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Evade Human Extinction Now!

Evade Human Extinction Now!

After watching The 11th Hour, an environmental film on a scale even greater than An Inconvenient Truth, I came away with several new understandings.

First of all, the climate change issue of global warming is really only the worst of a self-inflicted interconnected web of issues killing off species the world over. Together, all of these issues, from deforestation, to pollution, to killing off 90% of sea life, (something we've already done) are adding up to the perfect storm that will wipe the human species off the face of the planet in only a few generations if we don't act now. It isn't just global warming anymore. It isn't just pollution anymore. It isn't just species extinctions anymore. It isn't just crazy weather anymore. It isn't just overflowing land fills anymore. It's Evade Human Extinction Now!

As with everything else that is a result of a collective cultural insanity, framing the issue is one major key to solving it.

This Earth will continue spinning around the Sun whether or not we exist upon it. We are making the choice, in the next ten to fifteen years, whether or not most life, including humans, will survive on this planet. It is that simple, and that direct, and that urgent.

The good news is, once we have enough awareness built up out there, and the collective grass roots will to change, human society is capable of changing quite radically in a very short time. If Detroit can completely retool in six months during the 1940's from making cars to making tanks and airplanes, so can the rest of global industry.

Already, per The 11th Hour, there are over one million environmental activist organizations around the world beginning to act in concert to effect large scale change.

If we as a species do not follow their lead, the humankind can not survive more than another century or two on this planet. If we get it together, and work together, we can have a long and healthy run on this planet, and beyond. We can save the future of innumerable other species as well, many of which our own survival depends on in subtle but critical ways.

Watch The 11th Hour all the way through, and you'll see an integrated presentation of the problems we face during the first half. That alone is more than most other films on such subjects have achieved. Many present only one facet of a larger picture. The 11th Hour goes on to also present an integrated array of solutions. If there were unlimited time, perhaps many of those solutions could be explored more in depth, but there is plenty there to present the overall picture of a society of solutions instead of a society of destruction or of regression.

It is NOT necessary to go back to stone knives, berries, roots, and wearing skins. It is simply necessary to re-design modern society to be able to function withing the available resources and that preserves the diversity of life on this planet, including humans. Additionally, many possible resources we have available that would be beneficial instead of harmful are grossly under-utilized. In a strange way, this is actually good news, as it gives us something good to change TO.

Critically important is the concept that every person in global society votes, regardless of their age, every single time they make a purchase. Granted, what happens in the political voting booth has huge repercussions, but every day we vote with every bit of currency we spend as well.

So, to Evade Human Extinction Now, what we really need to do is love and respect life, use forms of energy that are beneficial to life, and respect the rights of nature to coexist with us. If we don't respect the rights of natural systems to exist, they will ultimately fail - and no technology can save us from the loss of our own right to exist.

Evade Human Extinction Now! - Our grandchildren and great grandchildren will be very grateful for it, and even we ourselves will end up with better lives as a result.

Choose life. I know we can do it. What I don't know is if we will do it.

With great hope,

Dan Stafford
Publisher: The Great Lakes Zephyr - Wind Energy & Hydrogen Journal
Publisher: The 1st Church of Healing The Earth

How Green Does Your Garden Grow?

May 2008 How Does Your Garden Grow? Organic Gardening is Great for You, Your Family and the Planet Spring is definitely in the air. That means warm breezes, longer days and thawing ground. It’s also the start of gardening season in most parts of North America. Gardening is often described as the world's most popular leisure activity, and it's not hard to see why. There’s the ease of entry; the educational, psychological and physical benefits; the rich history; the family friendliness; and the generally low cost (despite that book about the $64 tomato). In fact, a number of observers have speculated that gardening actually grows in popularity during economic downturns, since people are likely to spend more time closer to home. Naturally, gardening can produce beautiful blooms and delicious fresh produce for you, your family and your neighbors to enjoy. By growing your own, you can control exactly what goes in your food, so there is no question about the food or flowers’ organic status. Conventional flowers, for instance, are raised with tremendous amounts of pesticides (since they aren't consumed), but it's easy to get great results at home, even if you only have room for a couple of containers on a deck or balcony. And don't forget that every plant you nurture takes a breath of carbon dioxide out of the air, helping to fight global warming. Greenery also helps naturally cool your outdoor space, reversing the heat island effect. It can shield your home from noise and prying eyes, and absorbs air and waterborne pollutants. Gardens also provide valuable habitat for wildlife, from bees to birds to larger creatures. Some tips to help you fight frustration, and green that thumb: 1. Pull weeds instead of spraying chemicals. Conventional herbicides are usually poisonous, so you don't want your pets or kids wallowing in the residue or tracking it inside. Weeding is great exercise. 2. Cultivate good soil and compost. The soil is your foundation, so take care of it. There are entire books about how to get the richest compost, no matter where you live or how much room you have, but all you really need is a place to keep clippings and table scraps moist. 3. Water often, and in the morning if possible. You'll cut waste to evaporation and promote healthy plants. 4. Choose native and heirloom plants. You're likely to get great results with natives, and support the most wildlife. Heirlooms can be tricky because they often are susceptible to disease, so research the variety first. You may have to get creative to prop up their defenses, such as planting complementary crops or sterilizing your soil first with the sun. 5. Try organic treatments. Going organic doesn't mean leaving your garden to fend for itself. There are a number of plant-derived sprays showing up, even in conventional nurseries, to control wilts, insect pests and nutrient deficiencies. Get a book on organic gardening and start experimenting! Gardening can be extremely rewarding. Don't get discouraged when you hit a bump. Some years you'll seem to get nary a tomato, but then the next you'll be blessed with so many of the sweetest, most glorious beefsteaks that you won't be able to give them all away. A Free Service of E-The Environmental Home | Subscribe | Advertise | About Us | Contact | Privacy Policy

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UW-Madison News Release--Putting Local Foods On The Map

> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
> 5/14/08
>
> EDITOR'S NOTE: Visit the student-created 100-Mile Diet Map at http://www.chickmappers.com/100miledietmap
>
> CONTACT: Althea Archer, (218) 556-8053, aaarcher@wisc.edu; Heidi Banfi, (608) 698-3384, hmbanfi@gmail.com; Fran Ellsworth, (608) 239-4772, fran.ellsworth@gmail.com; Megan Turner, (608) 332-4572, mnturner@wisc.edu
>
> UW-MADISON GEOGRAPHY STUDENTS PUT LOCAL FOODS ON THE MAP
>
> MADISON - As temperatures warm, farm fields begin to green and outdoor farmers' markets get under way, the time is ripe for thinking about local foods. For Madison residents, finding locally produced foods is now just a mouse click away.
>
> Four University of Wisconsin-Madison geography students have created an interactive, online map of food sources within 100 miles of Madison. Their 100-Mile Diet Map aims to educate consumers and provide a central resource for those interested in eating close to home.
>
> Touted as a way to access fresher food from known sources, reduce transportation costs and invest in the local economy, the 100-mile diet refers to eating only foods that were grown or produced within a 100-mile radius of your home. First described by a Canadian couple in 2005, the 100-mile diet concept has grown in popularity recently as people become more concerned about the environmental and social consequences of their food choices.
>
> The idea resonated strongly with a group of geographic information systems (GIS) certificate program students enrolled this spring in geography professor Mark Harrower's Animated and Web-Based Mapping class. For Althea Archer, of Bemidji, Minn.; Heidi Banfi, of Deerfield, Wis.; Fran Ellsworth, of Madison; and Megan Turner, of Madison, a 100-Mile Diet Map sounded like the perfect end-of-semester project.
>
> Harrower, a cartographer, challenges his students to design Web-based maps that address real-world problems. "Who needs this map, and who's going to use it? What community would benefit?" he asks. "We don't just make stuff for the heck of it; we make it because there's an obvious need."
>
> Madison is lucky to have a variety of local eating resources, says Turner, but information is often scattered and not always user-friendly. "Maps are a powerful tool to clarify concepts and to organize data," she says. "We wanted to make it visually appealing with simple directions while also functional."
>
> In addition, the reality of eating locally can seem daunting even for people interested in trying it. "I think people view it as a challenge," says Banfi. "One of the goals of our map is to show that it's easy."
>
> "The food map is a great example of taking on … a really current topic," Harrower says. "It's such a geographic and spatial problem, and yet I've not seen any maps that help you figure this one out."
>
> One of his requirements is that students work with real data. The food map group members gathered much of their information from local organizations, including the Madison-based nonprofit Research, Education, Action and Policy on Food Group (REAP) and the Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition (MACSAC).
>
> An initial public version of their map, available at http://www.chickmappers.com/100miledietmap, shows the locations of a variety of local-food sources, including farms, farmers' markets, food cooperatives and restaurants that serve locally produced items. For each, an icon links to contact information and what products are available, from fresh fruits and vegetables to meats, cheeses and eggs. Other links direct users to general information about the 100-mile diet, the benefits of local eating and ways to plan a diet based on seasonal local foods.
>
> Map users can tailor the food map to their own needs by selecting a subset of information - for example, viewing sources of a specific type of product or finding nearby farms involved in community-supported agriculture, a system where people can buy farm shares at the beginning of the growing season in return for a share of the harvest throughout the year.
>
> "The benefit of having this be an interactive Web map is that there are lots of different layers," says Archer. "The average user who just wants to know what the 100-mile diet is can go to the Web site and read and learn more. But if you're already doing it and you're in the middle of winter, and you realize, 'Oh no, I'm running out of vegetables - where can I get some?' you can use it too."
>
> Of course, some foods cannot be produced locally in Wisconsin - coffee, chocolate and olive oil are three big ones - but the students point out that consumers still have choices about where to buy such products. For example, they've chosen to include local coffee roasters and chocolatiers on their map.
>
> "Even if the source for the coffee isn't local, at least the processing is done locally," Archer says.
>
> Ellsworth adds, "I think there will always be food products that people aren't willing or able to give up that aren't locally sourced. But I think minimizing them is the goal. I'm not giving up my bananas. But there's no reason we should get spinach from California."
>
> She and the other students hope to dispel the idea that eating locally requires radical changes and to show how small steps can fit into many everyday lifestyles.
>
> "The goal of this isn't to be hard and fast and not eat anything from outside of 100 miles, it's trying to get people's attention shifted more toward that idea," says Ellsworth. "If everyone tried to incorporate as many food items from within 100 miles as possible, that's a lot more powerful than five people being so strict that they won't even cook their food in olive oil."
>
> They also challenge the notion that local products are more expensive than conventionally sourced counterparts.
>
> "Especially with food costs skyrocketing and gasoline prices going up, it may be cheaper to buy a quarter of a cow - or whatever - from a local farmer and put it in the freezer," Banfi explains. "Educating people about their other options is important."
>
> Though the food map started as a class project, the women will continue to maintain and expand it, possibly adding interactive resources such as recipes, blogs and even food preservation tutorials. They also intend to make the map seasonal so users can see what products are available even in the dead of winter. Ultimately, they hope to see this type of map expand beyond Madison and even beyond the state.
>
> "It's a lot of work … But I really want to see it nationwide, so that you can put in your address and find out what sources are available within 100 miles," Archer says. "That's the big-picture dream."
>
> All four women will receive their professional GIS certificates this month.
> ###
> - Jill Sakai, (608) 262-9772, jasakai@wisc.edu
>
>
>
> ****************************************************
> For questions or comments about UW-Madison's email
> news release system, please send an email to:
> releases@news.wisc.edu
>
> For more UW-Madison news, please visit:
> http://www.news.wisc.edu/
>
> University Communications
> University of Wisconsin-Madison
> 27 Bascom Hall
> 500 Lincoln Drive
> Madison, WI 53706
>
> Phone: (608) 262-3571
> Fax: (608) 262-2331
>

David Suzuki Presents: Cosmetic Detox

	People practically kill themselves just to look good. No joke. Most of us slather our bodies with toxic chemicals without even knowing it. It’s enough to make you (and the planet) sick.  To help you make safe, healthy (and inexpensive!) choices when it comes to personal cosmetics, the Queen of Green Lindsay Coulter is back with tips and recipes for a luxurious home green spa treatment.  And because last month’s Greener Cleaner issue triggered a flood of reader mail, we’ve set up The Green Room – a place to air and share the green living conversation. Come on in! She’s back! Lindsay’s recipes and tips on safe cosmetics Read the ingredients list on your deodorant, shampoo and other cosmetics lately? Lots of multi-syllable words you’ve never heard of? Be wary of those. We smear and spray ourselves daily with concoctions that contain potentially harmful chemicals, some of which have been linked to cancer, birth defects, learning disabilities and other major health problems. Not to worry, help is here! Come on in to Lindsay Coulter’s Green Spa, for a demonstration on how to pamper yourself (and your friends) the safe and healthy way! More... Which plastics are reusable (and which are toxic)? We want to say one word to you, just one word: plastics. Most are made of petrochemicals (the same stuff we use to fuel our vehicles, in increasingly short supply), and come in several varieties, many of which are recyclable. Since we’re suggesting you re-use plastic containers for homemade green cosmetics and cleaners, here’s some info on which ones are the safest for refills. (Think about it. Will you think about it? Apologies to The Graduate) More... The Green Room (keeping the conversation going) This newsletter is all about conversation (kind of like a talk show!) only on this program you’re the audience and the guest. And boy do you have a lot to say! We got so much mail from last month’s issue, we’re inviting you all into our new Green Room so you can read (and respond), too. See you there! More... Some things you can do right now Here’s this month’s list of easy green living ideas. Send us your tip sheet (pdf) and you could win a copy of David Suzuki's It's a Matter of Survival.  More...   Please pass this information on - to friends, neighbours, colleagues, classmates, political representatives - everyone. The more people understand the problems and how to fix them, the closer we all are to a healthier world.
In this Issue Lindsay Coulter’s recipes and tips on safe cosmetics Which plastics are reusable (and which are toxic)? The Green Room (keeping the conversation going) Some things you can do right now     Take Action Now: Hold an at-home Green Spa Hang your laundry out to dry Eat green fish Check your cosmetic IQ This issue is all about how you can lower your personal toxic load by using clean cosmetics. Want to test your knowledge on the subject? Try this quiz! Eco-Trivia A University of London study suggests that men who live in heavily polluted environments may be balding faster than those in cleaner areas. It seems that chemicals in the air block hair from developing properly. Know some great eco-trivia? Tell us about it! Share this newsletter --------------------------- Gail Mainster, Editor Email the Editor Join David Suzuki on Facebook --------------------------- Please forward this message to family and friends, and encourage them to sign up for free e-updates from the David Suzuki Foundation. ---------------------------- ---------------------------- The David Suzuki Foundation values your privacy and does not sell or trade email addresses. Please see our privacy policy for more information. ----------------------------

UW-Madison News Release--Wisconsin lakes/service learning proj

> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
> 5/13/08
>
> CONTACT: Dominique Brossard, (608) 263-4701, dbrossard@wisc.edu
>
> CLASS WORKS TO PROTECT WISCONSIN LAKES IN SERVICE LEARNING PROJECT
>
> MADISON - The mention of Eurasian water-milfoil and zebra mussels in Dominique Brossard's strategic communication class last February had students rolling their eyes and swapping puzzled looks.
>
> But after a semester of carefully tailoring multimedia campaigns to help a Wisconsin non-profit group get the word out about lake preservation, that initial bewilderment was replaced by an enthusiasm that could help keep state lakes free of invasive species.
>
> "My family owns a cabin on a lake and when I learned more about these aquatic invasive species, I felt that this has to stop. This was a local project. It gave us more of a drive to make it great and have an impact," says Jared Davis, a senior from Wisconsin Rapids.
>
> Brossard's class, in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, was helped by a grant from the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Morgridge Center for Public Service, which she wrote along with UW Extension professor Bret Shaw. Students tackled a service learning project aimed at building awareness for the state's Clean Boats, Clean Waters mission.
>
> The group informs Wisconsin boaters about aquatic invasive species and encourages them to inspect and wash their boats after each use so they don't transport invasive species from lake to lake.
>
> In the past, the class had worked with high-profile Midwestern companies, such as Schwinn. But those projects didn't always resonate like the Clean Boats, Clean Waters campaign.
>
> "It was kind of a good surprise to work on something so local. With Clean Boats, Clean Waters, you can see how you can make a difference," says Katie Mioni, a junior from Rockford, Ill.
>
> Brossard divided her class into six project teams of about five students each and each devised a multimedia campaign to raise awareness of the problem and encourage behavior change. Last week, the teams made their final, 12-minute presentation to leaders of Clean Boats, Clean Waters and UW Extension.
>
> "I'm just blown away. They all looked so professional," says Erin Henegar, volunteer coordinator for Clean Boats, Clean Waters, which is based at UW-Stevens Point. "I'm totally amazed. In every single one of them, there is something we can use. They did a ton of work for us, so we can pick and choose."
>
> The campaigns were designed with a hypothetical $200,000 budget and involved everything from print and radio ads to advertisements on social networking sites such as Facebook and viral videos. Students also came up with promotional events such as fishing clinics for kids, fish cooking contests and giveaways of bucket and boat-cleaning sponges in the shape of the state.
>
> They built the campaigns based on actual survey and focus group research conducted with groups of lake users.
>
> Brossard says the ability to see their work put into practice provided some extra incentive for her students.
>
> "It was very motivational to have a project that was so local, and the quality of their work and their creativity were great," says Brossard.
>
> One of the groups, Stream Line Media, also drew some inspiration from this spring's retirement of Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre. It underscored for the group how attached Wisconsinites are to their state and its traditions.
>
> They built their campaign around the slogan, "Wisconsin's Been Good to You. Return the Favor."
>
> "A lot of the current messages are too informational for the normal person to care. We're trying to move toward a more emotional stance to get people more involved," says Matthew Wisniewski, a junior from Sun Prairie. "A lot of our ads are hitting on the emotional attachment people have to Wisconsin."
>
> Slogans for some of the other campaigns included "Preservation for the Future Generation," "Locals Only: Keep Invasive Species Out," "Are Aquatic Hitchhikers Ruining Your Experience at the Lake?" and a campaign using wild West wanted posters that ask "Are You Harboring This Criminal?"
>
> Another group used graphic depictions of people swimming and water skiing through weed-clogged lakes and asked: "Is This What You Had in Mind?"
>
> Brossard says she hopes to get students involved in more of these service learning projects that reach out to the state in the tradition of the Wisconsin Idea - that the boundaries of the campus are the boundaries of the state, and beyond.
>
> For more information about Clean Boats, Clean Waters, visit: http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/uwexlakes/CBCW
> ###
> - Dennis Chaptman, (608) 262-9406, dchaptman@wisc.edu
>
>
>
> ****************************************************
> For questions or comments about UW-Madison's email
> news release system, please send an email to:
> releases@news.wisc.edu
>
> For more UW-Madison news, please visit:
> http://www.news.wisc.edu/
>
> University Communications
> University of Wisconsin-Madison
> 27 Bascom Hall
> 500 Lincoln Drive
> Madison, WI 53706
>
> Phone: (608) 262-3571
> Fax: (608) 262-2331
>

The Sundance Channel is extending the Green throughout the summer with some new programming:

The Sundance Channel is extending the Green throughout the summer with some new programming:

Outrageous Wasters,” a four-part series that follows a single family through an ultra-crash course in eco-aware living, designed to transform them from energy-guzzling “meanies” to tree-loving “greenies” in two weeks.    Kicking off on July 29 at 9pm et/pt is season 2 of “Its Not Easy Being Green.” In eight thirty-minute episodes three “green experts” travel around the British countryside advising and assisting a range of citizens in realizing their eco goals.

Tuesday, July 1^st     

9:00pm

“Outrageous Wasters” Episode 1 (U.S. Television Premiere) - In the suburban town of Aylesbury, the Witheys – Stella; Mark, her husband of three years; and Stella’s 14-year-old son Jak – admit they have given little thought to environmental issues.  They’re a two-car family, with loads of electronic gadgets and a rather cavalier approach to consumption. 

10:10pm

Wetlands Preserved (U.S. Television Premiere) – Directed by Dean Budnick.  From 1989 to 2001, Budnick chronicles the environmentally friendly club’s legend with rare vintage concert footage and accounts from the club’s former owners, rock critics, musicians and club regulars.

 

 

Tuesday, July 8

9:00pm e/p

 “Outrageous Wasters” Episode 2 (U.S. Television Premiere) - The affluent Buchannan family – John, Susan and their children, 19-year-old Kris and 16-year-old Aimee – share a sumptuous home near Glasgow, Scotland.  They own three cars and a fourth vehicle is in the offing; their meals are largely comprised of imported ingredients. 

10:10pm

Garbage Warrior (Original Production) – Directed by Oliver Hodge and co-production of Open Eye Media, ITVS International and Sundance Channel.  This inspiring film profiles maverick architect Michael Reynolds, who has spent thirty years developing radically original models of self-sustaining housing near Taos, New Mexico. 

 

Tuesday, July 15^th 

9:00pm

“Outrageous Wasters” Episode 3 (U.S. Television Premiere) - The Fowlers of Dunkirk – successful entrepreneur Roger; his wife Nicola; and their children, 15-year-old Francis, 13-year-old Jonathan and 9-year-old Katya – have a carbon footprint five times the British national average.  They play loads of games, have a shocking number of TVs, and host weekly parties that generate lots of empty bottles and leftover food – all of which ends up as landfill event.

10:10pm

In the Pit – Directed by Juan Carlos Rulfo. To give a human face to seemingly unendurable labor, Mexican documentarian Rulfo visited a major construction site as workers toiled to build an upper deck of Mexico City's immense Periferico Highway.  Grand Jury Prize for World Documentary, 2006 Sundance Film Festival.

 

Tuesday, July 22^nd   

9:00pm

“Outrageous Wasters” Episode 4 (U.S. Television Premiere) - Hairdressers/salon owners Stewart and Anji Armodtrading live 13 miles outside of London in Maidenhead, sharing a home with their 21-year-old year daughter Shanelle, their 18-year-old daughter Strong, and Strong’s friend, 17-year-old Carla.  Anji runs about 35 loads of laundry per week, and computer programmer Shanelle ends each day with a luxuriant bath

10:10pm

Genesis (Sundance Channel Premiere) – Directed by Claude Nuridsany, Marie Pérennou.  From the French team behind the Microcosmos comes this bewitching look at the origins and evolution of life on Earth. 

 

Tuesday, July 29^th    

9:00pm

“It’s Not Easy Being Green” Season 2/Episode 1 (U.S. Television Premiere) – In the borough of Wirral in northwest England, Dick meets Helen and Russell Keenan, who have ambitious plans for a self-sufficient eco-compound. 

9:35pm

The Greening of Southie – Directed by Ian Cheney.  This documentary goes behind the scenes and onto the scaffolds to follow the construction of Boston’s first green residential building, a luxury condominium complex called the Macallen. 

 

Tuesday, August 5

August 5^th at 9:00pm

“It’s Not Easy Being Green” Season 2/Episode 2 (U.S. Television Premiere) Dick and James meet sisters Jake and Candy Moriarty, who have sold the family B&B and now want to create an eco-friendly campsite on land they own in Cornwall. 

 

9:35pm

The Unforeseen (Television Premiere) Directed by Laura Dunn.  Combining lyrical cinematography, illuminating archival footage and even-handed reportage, Dunn maps three decades of conflict between real estate developers and community-based conservationists in Austin, Texas.  Executive produced by Terrence Malick and Robert Redford.

 

Tuesday, August 12

9:00pm e/p

“It’s Not Easy Being Green” Season 2/Episode 3 (U.S. Television Premiere) Dick meets Chris and Carla Fletcher, rat-race refugees who have settled in Aberdeenshire, Scotland to grow their own food and raise livestock (including an unusual breed of sheep). 

9:35pm

Grass – Directed by Ron Mann.  While it’s unlikely to change US drug policy, this entertaining documentary chronicling the bizarre 100-year history of laws against the use of marijuana may prompt outrage, discussion and a perverse sense of nostalgia.

 

Tuesday, August 19

9:00pm e/p

“It’s Not Easy Being Green” Season 2/Episode 4 (U.S. Television Premiere) James meets Maggie of Staffordshire, who is renovating her 1930s house in a thoroughly eco-friendly fashion, re-using original fixtures and as many eco-friendly materials as possible. 

9:35pm

Ice Breaker (Television Premiere) – Directed by Jody Shapiro and David Best.  This documentary captures 42 days onboard a Canadian Coast Guard ship as it sails from Newfoundland to the high Arctic, patrolling some of the most spectacular and dangerous waterways on the planet. 

 

Tuesday, August 26

9:00pm e/p

“It’s Not Easy Being Green” Season 2/Episode 5 (U.S. Television Premiere) At New House Farm, James recruits his friends and his sister Charlotte help dig a new pond to attract more wildlife – and give the family’s ducklings their own home.  Dick meets with East London resident Andrew Martin, who wants to install a solar hot water heater in his back garden

9:35pm

Everything’s Cool – Directed by Daniel B. Gold and Judith Helfand.  Mixing humor with urgency, Gold and Helfand (Blue Vinyl) profile the small group of global warming messengers who continue to prod a largely apathetic public into political activism.

 

Tuesday, September

9:00pm e/p

“It’s Not Easy Being Green” Season 2/Episode 6 (U.S. Television Premiere) In Lincolnshire, we meet Zannah and Arthur, who are renovating a 200-year-old cottage that has no onsite heating source. 

 

9:35pm

Somba Ke: The Money Place – Directed by Linda Henningson, Petr Cizek and David Henningson.  Sombe Ke reveals the neglected story of the remote Canadian region that supplied the Manhattan Project with uranium for the Hiroshima and Nagasaki A-bombs, and its dark and disturbing legacy.

 

Tuesday, September 9

9:00pm e/p

“It’s Not Easy Being Green” Season 2/Episode 7 (U.S. Television Premiere):  In the seaside area of New Forest, Matt Goldschmeid wants to make a permanent home of the lush vacation property his parents bought in the 1980s. 

9:35pm

Burning the Future: Coal in America – Directed by David Novack.  West Virginia provides coal to produce electricity for half the nation. Ironically, while preserving jobs, coal mining disfigures mountainsides, destroys plant and animal species and spreads toxic groundwater.

 

Tuesday, September 16

9:00pm e/p

“It’s Not Easy Being Green” Season 2/Episode 8 (U.S. Television Premiere Dick and Jim visit a Cambridge mechanic named Gary, who wants to save money by switching his car to biodiesel.  Using scrounged and free materials, the men construct a backyard biofuel processor, which will convert used vegetable oil from the local take-out restaurant.

 

9:35pm

Off the Grid: Life on the Mesa – Directed by Jeremy Stulberg and Randy Stulberg.  Some 400 people make their home on a rugged 15-square mile stretch of New Mexico desert known as the Mesa.  Devoid of basic amenities like running water, paved roads and power lines, the Mesa isn’t an easy place to live, but it does offer solitude and autonomy to those who need it, as well as an alternative to contemporary consumer society.

Re: Earth Policy News - Bicycles Pedaling Into the Spotlight

> Eco-Economy Indicator – BICYCLES
> May 12, 2008
>
> Eco-Economy Indicators are twelve trends that the Earth Policy Institute tracks to measure progress in building an eco-economy. Bicycle production measures our ability to provide affordable transportation, reduce traffic congestion, lower air pollution, increase mobility, and provide exercise to the world's growing population.
>
>
> BICYCLES PEDALING INTO THE SPOTLIGHT
> http://www.earthpolicy.org/Indicators/Bike/2008.htm
>
> by J. Matthew Roney
>
> The world produced an estimated 130 million bicycles in 2007 -- more than twice the 52 million cars produced. Bicycle and car production tracked each other closely in the mid-to-late 1960s, but bike output separated sharply from that of cars in 1970, beginning its steep climb to 105 million in 1988. Following a slowdown between 1989 and 2001, bike production has regained steam, increasing in each of the last six years. Much of the recent growth has been driven by the rise in electric, or "e-bike" production, which has doubled since 2004 to 21 million units in 2007. Overall, since 1970, bicycle output has nearly quadrupled, while car production has roughly doubled.
>
> Promoting the bike as a clean and efficient alternative to the personal automobile is a practical way for cities to reduce traffic congestion and smog. To simultaneously confront those problems as well as climate change and an emerging obesity epidemic, government leaders and advocacy groups are working to bring cycling back to prominence in the urban transport mix.
>
> A number of European cities have set the standard for bicycle use and promotion, via pro-bike transportation and land use policies, as well as heavy funding for bicycle infrastructure and public education. In Copenhagen, for example, 36 percent of commuters bike to work...
>
> For entire text see http://www.earthpolicy.org/Indicators/Bike/2008.htm
> For data see http://www.earthpolicy.org/Indicators/Bike/2008_data.htm
>
>
> For an index of Earth Policy Institute resources related to Bicycles and Transportation see http://www.earthpolicy.org/Indicators/Bike/index.htm
>
> And for more thoughts on "Designing Cities for People" (not cars), see Chapter 10 of Lester Brown's Plan B 3.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization, at http://www.earthpolicy.org/Books/PB3/index.htm.

Grow, Transport

Grow, (Airs Tuesday, May 20th at 9pm Eastern & Pacific, 30 minutes) is the next episode in the Sundance Channel's "Big Ideas For a Small Planet" series.

Featuring three examples of ways to increase urban green space, Grow begins with green roofs in the Bronx, featuring the South Bronx municipal courthouse, and an individual home owner's green roof being installed. Grow gives a thorough reasoning for doing green roofs, and covers many of the benefits such roofing methods create, including tripling the life of the roofing material and significantly reducing heat load on the building.

Next, Grow moves into xeriscaping, the art of using local native plant life to replace the traditional lawn in order to drastically reduce watering needs and increase habitat area for local species of bird and insect life. Focusing mostly on Phoenix, Arizona and touching lightly on California, this segment lays out a powerful case for rethinking suburban landscapes.

Finally, instant parks are featured, springing up in twenty minutes all across the country. The sheer joy of urbanites able to wiggle their bare toes in the grass is uplifting, and there are some statistical reasons that you'll want to know about for your own sake in this segment.

For an uplifting and hopeful dose of greenery, tune into Grow tomorrow night at 9pm.

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Transport follows the following Tuesday, May 29th, at 9pm Eastern & Pacific. (Run time 30 minutes)

Following the three example format, Transport leads off with the New York City transportation district's multiple-method approach to increasing transportation efficiency and reducing energy consumption, emissions, and congestion. Bicycle lane improvements, interconnection, and increases is a major portion of the plan, followed closely by bus rapid transit lanes, increased commuter rail, and far more.

The next, and I think most uplifting segment, features bicycling efforts in Portland, Oregon and Boise, Idaho. Especially in Portland, bicycles are a major factor in sustainable transportation, increased fitness, lowered stress, and best of all, community spirit. Featuring numerous bicycling events and conveniences, Portland bikers actually talk to each other as they ride, a stark contrast to my experiences on Chicago mass-transit, where people kind of freak out if you say "hello."

Finally, Transport takes a ride into the future, with the development process of the City Car, an all-electric, stackable vehicle for lease. This vehicle concept just plain makes a ton of sense, and when implemented, will greatly reduce carbon emissions for short urban trips.

I've seen studies that indicate we could power 75% of the current U.S. vehicle fleet with electricity produced by power plants idling over night and not add a single extra plant or burn any extra fuel. Given City Car's range and battery duration, a lot of these cars could charge at night and take advantage of wated night-time electrical production. Although this point isn't mentioned in Transport, it is logical that this would be a net positive result of using this concept.

In all, Transport gives a great hope for the future of urban transportation and overall well-being of those who live and commute around American cities.

Tune in next Tuesday at 9pm.

Regards,

Dan Stafford
Publisher,
The Great Lakes Zephyr - Wind Energy & Hydrogen Journal

My Trip To The 2008 Chicago Green Festival

For starters, I got off to a late start - one of my oldest friends was in town after a couple of years in Spain, so we were out together visiting and shooting pool until close to 1:00 am, by the time I got to bed the night before, it was close to 03:00.

At any rate, I got up late in the morning and started planning my itinerary in the festival guide.
(You can see more about the Green Festivals all over the country at www.greenfestivals.org )

Embedded here is a photo slide show from my trip to the fest. (Uses shockwave flash)




For those of you who may not be able to view the slideshow, there is a web album of the photos here: http://picasaweb.google.com/AquarianM/2008ChicagoGreenFestivalAtNavyPier

A few highlights:


The main fest exhibit area - about four football fields, I'd guess.


Yours truly at the fest:


The Chicago Skyline as seen from Navy Pier:



The Navy Pier Ferris Wheel after dark - this is around 200 feet tall:



I stopped in and watched the first hour of the Patchamama Alliance's
symposium entitled "Awakening The Dreamer" first off in one of the 3rd floor lecture rooms. You can check out an electronic version on their site, I believe. It was an interesting synthesis of the bigger picture formed by sustainable economy, energy, and society. I'd recommend it.

After wards, I roamed the booths checking things out.

I picked up some organic lime shea butter at the Trillium Organics booth for my wife Saren - she loves the stuff for skin lotion, and says there's nothing better out there.

I also got her a four ounce pump spray aluminum bottle of citrus eucalyptus spray as an organic bug repellent from Blissoma aromatherapy.

For our friend Jim, I got a note pad made out of Mr. Ellie Pooh paper. This paper is a soft, fibery, acid-free paper made from...elephant dung from Sri Lanka. Apparently, the elephants in Sri Lanka trample the farmers' crops, and so they get upset and shoot them. One way the farmers can make up the elephant damage is by making paper products out of their pooh. According to the brochure, each one produces around 500 lbs of the stuff per day, and it's all veggie and almost pre-processed perfectly for paper making.

To note, there were several other types of treeless paper at the fest; one was made from some kind of bush in Nepal that you can take most of the leaves from each year, and it grows back.

For My wife and I both, I got some red African bush tea, otherwise known as Rooibos. It is of course organic, and caffeine-free. It also tastes very nice. I'm drinking a cup as I type this for you. I got it from Eco Teas.

For myself, I picked up a set of authentic Tibetan prayer flags.



According to the label, the tradition is that you hang them outside in the breeze with a specific event in mind, such as the birth of a child, the beginning of a journey, etc. The prayers written on the flags are prayers of prosperity and success. It is believed that the prayers are carried away on the winds. As the flags become weathered and the prayers can no longer be read, the prayers are believed to have been delivered.

I also stopped by Calvert Funds to get some advice on setting up an IRA that does socially responsible investing. They're going to work out an appointment for me to come into their office (which is right in my train station) and look over what I can do.

All in all, I really wish I could have stayed longer.

Now as to getting to the fest, since it was on a Saturday and I got out late, I had to drive downtown - I have a night-limited parking pass for one of the ramps downtown, but on the weekends I can be in there around the clock. However, my parking space is at least four miles, possibly five, from Navy Pier. I walked. There and back. On the return journey, it was after dark and raining. Not horribly hard, but a constant medium-light rain. Needless to say, by the time I got back to the truck, I was pretty damp. (Just so you know, my pickup is V6 and 2
two-wheel drive. I'm 6'6" and 330 lbs, so I can't fit in the majority of smaller vehicles. )

Altogether, it was a great and happy day.

Regards,

Rev. Dan