The PermaDesign Weblog, with Nate Downey and Melissa McDonald!
Archives from August 2014
When Groundwater is Unregulated…
Texas, a western-wannabe state, has the same problem. It's called the "right of capture" there, but it should be called the "right to steal from your neighbors, your children, their children, and all your relations."
http://www.independent.com/news/2014/aug/21/cuyama-valley-drying/
08/28/2014 | (0) Comments
Another Reason to Avoid Bottled Water….
Bottled water comes from the most drought-ridden places in the country. Popular brands like Aquafina and Dasani source from catastrophically dry parts of the West.
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/08/bottled-water-california-drought
08/28/2014 | (0) Comments
California Wells and Reservoirs Continue to Dry up
This article in the San Jose Mercury News talks about 17 communities in California that face an ever worsening drought situation. The drought there is the worst since statehood in 1850.
http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_25013388/california-drought-17-communities-could-run-out-water
08/25/2014 | (0) Comments
Tom Knoblauch, 1952-2014
Melissa and I are deeply saddened to report the sudden but apparently peaceful death of our real friend, Tom Knoblauch. Fun, funny, fascinatingly intelligent, totally generous, deeply caring, and completely committed to a much, much better world, his soul exuded an infectious goodness that was both highly creative and profoundly concerned for the future of our planet and our species. To say that he will be missed is the understatement of the millennium.
Copyright TR Knoblauch, 2013
08/24/2014 | (0) Comments
An Awesome Site for Green Resources and Links!
Here's a great resource for green research! Co-created by the ever-brilliant Steven Schmidt, of 1990s Green Party fame, the site gives me hope for the future. "GreenPolicy360 presents best practices -- practical and visionary green policy solutions," Schmidt says, "We are a database and go-to e-resource where a keyword can deliver multiple examples of green initiatives and projects, real-world models and templates from and for your location, town, village, city, state, country, or region." If you care, it's worth a like and a share.
http://www.greenpolicy360.net/w/Index
08/23/2014 | (0) Comments
What the UN Says on Small Scale Organic Farming
From a 2013 publication the UN concludes a switch to smaller scale organic farming may be the only way to feed the world’s population moving forward.
08/15/2014 | (0) Comments
Homegrown Design Challenge
"Pavement-heavy cities suffer from heat-island effect, lack of green space and poor drainage. The North Design Office has proposed one creative solution to this: redirect rainwater through a water-based, explorative, plant-filled educational element. Water running through the "Bio-Flume" will support plants and trees in different "biodiversity zones" that will change each season. Read more about this Homegrown Design Challenge proposal and others at http://www.davidsuzuki.org/homegrownchallenge."
08/13/2014 | (0) Comments
5%!
The GreenHouse vertical farm is a 48'x48' greenhouse that grows 135,000 plants a year in Tower Gardens, using 5% of the water used by outdoor farming. The farm supplies Walt Disney World resorts, along with Emeril’s Orlando, Ritz Carlton, Marriott World Center & the Hilton with fresh greens and herbs year round. "We also have incredibly small losses, and the consistency of growing allows us to be able to deliver the same quantities weekly to our restaurants, making us a lot more reliable than “traditional” farms."... Katherine Grandey, Co-Founder & Owner of The GreenHouse. I wonder though...about soil and nutrients...are these things as healthy as normal garden-grown veggies?
http://futuregrowing.wordpress.com/2014/02/12/thegreenhouse/
08/10/2014 | (0) Comments
Colorado River Basin Under Threat
Saw a version of this in the New Mexican a couple of weeks ago but passing it on via Keith D Johnson who publishes the ever-awesome Permaculture Activist Magazine. As we look to broaden and diversify our water portfolios, we need to look to the sky, too, especially since we seem to be drying up what's under our feet.
08/09/2014 | Climate | Ecology | Water Harvesting | (0) Comments
