, spinach, scallions, carrots, and radishes. All doing well.
The grapes, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, thyme, chives, parsley, sage, mint, lavender, and blueberries have all come back to life. I also planted a peach tree and 2 elderberry bushes last week.
My indoor started seedlings are not doing as well as last year. The only things that are growing well and should be transplanted tomorrow are the tomatoes, peppers, sunflowers, broccoli, cinamon basil, tomatillo verde, lamb's ear, and lavender. The rest all died. I'm going to have to start over on some of the others.
I applied compost manure on my raised beds and made my little one foot squares with string. I also planted some vidalia onions in place of my jerusalem artichokes. I didn't like my j.a.'s as well as I thought I would. My asparagus never came back up this year.
Some much needed rain came today but not enough. I moved my mini-greenhouse outside and I have some store-bought plants in it. They include 2 cilantro, habanero pepper, jalapeno pepper, and dill. I also received some mail order plants of lemon grass, chocolate mint, and pineapple sage. It's not past the frost date yet so I'm hesitant to plant out many of my plants yet.
Post Peak Oil & Disaster Prepping
Still not doing enough in this arena. I did manage to buy Lua Sage Fisher's herb book called "Seed to Salve". It will come in very handy. She has a wealth of knowledge about medicinal herbs.
I think I'll take the plunge and buy the Berkefeld water purifier tonight or tomorrow .
Sustainable Practices & Community
Gasoline has spiked up and hovered between $2.81-2.95 since my last entry. I've seen NO conservation in driving from anyone in the area where I live. I wrestle with myself in wondering if I would impact anything by conserving. Somebody else is just going to consume whatever it is I don't. The only reason I have reduced my driving is because I'm trying to lessen my impact on the earth.
The governor was here in town this week for the groundbreaking of an ethanol plant to be built here that will be "the largest ethanol plant east of the Mississippi". Yay-rah.
I also emailed my local newspaper editorial editor/colmnist to see if my 1/2 page public forum published and titled "Energy: Thinking globally, acting locally will help" could possibly be ran again. Maybe this time people will read it. I wrote it and it was published last year around this time on April 17th, 2005. I didn't receive one ounce of feedback on it. Null and void. This week, I ran into and talked to a city councilman I know and told him about it. He said he never saw it and would read it if I sent a copy to him. I found it (thought I had lost it) and I think I'll copy it and send it to him as soon as I have time. the article was about the basics of peak oil and what should be done locally to alleviate some of the problems that will come.
Many people have prompted me to run for a city council position but I don't think I have the intestinal fortitude to get up and speak intelligently in front of a crowd of people. I have severe stage fright and can't think on my toes in such a position. I do think I could make an impact, though. This is a very strong Republican town. I am a Democrat. There is not a large strong Democratic voice here, and Democrats are poo-pooed for the most part. I would like to run on a Green ticket but there is no Green party recognized in my location. No support. So I don't know what to do if I would run.
I've had many thoughts running through my mind of late but I haven't been in the mood to sit down and pound them out on the blog. One day I'll feel like it. I have lots to say about my experiences with the Farmer's Market and their meetings, my job, illegal immigration & peak oil, and life in general.
Still no members in My Meetup Peak Oil Awareness group. I've spent $60 so far for nothing. I may have to stop it if nobody joins soon.
Hope all of you are keeping up with all of the headlines pertaining to peak oil! Have a wonderful Sunday!
Hello! My, alot has happened since I last made an entry. Where do I start?
Every container I have on the deck has now sprouted the seeds I've sown. In these, I've planted lettuce, Tom Thumb peas, spinach, scallions, carrots, and radishes. All doing well.
The grapes, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, thyme, chives, parsley, sage, mint, lavender, and blueberries have all come back to life. I also planted a peach tree and 2 elderberry bushes last week.
My indoor started seedlings are not doing as well as last year. The only things that are growing well and should be transplanted tomorrow are the tomatoes, peppers, sunflowers, broccoli, cinamon basil, tomatillo verde, lamb's ear, and lavender. The rest all died. I'm going to have to start over on some of the others.
I applied compost manure on my raised beds and made my little one foot squares with string. I also planted some vidalia onions in place of my jerusalem artichokes. I didn't like my j.a.'s as well as I thought I would. My asparagus never came back up this year.
Some much needed rain came today but not enough. I moved my mini-greenhouse outside and I have some store-bought plants in it. They include 2 cilantro, habanero pepper, jalapeno pepper, and dill. I also received some mail order plants of lemon grass, chocolate mint, and pineapple sage. It's not past the frost date yet so I'm hesitant to plant out many of my plants yet.
Post Peak Oil & Disaster Prepping
Still not doing enough in this arena. I did manage to buy Lua Sage Fisher's herb book called "Seed to Salve". It will come in very handy. She has a wealth of knowledge about medicinal herbs.
I think I'll take the plunge and buy the Berkefeld water purifier tonight or tomorrow .
Sustainable Practices & Community
Gasoline has spiked up and hovered between $2.81-2.95 since my last entry. I've seen NO conservation in driving from anyone in the area where I live. I wrestle with myself in wondering if I would impact anything by conserving. Somebody else is just going to consume whatever it is I don't. The only reason I have reduced my driving is because I'm trying to lessen my impact on the earth.
The governor was here in town this week for the groundbreaking of an ethanol plant to be built here that will be "the largest ethanol plant east of the Mississippi". Yay-rah.
I also emailed my local newspaper editorial editor/colmnist to see if my 1/2 page public forum published and titled "Energy: Thinking globally, acting locally will help" could possibly be ran again. Maybe this time people will read it. I wrote it and it was published last year around this time on April 17th, 2005. I didn't receive one ounce of feedback on it. Null and void. This week, I ran into and talked to a city councilman I know and told him about it. He said he never saw it and would read it if I sent a copy to him. I found it (thought I had lost it) and I think I'll copy it and send it to him as soon as I have time. the article was about the basics of peak oil and what should be done locally to alleviate some of the problems that will come.
Many people have prompted me to run for a city council position but I don't think I have the intestinal fortitude to get up and speak intelligently in front of a crowd of people. I have severe stage fright and can't think on my toes in such a position. I do think I could make an impact, though. This is a very strong Republican town. I am a Democrat. There is not a large strong Democratic voice here, and Democrats are poo-pooed for the most part. I would like to run on a Green ticket but there is no Green party recognized in my location. No support. So I don't know what to do if I would run.
I've had many thoughts running through my mind of late but I haven't been in the mood to sit down and pound them out on the blog. One day I'll feel like it. I have lots to say about my experiences with the Farmer's Market and their meetings, my job, illegal immigration & peak oil, and life in general.
Still no members in My Meetup Peak Oil Awareness group. I've spent $60 so far for nothing. I may have to stop it if nobody joins soon.
Hope all of you are keeping up with all of the headlines pertaining to peak oil! Have a wonderful Sunday!
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Wildfoods for Survival Link
If you're interested in accumulating information/recipes regarding wildfoods for survival like I am, try this link. This one has to go on the sidebar for permanent reference.
Journal entry coming soon....
Journal entry coming soon....
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Monday, April 17, 2006
tulipsSaturday, April 15, 2006
Purdue University Extension::Preserving and Storing Foods .pdf Links
Since my new job is with WIC, it involves alot of teaching mothers and their children not only about nutrition but also about basic food preparation and storage. This week, I was required to attend a state Farmer's Market meeting for WIC personnel. I had the pleasure of listening to the Purdue Extension come and speak and give a demonstration on how to freeze foods. They also gave us a handout which included all of these links. I felt like those of you interested in peak oil and subsequently interested in growing and preserving your own foods might like these handy little .pdfs that you can print out. I find them handy because growing and preserving food is all new to me. So enjoy!!!
Preserving Vegetables
Freezing Vegetables at Home
Let's Preserve Sweet Corn
Let's Preserve Snap Beans
Let's Preserve Leafy Greens
Let's Preserve Peppers
Let's Preserve Pickles
Let's Preserve Sauerkraut
Let's Preserve Tomatoes
Preserving Fruits
Freezing Fruit at Home
Let's Preserve Apples
Let's Preserve Berries (Except Strawberries)
Let's Preserve Cherries
Let's Preserve Peaches, Apricots, Nectarines
Let's Preserve Pears
Let's Preserve Strawberries
Let's Preserve Fruit Pie Fillings
Let's Preserve Jelly, Jam, Spreads
Uncooked Jams
Drying Foods
Drying Foods at Home
Safe Storage of Foods
Spotlight on Freezer Storage
Spotlight on Refridgerator Storage
Spotlight on Cupboard Storage
Preserving Vegetables
Freezing Vegetables at Home
Let's Preserve Sweet Corn
Let's Preserve Snap Beans
Let's Preserve Leafy Greens
Let's Preserve Peppers
Let's Preserve Pickles
Let's Preserve Sauerkraut
Let's Preserve Tomatoes
Preserving Fruits
Freezing Fruit at Home
Let's Preserve Apples
Let's Preserve Berries (Except Strawberries)
Let's Preserve Cherries
Let's Preserve Peaches, Apricots, Nectarines
Let's Preserve Pears
Let's Preserve Strawberries
Let's Preserve Fruit Pie Fillings
Let's Preserve Jelly, Jam, Spreads
Uncooked Jams
Drying Foods
Drying Foods at Home
Safe Storage of Foods
Spotlight on Freezer Storage
Spotlight on Refridgerator Storage
Spotlight on Cupboard Storage
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Significant News: Saudi Oil Fields in Decline from 2-8%
Here it is in black and white:
Saudi Aramco boost drilling efforts to offset declining fields
This is for real. It's coming from an oil industry publication. Robert on ROE2 says 2% decline means slow crash which would be 36 years. An 8% decline would mean fast crash--as in 9 years. Let's hope all of the technology stays online or we're in trouble. Well, how should I rephrase that? Because we're in trouble anyway. Ouch. Not good news.
Saudi Aramco boost drilling efforts to offset declining fields
This is for real. It's coming from an oil industry publication. Robert on ROE2 says 2% decline means slow crash which would be 36 years. An 8% decline would mean fast crash--as in 9 years. Let's hope all of the technology stays online or we're in trouble. Well, how should I rephrase that? Because we're in trouble anyway. Ouch. Not good news.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Journal Entry #2 of My Journey
Gardening 101
Everything I've planted has now sprouted except for oregano, lemon balm, bee balm, cauliflower, and rosemary. One grow light has burned out. I'm operating on one now, so all of the little sprouts are reaching in one direction. I'll have to rotate their positions to give them a little exercise.
I've filled my new deck containers with potting soil and have direct-planted Tom Thumb peas, lettuce blend, scallions, and spinach. I can't figure out what I want in the 4th planter yet. I need to get more soil, too. My herbs will go on a tiered planter on my deck also.
I'm a little late on direct-sowing my scarlet runner beans, sugar snap peas, beets and turnips that I was going to experiment with. I'm trying to get my fence staining project finished before I allow them to climb up the trellis I attached to the fence. Should be done by the end of the week.
Post-Peak Oil & Disaster Prepping
Not much done since last entry. Not enough money at the moment. But my wish list keeps getting longer. As always...I've bought more food to rotate this week.
Sustainability Practices & Community
Thankfully the heat is not needed right now. It's finally turned down after those high bills. Dh is walking to work now that it's warmer. I still had to drive 4 hours total to buy a prom dress for daughter's upcoming prom. I have to drive to another 4 hours Thursday for a Farmer's Market meeting to represent my job at WIC. I get reimbursed .40 cents/mile for that--woohoo! Not. Gas is presently $2.89/gallon.
Had to attend a local Farmer's Market meeting for my job representing WIC. I look at this as an added plus because I met some more people who are growing food locally. New local producers include people who grow chickens, eggs, all kinds of fruit trees. I feel like I'm actually incognito by scouting out my connections in the event of catastrophe! I plan to buy my corn, squashes, and melons from the market because I don't have the proper room to grow these things. I will attempt to preserve these things I buy at the market.
My Meet-Up Oil Awareness is nil again this month. Nobody has joined and the monthly meeting is tomorrow. I've wasted another $19 this month on a group that doesn't exist.
Wish List
--more energy efficient windows and doors
--geothermal heating system
--Excalibur Food Dehydrator
--Pump 'N Seal Foodsaver
....does it ever end? How can I afford all of this and what to buy first? I'm stumped. These things aren't cheap for me. Sometimes I think I should just break down and put them all on credit and be done with it. They aren't going to get any cheaper and I just may need that Berkefeld water purifier before I can get it!
Everything I've planted has now sprouted except for oregano, lemon balm, bee balm, cauliflower, and rosemary. One grow light has burned out. I'm operating on one now, so all of the little sprouts are reaching in one direction. I'll have to rotate their positions to give them a little exercise.
I've filled my new deck containers with potting soil and have direct-planted Tom Thumb peas, lettuce blend, scallions, and spinach. I can't figure out what I want in the 4th planter yet. I need to get more soil, too. My herbs will go on a tiered planter on my deck also.
I'm a little late on direct-sowing my scarlet runner beans, sugar snap peas, beets and turnips that I was going to experiment with. I'm trying to get my fence staining project finished before I allow them to climb up the trellis I attached to the fence. Should be done by the end of the week.
Post-Peak Oil & Disaster Prepping
Not much done since last entry. Not enough money at the moment. But my wish list keeps getting longer. As always...I've bought more food to rotate this week.
Sustainability Practices & Community
Thankfully the heat is not needed right now. It's finally turned down after those high bills. Dh is walking to work now that it's warmer. I still had to drive 4 hours total to buy a prom dress for daughter's upcoming prom. I have to drive to another 4 hours Thursday for a Farmer's Market meeting to represent my job at WIC. I get reimbursed .40 cents/mile for that--woohoo! Not. Gas is presently $2.89/gallon.
Had to attend a local Farmer's Market meeting for my job representing WIC. I look at this as an added plus because I met some more people who are growing food locally. New local producers include people who grow chickens, eggs, all kinds of fruit trees. I feel like I'm actually incognito by scouting out my connections in the event of catastrophe! I plan to buy my corn, squashes, and melons from the market because I don't have the proper room to grow these things. I will attempt to preserve these things I buy at the market.
My Meet-Up Oil Awareness is nil again this month. Nobody has joined and the monthly meeting is tomorrow. I've wasted another $19 this month on a group that doesn't exist.
Wish List
--more energy efficient windows and doors
--geothermal heating system
--Excalibur Food Dehydrator
--Pump 'N Seal Foodsaver
....does it ever end? How can I afford all of this and what to buy first? I'm stumped. These things aren't cheap for me. Sometimes I think I should just break down and put them all on credit and be done with it. They aren't going to get any cheaper and I just may need that Berkefeld water purifier before I can get it!
Friday, April 07, 2006
My 3rd year daffodils
Look what I planted amongst my 2nd year rhubarb!
More beautiful daffodils...tulips coming soon...Monday, April 03, 2006
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Journal Entry #1 of My Journey
Gardening 101
Saturday and Sunday I managed to start some of the seedlings I wanted to start indoors...finally. I started Martian Giant tomatoes, Brandywine tomatoes, Early Big Red tomatoes, orange bell peppers, green bell peppers, red bells peppers, hot wax peppers, Zulu prince sunflowers, Firecracker sunflowers, oregano, lavender, anise hyssop, cinnamon basil, lemon balm, bee balm, echinacea, rosemary, lamb's ear, and celery. The sunflowers have sprouted.
I also managed to tac up the bean trellis netting along my privacy fence in preparation of my peas and scarlet runner beans. Later, the cucumbers, too. Spent a few minutes turning my mulch (chopped up fall leaves) in my square-foot raised beds. So far, my daffodils and rhubarb are coming up!
Post-Peak Oil & Disaster Prepping
I went to a truckload tool sale I noticed by signs all over the place directing me along my way to work. I couldn't afford much but alot of it was all powered equipment anyway. I ended up buying 10 pairs of scissors for $10 and a 5qt. cast iron dutch oven for $9.99 one could use over campfires if needed. It's not my rocketstove/cobb oven dream but it will suffice until I can get one built, if ever. I also bought a solar shower from a camping store I was in. It was only $6.97. Affordable. I couldn't pass that up! Bought some more food stock to rotate.
Sustainability Practices
I've been flunking this lately. My new job entails me having to drive out of town for meetings occassionally. Gas was $2.65 tonight when I went to fill-up because I only had 18 miles left to go in the tank. $10 bought me a quarter tank and I have to travel 60 miles round trip on Friday to an out-of-town meeting. I'm carpooling everybody, though. Nothing else sustainable going on right now except recycling.
Note on Spirituality
I recently joined a new peak oil related spirituality group. Boy, it's a busy one! I somehow think that if we all keep our mouths shut about our own faith and our own political beliefs that maybe we might be able to form community and get along fairly well for survival. At least the new, separate list let us get out our feelings about our spirituality to each other so that we can carry on in other facets of dealing with peak oil without getting into knock-down drag-out arguments. If we who believe in peak oil can't get our acts together in tolerating each others' beliefs then I think it will be 10 times more difficult with the average joe.
Wish List
1. Berkefeld Water Purifier
2. Richard Embleton's book "Oilephant Down"
3. composting bin
4. sun oven
5. worm farm
6. outdoor clothes line
7. Attendance at Community Solutions Sustainability Conference in the fall
I think that's all I'll be able to afford up through this fall.
And that's my story so far.......
Saturday and Sunday I managed to start some of the seedlings I wanted to start indoors...finally. I started Martian Giant tomatoes, Brandywine tomatoes, Early Big Red tomatoes, orange bell peppers, green bell peppers, red bells peppers, hot wax peppers, Zulu prince sunflowers, Firecracker sunflowers, oregano, lavender, anise hyssop, cinnamon basil, lemon balm, bee balm, echinacea, rosemary, lamb's ear, and celery. The sunflowers have sprouted.
I also managed to tac up the bean trellis netting along my privacy fence in preparation of my peas and scarlet runner beans. Later, the cucumbers, too. Spent a few minutes turning my mulch (chopped up fall leaves) in my square-foot raised beds. So far, my daffodils and rhubarb are coming up!
Post-Peak Oil & Disaster Prepping
I went to a truckload tool sale I noticed by signs all over the place directing me along my way to work. I couldn't afford much but alot of it was all powered equipment anyway. I ended up buying 10 pairs of scissors for $10 and a 5qt. cast iron dutch oven for $9.99 one could use over campfires if needed. It's not my rocketstove/cobb oven dream but it will suffice until I can get one built, if ever. I also bought a solar shower from a camping store I was in. It was only $6.97. Affordable. I couldn't pass that up! Bought some more food stock to rotate.
Sustainability Practices
I've been flunking this lately. My new job entails me having to drive out of town for meetings occassionally. Gas was $2.65 tonight when I went to fill-up because I only had 18 miles left to go in the tank. $10 bought me a quarter tank and I have to travel 60 miles round trip on Friday to an out-of-town meeting. I'm carpooling everybody, though. Nothing else sustainable going on right now except recycling.
Note on Spirituality
I recently joined a new peak oil related spirituality group. Boy, it's a busy one! I somehow think that if we all keep our mouths shut about our own faith and our own political beliefs that maybe we might be able to form community and get along fairly well for survival. At least the new, separate list let us get out our feelings about our spirituality to each other so that we can carry on in other facets of dealing with peak oil without getting into knock-down drag-out arguments. If we who believe in peak oil can't get our acts together in tolerating each others' beliefs then I think it will be 10 times more difficult with the average joe.
Wish List
1. Berkefeld Water Purifier
2. Richard Embleton's book "Oilephant Down"
3. composting bin
4. sun oven
5. worm farm
6. outdoor clothes line
7. Attendance at Community Solutions Sustainability Conference in the fall
I think that's all I'll be able to afford up through this fall.
And that's my story so far.......
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Essay "The End of Civilization" by David Eriqat::Counter Currents
A man after my own heart. I couldn't say it better. He ties up my thoughts on the world situation very well.
click here for essay (it's long)
click here for essay (it's long)
Sunday, March 19, 2006
100 Mile Diet, Vertical Farming, Great Lent
100 mile Diet, Vertical Farming, Thoughts for Great Lent
100 Mile Diet
"This wildly successful series written by J.B.
MacKinnon and Alisa Smith details their commitment to only eat food
produced within a 100 mile radius of their home".
Vertical Farming
Advantages of Vertical Farming
Year-round crop production; 1 indoor acre is equivalent to 4-6 outdoor acres or more, depending upon the crop (e.g., strawberries: 1 indoor acre = 30 outdoor acres)
No weather-related crop failures due to droughts, floods, pests
All VF food is grown organically: no herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers
VF virtually eliminates agricultural runoff by recycling black water
VF returns farmland to nature, restoring ecosystem functions and services
VF greatly reduces the incidence of many infectious diseases that are acquired at the agricultural interface
VF converts black and gray water into potable water by collecting the water of
evapotranspiration
VF adds energy back to the grid via methane generation from composting non-edible
parts of plants and animals
VF dramatically reduces fossil fuel use (no tractors, plows, shipping.)
VF converts abandoned urban properties into food production centers
VF creates sustainable environments for urban centers
VF creates new employment opportunities
We cannot go to the moon, Mars, or beyond without first learning to farm indoors on
earth
VF may prove to be useful for integrating into refugee camps
VF offers the promise of measurable economic improvement for tropical and subtropical
LDCs. If this should prove to be the case, then VF may be a catalyst in helping to reduce or even reverse the population growth of LDCs as they adopt urban agriculture as a strategy for sustainable food production.
VF could reduce the incidence of armed conflict over natural resources, such as water
and land for agriculture..
Thoughts for Great Lent: Jacques Ellul (1912-1994) - social critic, theologian
Jesus Radicals for translations and written materials
Wikipedia-Jacques Ellul for a quick intro.
100 Mile Diet
"This wildly successful series written by J.B.
MacKinnon and Alisa Smith details their commitment to only eat food
produced within a 100 mile radius of their home".
Vertical Farming
Advantages of Vertical Farming
Year-round crop production; 1 indoor acre is equivalent to 4-6 outdoor acres or more, depending upon the crop (e.g., strawberries: 1 indoor acre = 30 outdoor acres)
No weather-related crop failures due to droughts, floods, pests
All VF food is grown organically: no herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers
VF virtually eliminates agricultural runoff by recycling black water
VF returns farmland to nature, restoring ecosystem functions and services
VF greatly reduces the incidence of many infectious diseases that are acquired at the agricultural interface
VF converts black and gray water into potable water by collecting the water of
evapotranspiration
VF adds energy back to the grid via methane generation from composting non-edible
parts of plants and animals
VF dramatically reduces fossil fuel use (no tractors, plows, shipping.)
VF converts abandoned urban properties into food production centers
VF creates sustainable environments for urban centers
VF creates new employment opportunities
We cannot go to the moon, Mars, or beyond without first learning to farm indoors on
earth
VF may prove to be useful for integrating into refugee camps
VF offers the promise of measurable economic improvement for tropical and subtropical
LDCs. If this should prove to be the case, then VF may be a catalyst in helping to reduce or even reverse the population growth of LDCs as they adopt urban agriculture as a strategy for sustainable food production.
VF could reduce the incidence of armed conflict over natural resources, such as water
and land for agriculture..
Thoughts for Great Lent: Jacques Ellul (1912-1994) - social critic, theologian
Jesus Radicals for translations and written materials
Wikipedia-Jacques Ellul for a quick intro.
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Edible Wildlife Recipes for the Upper Midwest
I just had to make an entry for this! I'm also going to add this one to my living sustainably list to the right.
click here
click here
Saturday, March 04, 2006
Sporty Diesel 157 mpg for $13,000 and Biodiesel
1 Florida Company Looks to E-Grass as Biofuel Feedstock
Egrass
Green Car Congress
February 20, 2006
A West Florida company is looking to rent 11,000 hectares (42.5 square miles) of land in the Philippines to grow e-grass as biomass input to a gasification process to produce transportation fuels.
The Biomass Investment Group (BIG), based in Gulf Breeze (near Pensacola), is offering as much as $400 (around P20,000) per hectare per year for farmers who would be leasing their lands to the project according to papers submitted to the Sarangani Provincial Investment and Promotion Center. BIG is offering to pay the farmers five years in advance for leased lands.
E-grass usually refers to Miscanthus x giganteus, an infertile hybrid of other species of Miscanthus grasses. Miscanthus is a genus of about 15 species of perennial grasses native to subtropical and tropical regions of Africa and Asia.
Miscanthus is being grown experimentally in at least 10 European countries as an energy crop. The crop is established by planting pieces of the root called rhizomes, which are usually collected from nursery fields where miscanthus has already been established.
Miscanthus has relatively high yields of 8-15 tons/hectare (3-6 t/acre) dry weight, low moisture content, low mineral content, and a good energy balance and output/input ratio compared with some other biomass options. It requires about 25 inches of water per year to survive, tolerates brackish water, and uses a minimal amount of nutrients from the soil
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have concluded that Giant Miscanthus (Miscanthus x giganteus), a species of elephant grass, could serve as a clean substitute for solid fuel for use in power generation. They predicted that if just 10% of Illinois land mass was devoted to Miscanthus, it could provide 50% of Illinois electricity needs. Using Miscanthus for energy would not necessarily reduce energy costs in the short term, but there would be significant savings in carbon dioxide production.
BIG's business plan calls for the conversion of e-grass into electricity through gasification, with expansion into the conversion of the syngas into liquid fuels such as ethanol and eventually hydrogen. BIG eventually plans to offer complete bio-refineries, consisting of large-scale commercial production of e-grass and other dedicated crops for production of thermal and electrical energy, transportation fuels, and a variety of value-added bio-based products.
Resources:
1. ORNL Miscanthus factoid
2. treehugger--Loremo AG: Sporty 157 mpg Diesel
The concept is refreshingly simple: make an ultra-efficient car that's light, has exceptionally low drag, and sips diesel with a small engine. This is the Loremo AG, a car that is a combination
of innovative technology and back-to-basics thinking. To be shown at the upcoming car show in Geneva, this German creation claims a fuel economy of 157 mpg with no fancy hybrid drive train, fuel cells, or plug in paraphernalia. Weighing less than a thousand pounds, the sporty rear-wheel drive 4-seater is designed to be maximally aerodynamic. the Loremo sports a modest 2-cylinder, 20 hp turbo diesel motor, has a top speed of 100 mph, and does 0-60 in ten seconds. If that sounds like less than elite performance, the anticipated $13,000 price tag should put it in a bit more perspective. The Loremo is due to come onto the European market in 2009.
Loremo AG via I4U News
Egrass
Green Car Congress
February 20, 2006
A West Florida company is looking to rent 11,000 hectares (42.5 square miles) of land in the Philippines to grow e-grass as biomass input to a gasification process to produce transportation fuels.
The Biomass Investment Group (BIG), based in Gulf Breeze (near Pensacola), is offering as much as $400 (around P20,000) per hectare per year for farmers who would be leasing their lands to the project according to papers submitted to the Sarangani Provincial Investment and Promotion Center. BIG is offering to pay the farmers five years in advance for leased lands.
E-grass usually refers to Miscanthus x giganteus, an infertile hybrid of other species of Miscanthus grasses. Miscanthus is a genus of about 15 species of perennial grasses native to subtropical and tropical regions of Africa and Asia.
Miscanthus is being grown experimentally in at least 10 European countries as an energy crop. The crop is established by planting pieces of the root called rhizomes, which are usually collected from nursery fields where miscanthus has already been established.
Miscanthus has relatively high yields of 8-15 tons/hectare (3-6 t/acre) dry weight, low moisture content, low mineral content, and a good energy balance and output/input ratio compared with some other biomass options. It requires about 25 inches of water per year to survive, tolerates brackish water, and uses a minimal amount of nutrients from the soil
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have concluded that Giant Miscanthus (Miscanthus x giganteus), a species of elephant grass, could serve as a clean substitute for solid fuel for use in power generation. They predicted that if just 10% of Illinois land mass was devoted to Miscanthus, it could provide 50% of Illinois electricity needs. Using Miscanthus for energy would not necessarily reduce energy costs in the short term, but there would be significant savings in carbon dioxide production.
BIG's business plan calls for the conversion of e-grass into electricity through gasification, with expansion into the conversion of the syngas into liquid fuels such as ethanol and eventually hydrogen. BIG eventually plans to offer complete bio-refineries, consisting of large-scale commercial production of e-grass and other dedicated crops for production of thermal and electrical energy, transportation fuels, and a variety of value-added bio-based products.
Resources:
1. ORNL Miscanthus factoid
2. treehugger--Loremo AG: Sporty 157 mpg Diesel
The concept is refreshingly simple: make an ultra-efficient car that's light, has exceptionally low drag, and sips diesel with a small engine. This is the Loremo AG, a car that is a combination
of innovative technology and back-to-basics thinking. To be shown at the upcoming car show in Geneva, this German creation claims a fuel economy of 157 mpg with no fancy hybrid drive train, fuel cells, or plug in paraphernalia. Weighing less than a thousand pounds, the sporty rear-wheel drive 4-seater is designed to be maximally aerodynamic. the Loremo sports a modest 2-cylinder, 20 hp turbo diesel motor, has a top speed of 100 mph, and does 0-60 in ten seconds. If that sounds like less than elite performance, the anticipated $13,000 price tag should put it in a bit more perspective. The Loremo is due to come onto the European market in 2009.
Loremo AG via I4U News
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
NY Times says peak oil "almost certainly correct"
There is lots of positive information rolling past my eyes tonight. This article from the Energy Bulletin is one of them. It mentions the NYT as going on record and confirming peak oil! Further info is on the Oil Drum. But click here for the EB link.
"A Syriana Moment"--Early Warning blog
Stu has some very good writing skills. I implore you to bookmark this blog and go back to it often. I visited George Washington's mansion as a child while on a vacation. I remember the views he is talking about. I loved that place.
Click here to read "A Syriana Moment".
Click here to read "A Syriana Moment".
America's Transportation Network--(high speed rail)
On the way home from my training session for my new job, I happened to hear about a Purdue project called America's Transportation Project on NPR. Several people on my discussion group list had mentioned in the past ideas about how to reconstruct our infrastructure to accommodate light rail for passengers and high-speed rail for goods. Well, here it is. It's a group looking at ways to build a high-speed rail system down the medians of the highways already constructed. In our group, someone had already come up with that idea!
Here's the link.
Here's the link.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Oilephant Down--Richard Embleton
I have a friend from one of my Yahoogroups that has written a book! From what he has said, it is a non-fictional account of the end of the age of cheap oil from a Canadian perspective. I am going to buy it at my local store, so I haven't read it yet. I believe it is featured on 15 online sites now. The book's debut is not until March, though. I thought I'd give you all a "heads up" for my friend!
Here are the main online bookstore links to his book:
Barnes & Noble
Amazon
on edit: I stand corrected. The book is not fictional, it's non-fictional. I misunderstood and thought it was a *story* of a peak oil scenario from a Canadian perspective. Hope Richard forgives my mistake.
Here are the main online bookstore links to his book:
Barnes & Noble
Amazon
on edit: I stand corrected. The book is not fictional, it's non-fictional. I misunderstood and thought it was a *story* of a peak oil scenario from a Canadian perspective. Hope Richard forgives my mistake.
Monday, February 27, 2006
Links to Sustainability: acquaponics, organic farming, power generation
Hello!
Links to Sustainability: acquaponics, organic farming, power generation
Just a few links to whet your appetite for sustainable technology:
Acquaponics:
(barrel acquaponics & supplies)
Fish ponds
Web of Creation - Chapter 1
Web of Creation - Chapter 3
Mother Earth News
General Info
ibiblio.org (mostly older posts from 1990s)
and
ibiblio.org (a mixture of old and new as of 2005)
One Source in Particular:
March 27 & 28, 2006 - Barrel Aquaponics – Construction and Operation
Workshop, Bryson City, NC. Each participant will construct and learn
to operate a productive small-scale system capable of producing high
quality organic vegetables and fish. For more information or to
register, visit: Aqua Culture International, or write:
Aquaculture International, Inc., PO Box 606, Andrews, NC 28901
Videos of Aquaculture International Training (related to aquacultureinternational.org)
Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural areas
The Aquaponics Journal Site
Hydroponic Information and Magazine
S&S Aqua Farm
Helpful Aquaculture Fact Sheets
Western Regional Aquaculture Center
Center for Tropical and Subtropical Aquaculture
Aquaculture Network Information Center
Fisheries Publications at Texas A&M
Power Generation:
One source in particular caught my eye:
jxcrystals.com (Thermo-PV)
Quote:
Sustainable Wishes
Sustain_ability
Links to Sustainability: acquaponics, organic farming, power generation
Just a few links to whet your appetite for sustainable technology:
Acquaponics:
(barrel acquaponics & supplies)
Fish ponds
Web of Creation - Chapter 1
Web of Creation - Chapter 3
Mother Earth News
General Info
ibiblio.org (mostly older posts from 1990s)
and
ibiblio.org (a mixture of old and new as of 2005)
One Source in Particular:
March 27 & 28, 2006 - Barrel Aquaponics – Construction and Operation
Workshop, Bryson City, NC. Each participant will construct and learn
to operate a productive small-scale system capable of producing high
quality organic vegetables and fish. For more information or to
register, visit: Aqua Culture International, or write:
Aquaculture International, Inc., PO Box 606, Andrews, NC 28901
Videos of Aquaculture International Training (related to aquacultureinternational.org)
Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural areas
The Aquaponics Journal Site
Hydroponic Information and Magazine
S&S Aqua Farm
Helpful Aquaculture Fact Sheets
Western Regional Aquaculture Center
Center for Tropical and Subtropical Aquaculture
Aquaculture Network Information Center
Fisheries Publications at Texas A&M
Power Generation:
One source in particular caught my eye:
jxcrystals.com (Thermo-PV)
Quote:
Infrared Cell Technology: The foundation of the company is gallium antimonide (GaSb) photovoltaic cells, which respond to longer wavelength radiation than either traditional silicon cells or newer gallium arsenide cells. That is, anything which is hot radiates energy in waves of varying length; silicon cells and GaAs cells capture energy in the visible light spectrum, but not in the longer wavelength infrared spectrum.
GaSb cells make a new type of electric generator possible, because 90% of the available energy is in the infrared spectrum, beyond the band edge of silicon or GaAs cells. To put the significance of this in perspective, consider that a one cm2 silicon cell in direct sunlight will generate about 0.01 Watts and a GaSb cell of equal size will produce a full Watt in a fuel-fired system. Energy densities of more than 100 times are possible, so GaSb photovoltaic cells produced in high volume can generate electricity economically. Development of the first commercially viable "thermophotovoltaic" generator is seen as the top priority of JX Crystals, and the company holds twelve patents on the technology and a copyright on the name Midnight Sun®.
Sustainable Wishes
Sustain_ability
Sunday, February 26, 2006
I'm the Area Oil Awareness MeetUp Leader Now
I finally did it. I've succumbed to paying the $19/month to become the Oil Awareness Meetup leader for my area. So far, no joiners. I decided to do it so I won't have to drive to the designated locations outside of my town. I probably won't get many joiners because *they* probably don't want to drive to my town! Oh, well, we'll see what transpires. I had been on the list waiting for a group to start for over a year but nobody took the initiative.
I see where Peak Oil NYC has many members but not many attend all the meetings. If only 1 in 100,000 have joined in NYC, I probably won't have much luck. I'm trying anyway. If after a year nobody has joined, I'll just forget about it. There's probably going to be as much interest in this as I had with my "End of Suburbia" presentation--zilch.
I see where Peak Oil NYC has many members but not many attend all the meetings. If only 1 in 100,000 have joined in NYC, I probably won't have much luck. I'm trying anyway. If after a year nobody has joined, I'll just forget about it. There's probably going to be as much interest in this as I had with my "End of Suburbia" presentation--zilch.
Thursday, February 23, 2006
"My Name is Randy, And I'm Addicted To Oil"--Willamette Week Online
Willamette Week Online
Randy White was a few minutes late to his Wednesday-night meeting in the basement cafeteria of the St. Francis church in Southeast Portland.
He dragged a seat up to the 40 or so addicts who sat in a circle of folding chairs on the Smurf-blue linoleum.
Over the past year or so, White, 29, has gotten serious about throwing off the trappings of his old lifestyle, the habits that drove him to use more and more of the stuff, but it hasn't been easy.
By his own admission, White is still hopelessly hooked. It's hard, he confides, when almost everyone you know—even your wife—is strung out, too.
Randy White is addicted to oil.
Then again, he would say, so are the rest of us. At least he's trying to do something about it.
"I'm the guy waving his arms saying, 'Hey, wake up! This is important!'" White says.
Monday, February 20, 2006
Rob Hopkins--Peak Oil, the Loch Ness Monster and Energy Descent
via the Energy Bulletin here
OK, its a tenuous link but stick with me. Last week President Bush announced that the US is ‘addicted to oil’. He unveiled his version of what is going to be done about it, which doesn’t really come close to what actually needs to be done, and seems to amount to letting his friends build lots more nuclear power stations to produce hydrogen to keep the cars on the road, but I suppose we should see it as some kind of a start. It did however raise for me the question as to what we ‘peakniks’ are supposed to do once everyone cops on as to the reality of peak oil. If George Bush feels compelled to ‘fess up’, then we must be pretty close.
In Richard Heinberg’s book ‘Powerdown’, he identifies 4 options we can choose in the face of peak oil. they are Last Man Standing, which is the fight to the end for the last remaining resources (Dick Cheney’s “war that won’t end in our lifetimes”), Waiting for the Magic Elixir, that is the belief that ‘they’ will invent a new power source as versatile as oil and capable of being scaled up and rolled out to the world in a few years), Powerdown, a national government-led process of reorienting the economy for contraction and self-reliance, and Building Lifeboats, which is a ground-up process of communities building their own self reliance.
Bush’s speech comes closer to Waiting for the Magic Elixir than Powerdown. The thing that struck me about it, was that, as I have discussed in previous posts, peak oil is one of those things that people will ignore and deny until it has already happened, and then, once it has happened, all talk about as if they had always known about it. The other morning on Radio 5 Live a Liberal politician was talking and just dropping in the term peak oil as if he had been saying it since primary school.
The First Amendment (not PO related)
Red State, Meet Police State: Boise Weekly
I know this isn't peak oil related but it makes me mad and upset. What has become of our nation? Maybe this was one of the reasons why I grew up hating war and everything about it. Like excessive abusive drinking combined with family life, there is nothing positive about it as far as I can tell.
I know this isn't peak oil related but it makes me mad and upset. What has become of our nation? Maybe this was one of the reasons why I grew up hating war and everything about it. Like excessive abusive drinking combined with family life, there is nothing positive about it as far as I can tell.
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Karavans--another cool peak oil blog
"Cheney's Got A Gun"
Big Gav from Peak Energy linked me to this blog that had some lyrics to substitute for that Aerosmith song "Janie's Got a Gun". The link happens to be yet another nice peak oil blog.
Big Gav from Peak Energy linked me to this blog that had some lyrics to substitute for that Aerosmith song "Janie's Got a Gun". The link happens to be yet another nice peak oil blog.
Harvard Gazette: End of the fossil fuel era?
click here for full story
Simmons recommended starting to work on alternative energy sources now, rather than waiting for an energy shock. He said a major restructuring of the way freight is carried would help, reducing the reliance on trucks in favor of more efficient trains and barges.
He recommended a push to grow more foods closer to home to eliminate the long-distance shipping and encouraged the use of technology that would allow more people to work from home, saving gasoline spent today on long commutes and hours stuck in traffic.
He also recommended letting oil's price rise to reflect its true value. Higher oil prices, he said, would not only encourage conservation, they would increase profits for the industry, encourage new investment in infrastructure and exploration to find new oil sources.
"High energy prices are salvation," he said. "Low energy prices are a curse. The sooner people understand that, the better off we'll all be."
In addition to those moves to change how oil and natural gas are used, Simmons said increased use of coal and nuclear power will be in our energy future. Wind and solar power will also be part of the mix, he said, with wind power already competitive price-wise with oil, and solar power heading in that direction.
"This is a very easy issue for people to be in denial about," Simmons said
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
The Great Tsunami--Online Journal
click here for full story
To conclude, while I could go on and portray many other elements of the devastating effect that Peak Oil will have upon our society, my message to the American people is just this. To the millions upon millions of Americans who are content to be safely tucked into their protective cocoons, in a self-imposed state of apathy and disinterest relating to these massive problems that America faces, this may be the very final wake-up call. If we, as a nation do not collectively recognize the threat of this great tsunami, refuse to think more deeply or get educated and involved, we will be sealing the fate of our children, our grandchildren and those who follow. They are the ones who matter. We simply cannot refuse to address this monumental issue that threatens their very future existence!
When Peak Oil slams into our society with its tsunami-like force, there will be an instant negative effect on each and every one of us. The US government will have to take immediate measures to prioritize the uses of petroleum for the good of the nation in an effort to overcome the horrendous obstacles that we will face. I am sure that the military, our national police forces, energy providers, the agriculture industry, water supply sources and other critical users of gasoline and natural gas will be given the highest priorities. All other uses of petroleum will be given much lower priorities and will not be considered critical. And that is exactly why lifestyles will be altered drastically.
We simply cannot let our insatiable, our totally out-of-control thirst for oil, cripple our nation and our society as we stand in a completely docile, sheep-like state and just let it happen; just let nature take its course. Just as the Titanic went down with the loss of more than 1,500 passengers who believed she was invincible, Peak Oil will bring down America (and actually the entire world) if we, collectively, do not have the heart and the desire to get involved and demand solutions.
Bernanke: Look for more rate hikes--CNN Money
click here for full story
I thought this was funny. Read energy and food is not included in inflation rates!
I thought this was funny. Read energy and food is not included in inflation rates!
Bernanke said that, despite his inflation concerns, the Fed forecast that so-called "core" inflation measures, excluding volatile food and energy prices, should be up about 2 percent this year and 1.75 percent to 2 percent next year.
Pulled Plug on Renewable Energy Gurus--Denver Post
click here for full story
The day Carol Tombari got fired plays in her head like a scene from a cheesy espionage thriller.
She arrived at work and was told to appear at a mandatory meeting in 20 minutes. It was there that she learned she was being laid off and that she had five hours to pack and vacate the premises.
When she returned to her desk, her computer had been disabled, her phone service cut.
She had to cancel an appearance the next day at a regional mayors' caucus. Her presentation on the importance of energy efficiency to local governments was locked in her computer.
She was among the disappeared from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, where 31 workers were dismissed seven days after President Bush read the words "addicted to oil" off the teleprompter and announced yet another "Advanced Energy Initiative."
Monday, February 13, 2006
Hello from the Newest Member of the Peak Oil Premonitions Blog
Hello from the newest member of the Peak Oil Premonitions blog.
For almost a year I have studied the issue of depletion of "cheap oil" ( a.k.a. "big" oil). I believe it was used as part of a strategy developed during the Cold War of the 1950's. This involved dispersing the population of the densely populated areas of (the eastern half of) the USA towards the less populated regions. This necessitated the availability of an interstate highway network, the building of filling stations (some of which went on to develop a critical mass of people worthy of a town) and the creation of an automobile and trucking industry (to the detriment of trains and other mass transit methods).
The commensurate "development" model of business and commerce has, in my opinion, introduced a significant "distortion field" into the economic history of North America. The dependency on (ever increasing amounts of) imported oil grows larger. Both the political and economic impact of a disruption in oil (or other energy) supplies has already been felt, most recently in the aftermath of the Katrina and Rita hurricanes.
As a Christian, I believe we already have the spiritual foundation necessary to avoid the temptations of "modernity". Any alternatives to "modernity" should include a sense of optimism, community and self-fulfillment. The principles and methods of Permaculture go a long way in describing such alternatives in practical terms. Try browsing through http://www.technorati.com/search/permaculture and see if you don't agree.
Thank you for reading. Any constructive criticism is appreciated.
For almost a year I have studied the issue of depletion of "cheap oil" ( a.k.a. "big" oil). I believe it was used as part of a strategy developed during the Cold War of the 1950's. This involved dispersing the population of the densely populated areas of (the eastern half of) the USA towards the less populated regions. This necessitated the availability of an interstate highway network, the building of filling stations (some of which went on to develop a critical mass of people worthy of a town) and the creation of an automobile and trucking industry (to the detriment of trains and other mass transit methods).
The commensurate "development" model of business and commerce has, in my opinion, introduced a significant "distortion field" into the economic history of North America. The dependency on (ever increasing amounts of) imported oil grows larger. Both the political and economic impact of a disruption in oil (or other energy) supplies has already been felt, most recently in the aftermath of the Katrina and Rita hurricanes.
As a Christian, I believe we already have the spiritual foundation necessary to avoid the temptations of "modernity". Any alternatives to "modernity" should include a sense of optimism, community and self-fulfillment. The principles and methods of Permaculture go a long way in describing such alternatives in practical terms. Try browsing through http://www.technorati.com/search/permaculture and see if you don't agree.
Thank you for reading. Any constructive criticism is appreciated.
Kenneth Deffeyes--Join Us as we Watch the Crisis Unfolding
click here for story
In the January 2004 Current Events on this web site, I predicted that world oil production would peak on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 2005. In hindsight, that prediction was in error by three weeks. An update using the 2005 data shows that we passed the peak on December 16, 2005.
"A decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires" that I present an update on the data sources and the interpretation.
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Adding a contributor to my blog
Since I'm hitting a particular time in my life busy with a new full-time job and a child getting ready to enter college in the fall, I'm adding another member to the blog in order to keep the blog from standing still for long periods of time. Trying to train for this new job, getting ready for a high school graduation this spring, trying to start seeds for the garden, and helping to fill out and prepare scholarship applications is proving to push out quality time I'd like to spend here on my blog right now.
My new co-blogger is a very intelligent person I've found on the ROE2 group. His name is George and he is from Canada. I hope you will enjoy his contributions. His approval from blogger is pending, and hopefully his entry status will be operational soon. Please give him a warm welcome with his first entry.
My new co-blogger is a very intelligent person I've found on the ROE2 group. His name is George and he is from Canada. I hope you will enjoy his contributions. His approval from blogger is pending, and hopefully his entry status will be operational soon. Please give him a warm welcome with his first entry.
U.S. Plans Massive Data Sweep--Christian Science Monitor
click here for full story
I bet I have an interesting file. What about you?
I bet I have an interesting file. What about you?
The US government is developing a massive computer system that can collect huge amounts of data and, by linking far-flung information from blogs and e-mail to government records and intelligence reports, search for patterns of terrorist activity.
The system - parts of which are operational, parts of which are still under development - is already credited with helping to foil some plots. It is the federal government's latest attempt to use broad data-collection and powerful analysis in the fight against terrorism. But by delving deeply into the digital minutiae of American life, the program is also raising concerns that the government is intruding too deeply into citizens' privacy.
"We don't realize that, as we live our lives and make little choices, like buying groceries, buying on Amazon, Googling, we're leaving traces everywhere," says Lee Tien, a staff attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation. "We have an attitude that no one will connect all those dots. But these programs are about connecting those dots - analyzing and aggregating them - in a way that we haven't thought about. It's one of the underlying fundamental issues we have yet to come to grips with."
The core of this effort is a little-known system called Analysis, Dissemination, Visualization, Insight, and Semantic Enhancement (ADVISE). Only a few public documents mention it. ADVISE is a research and development program within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), part of its three-year-old "Threat and Vulnerability, Testing and Assessment" portfolio. The TVTA received nearly $50 million in federal funding this year.
Saturday, February 11, 2006
The Permanent Energy Crisis--Michael T. Klare
click here for story
President Bush's State of the Union comment that the United States is "addicted to oil" can be read as pure political opportunism. With ever more Americans expressing anxiety about high oil prices, freakish weather patterns, and abiding American ties to unsavory foreign oil potentates, it is hardly surprising that Bush sought to portray himself as an advocate of the development of alternative energy systems. But there is another, more ominous way to read his comments: that top officials have come to realize that the United States and the rest of the world face a new and growing danger – a permanent energy crisis that imperils the health and well-being of every society on earth.
To be sure, the United States has experienced severe energy crises before: the 1973-74 "oil shock" with its mile-long gas lines; the 1979-80 crisis following the fall of the Shah of Iran; the 2000-01 electricity blackouts in California, among others. But the crisis taking shape in 2006 has a new look to it. First of all, it is likely to last for decades, not just months or a handful of years; second, it will engulf the entire planet, not just a few countries; and finally, it will do more than just cripple the global economy -- its political, military, and environmental effects will be equally severe.
Sunday, February 05, 2006
More Technical Difficulties
Well, I THOUGHT I had added some new entries the past few days but now they don't seem to come up. Hmmm. Weird. I saw them on my site yesterday. They aren't even in my save/edit files. Sorry.
Friday, January 27, 2006
Ready for $262/barrel oil? : CNN Money (this caught my attention!)
CNN Money, click here
Exerpt:
Although there are long-term answers like ethanol, what's needed is a crash conservation effort in the United States. This doesn't have to be command-and-control style. Moral suasion counts for a lot, and if the president suggested staying home with family every other Sunday or otherwise cutting back on unnecessary drives, he could please the family values crowd while also changing the psychology of the oil market by showing that the U.S. government is serious about easing any potential bottlenecks.
Similarly, he could finally get the government to tighten fuel-efficiency standards and encourage both Detroit and drivers to end decades of steadily increasing gas consumption. These kinds of steps would create a little headroom until new supplies do become available or threats like Iran's current leadership or the Iraqi insurgency fade.
It's been done it before. For all the cracks about Jimmy Carter in a cardigan and his malaise speech, America did reduce its use of oil following the price shocks of the 1970s, and laid the groundwork for low energy prices in the 1980s and 1990s. But it would require spending political capital, and offending traditional White House allies, and that's something this president doesn't seem to want to do.
Exerpt:
Although there are long-term answers like ethanol, what's needed is a crash conservation effort in the United States. This doesn't have to be command-and-control style. Moral suasion counts for a lot, and if the president suggested staying home with family every other Sunday or otherwise cutting back on unnecessary drives, he could please the family values crowd while also changing the psychology of the oil market by showing that the U.S. government is serious about easing any potential bottlenecks.
Similarly, he could finally get the government to tighten fuel-efficiency standards and encourage both Detroit and drivers to end decades of steadily increasing gas consumption. These kinds of steps would create a little headroom until new supplies do become available or threats like Iran's current leadership or the Iraqi insurgency fade.
It's been done it before. For all the cracks about Jimmy Carter in a cardigan and his malaise speech, America did reduce its use of oil following the price shocks of the 1970s, and laid the groundwork for low energy prices in the 1980s and 1990s. But it would require spending political capital, and offending traditional White House allies, and that's something this president doesn't seem to want to do.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
The Proposed Iranian Bourse
energybulletin.net
Everybody and their brother has probably already read this or has blogged about it but I thought it was an extremely important article to emphasize if you haven't read it already. It doesn't sound very good.
Everybody and their brother has probably already read this or has blogged about it but I thought it was an extremely important article to emphasize if you haven't read it already. It doesn't sound very good.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Friday, January 20, 2006
Under Strains of Peak Oil and Gas,Ideology Stretches to the Limit
www.fromthewilderness.com
Hello all. I know. I'm slacking on my entries lately. My excuse? Found a new job and have been searching online for scholarships for my daughter to fill out to help ME (and her)with expenses. I know--some of you are saying she should worry about that herself. I can't change horses at this stage in the game. I've beat college into her head since she could walk. So, if I can help her get at least $1000 in scholarships to pay for books, she can spend the rest of the spring/summer saving her money, too.
I am now going to be a WIC supervisor. This will provide nutritional education and vouchers for the local Farmer's Market for them to use! I will be promoting sustainability!
Anyway, to the point. I post this article because it gives reference to someone I "know" (well, at least via e-mail in a yahoogroup). His name is Tom Wayburn and I have a link in my sidebar to his site. He is a very intelligent person who has been thinking about how an adequate political system might be established with peak oil in mind. He calls his idea of a more perfect sustainable political system "anarcho-communism". Obviously, Mr./Dr. Wayburn has written other articles for FTW of which I've missed. But it was nice to see his name "in lights" so-to-speak.
The article also mentions my other favorites like Chalmers and Nader, and gives reference to my favorite villian Perle. I've heard of Thomas Friedman before but I don't think I've read his work. There was an article in the local newspaper the other day where our local high school's career center principal mentioned how he was reading a book by Thomas Friedman, and how he could relate to what Friedman said in the book concerning what he needs to teach the students at the career center if they are to be successful. Ugh to this--if Friedman is positing right-sided economics.
My entries may be far and few inbetween or sporadic. I'm going through lots of changes this year just as the world is.....
Hello all. I know. I'm slacking on my entries lately. My excuse? Found a new job and have been searching online for scholarships for my daughter to fill out to help ME (and her)with expenses. I know--some of you are saying she should worry about that herself. I can't change horses at this stage in the game. I've beat college into her head since she could walk. So, if I can help her get at least $1000 in scholarships to pay for books, she can spend the rest of the spring/summer saving her money, too.
I am now going to be a WIC supervisor. This will provide nutritional education and vouchers for the local Farmer's Market for them to use! I will be promoting sustainability!
Anyway, to the point. I post this article because it gives reference to someone I "know" (well, at least via e-mail in a yahoogroup). His name is Tom Wayburn and I have a link in my sidebar to his site. He is a very intelligent person who has been thinking about how an adequate political system might be established with peak oil in mind. He calls his idea of a more perfect sustainable political system "anarcho-communism". Obviously, Mr./Dr. Wayburn has written other articles for FTW of which I've missed. But it was nice to see his name "in lights" so-to-speak.
The article also mentions my other favorites like Chalmers and Nader, and gives reference to my favorite villian Perle. I've heard of Thomas Friedman before but I don't think I've read his work. There was an article in the local newspaper the other day where our local high school's career center principal mentioned how he was reading a book by Thomas Friedman, and how he could relate to what Friedman said in the book concerning what he needs to teach the students at the career center if they are to be successful. Ugh to this--if Friedman is positing right-sided economics.
My entries may be far and few inbetween or sporadic. I'm going through lots of changes this year just as the world is.....
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Local Ethanol Plant Hearings Report
cornTonight, I attended a hearing regarding a local ethanol plant that is to be built here in my county on the outskirts of town. The hearing was busting at the seams with people. It was standing room only. I couldn't figure out if the majority were for the building of the plant or against it. Several of the people were from out of town, from pipefitter unions and such. I don't understand why they would be interested. I don't even know who was in charge of the hearings. I'm guessing it was the state's environmental agency because the discussion was about emissions and the permit the plant would have regulating the percentage of emissions (if I understand this right).
This community is practically void of new, decent paying jobs and the community is almost willing to have anything come here. There are also those NIMBYs who are worried about possible problems with safety. These NIMBYs are already surrounded by an airport and the landfill.
I imagine the reason so many people attended the hearing was because there was this huge half-page ad in the paper with pictures of other ethanol plant explosions and the fires they have produced. It kind of got MY attention!
Most of you who are polished up on your alternative/renewable energy points already know the finer aspects of ethanol production. I really feel compelled to write another LTTE regarding these points. I don't know if I will or not. Maybe I'll wait and see what others write-in before I do. You know, I would like to refer people to the facts regarding exponential growth and present consumption rates. In other words, whether we will need to choose between eating or driving because more and more arable land will be needed for the production of ethanol. I just have these gastly images in my mind 20 years from now when I think I'll see acres and acres of cornfields around me but unable to eat it, and I'll be starving all because it's being used for ethanol production!!!
Somebody at the meeting brought up that the ethanol plant would bring other businesses here including dry ice plants and dairy farmers???? How would this be? Why would a dairy farmer come here because of an ethanol plant? I envision the dairy farmer not being able to buy any land around here because it will all be used up for corn--->ethanol production!
Ah, well. I guess it's better than a nuclear plant in my backyard. People just don't seem to "get it" though. Everybody doesn't understand that no combination of anything will replace or cater to our present way of living and exponentially growing consumption rates like oil has. I guess I should be happy that people are willing to wean themselves off of oil. That's a step forward, at least.
ON EDIT: I found some interesting discussion about ethanol on The Oil Drum. I'm going to print a copy of the discussion, copy it off, and then send it to my mayor, the councils, and my opinion page editor of whom I know.
Walgreens to harness power of the sun
www.greenbiz.com
I've been boycotting Walmart and going to Walgreens. Walgreens DOES give more money to the Republican party but, hey, I have to weigh the evils somehow. I try to buy from local places as much as possible but there just isn't anywhere I can buy a locally-made iron or some laundry soap around here, for instance. So, anyway, I'm happy to see Walgreens doing something in an energy-conscious fashion. I think it would be so neat to see them do that at MY store but things like this are never done in small little towns like mine. Here's part of the article:
I've been boycotting Walmart and going to Walgreens. Walgreens DOES give more money to the Republican party but, hey, I have to weigh the evils somehow. I try to buy from local places as much as possible but there just isn't anywhere I can buy a locally-made iron or some laundry soap around here, for instance. So, anyway, I'm happy to see Walgreens doing something in an energy-conscious fashion. I think it would be so neat to see them do that at MY store but things like this are never done in small little towns like mine. Here's part of the article:
DENVER, Colo., Jan. 12, 2006 - Drugstore giant Walgreens has partnered with ImaginIt Inc., a Denver-based clean energy solutions company, to install solar electric systems in 96 stores and two distribution centers in California and 16 stores in New Jersey.
Solar roof tiles will enable each facility to generate between 20% and 50% of its own electricity on site. The stores will host solar electric systems that will replace energy equivalent to more than 22 million gallons of gas and avoid hundreds of tons of carbon dioxide emissions comparable to growing more than 5 million tree seedlings.
The new systems will generate more than 13.8 million kilowatt-hours per year, making this the largest solar project ever completed in the United States. The first systems are expected to be operational in early 2006.
"Climate change, air pollution, and depletion of natural resources are some of the most significant environmental problems facing the world today," said Tom Bergseth, divisional vice president of facilities, planning and design for Walgreens. "We're excited about implementing this progressive approach toward using clean, renewable energy to benefit the communities we serve."
Monday, January 09, 2006
Hard Drive Burned Up. Spyware Abounds.
Sorry but the hard drive on my laptop had burned up almost literally! I had to purchase another hard drive--so everything I had on the old one is gone now. Oh well. Purchased a cooler to place under the laptop for this new one.
Now my main objective is to try and build Fort Knox-like anti-spyware into my computer. It's getting really bad. I suppose it's the Yahoogroups I read and all the surfing I do when I click on people's links. On my other computer, I have this terrible one called Virtumonde or something like that. I can't seem to get rid of it. I delete it every day at least once. It or another type of spyware/hijacker takes control of my browser and redirects it. I can't even search for anything on Google without it redirecting to what looks like the Lycos search engine, then it sometimes goes to sites not to my liking, if you know what I mean. Brother!
I just went to Lavasoft and downloaded some anti-spyware including Spybot S&D, AdAware SE Personal, and Counter Spy. I tried XoftSpy but it requires purchasing it after identifying spyware from a free scan. I'm half afraid to purchase anything online like that for fear it's a counterfeit site!
I went from IE to Mozilla Firefox as a browser after others' suggestions. Any other suggestions?
Now my main objective is to try and build Fort Knox-like anti-spyware into my computer. It's getting really bad. I suppose it's the Yahoogroups I read and all the surfing I do when I click on people's links. On my other computer, I have this terrible one called Virtumonde or something like that. I can't seem to get rid of it. I delete it every day at least once. It or another type of spyware/hijacker takes control of my browser and redirects it. I can't even search for anything on Google without it redirecting to what looks like the Lycos search engine, then it sometimes goes to sites not to my liking, if you know what I mean. Brother!
I just went to Lavasoft and downloaded some anti-spyware including Spybot S&D, AdAware SE Personal, and Counter Spy. I tried XoftSpy but it requires purchasing it after identifying spyware from a free scan. I'm half afraid to purchase anything online like that for fear it's a counterfeit site!
I went from IE to Mozilla Firefox as a browser after others' suggestions. Any other suggestions?
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