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GardenCamp Recap

Posted by Bill Erickson on July 26th, 2008

Photo by Bill Erickson

On July 19 we held the first GardenCampBryan. We had a great gathering of gardeners and enthusiasts from around the Brazos Valley. Talks ranged from the basics of gardening to composting to xeriscaping.
Here are a few photos from the event. If you took photos there and use Flickr, tag them “gardencampbryan.”
We’re hoping [...]

Solar Water Heaters Mandatory in Hawaii

Posted by Bill Erickson on July 7th, 2008

Hawaii has become the first state to require solar water heaters in new homes. Hawaii relies on imported fossil fuels more than any other state, with about 90 percent of its energy sources coming from foreign countries, according to state data.
The new law prohibits issuing building permits for single-family homes that do not have solar [...]

GardenCamp in Downtown Bryan

Posted by Bill Erickson on July 5th, 2008

On July 19 we’re holding the first ever (that we know of) GardenCamp! It is a barcamp-inspired unconference dedicated to gardening and sustainable living.
More details on the wiki.
If you’re in Texas, come and check it out. We’ll be having a BYOV (Bring Your Own Vegetable) lunch, where everyone puts vegetables into a big bowl and [...]

The Question of Global Warming

Posted by Bill Erickson on July 4th, 2008

Photo by Thomas Hawk

Kevin Kelly has a great summary and analysis of Freeman Dyson’s thoughts on global warming.
Some interesting thoughts:

He describes environmentalism as a new secular religion. “Environmentalism, as a religion of hope and respect for nature, is here to stay. This is a religion that we can all share, whether or not we [...]

Big Green Bus

Posted by Bill Erickson on June 29th, 2008

Photo by ellywaves

Parked across the street from InnovationCamp was the Big Green Bus. Here’s their message:
12 Dartmouth students, 1 veggie-oil powered bus, 13,000 sustainable miles, all for a greener tomorrow.
These college students are traveling the country, spreading the message of sustainable living.

The Fall of Suburbia

Posted by Bill Erickson on June 26th, 2008

Photo by Kevin Moloney for The New York Times

The New York Times recently wrote Fuel Prices Shift Math for Life in Far Suburbs. It is great that the fuel prices are now leading some to question “The American Dream.”
The surburban lifestyle - the American lifestyle - is not sustainable. It was built by the cheap [...]

Green Drinks in Houston

Posted by Bill Erickson on June 25th, 2008

I just got back from Green Drinks and met a lot of great people. Every Wednesday at Beaver’s, a portion of each drink and appetizer sale goes to supporting the environment. So if you’re in the Houston area, check it out.
Here’s the flyer

Josh Klein, Intelligence of Crows

Posted by Bill Erickson on June 23rd, 2008

Instead of seeing urban animals like crows as vermin, Josh Klein proposes training them to work with us to improve our environment. He built a “crow vending machine” that rewards crows with food if they deposit a coin, trash, or whatever the vending machine is set up to accept. Imagine using crows to clean up [...]