Eco Design + Living

As industrial agriculture is under attack from Michael Pollan and his followers, the debate over how we transition to sustainable agriculture AND feed the world’s population rages on. One ‘agri-intellectual’ addresses the criticisms and misleading arguments of one farmer, who defends the combined use of GM seed and herbicides as a solution to reducing soil erosion. Michael Pollan’s book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma is at the center of this much needed discussion.

Read Tom Phillpot’s essay, An ‘agri-intellectual’ talks back, in response to Blake Hurst’s essay, The Omnivore’s Delusion: Against the Agri-intellectuals. Any thoughts or comments?

Check out Florida’s first Earthship under construction in Manatee County!

The Earthship which is a structure typically seen in the West is made of re-used tires, glass bottles, various other recycled/reused materials and earth based plasters. These structures are made to mimic the systems found in nature; rainwater catchment, greywater use, thermal mass for heating and cooling, and permaculture to name a few. Bryan Roberts of Eco-Tech Construction is the contractor for Florida’s first Earthship.

Read more about the their project at Earthship Florida.

Original article at The Daily Loaf.

The following is an excerpt from an inspirational essay by Chaia Heller, Imagining the Impossible, about what drives and sustains the activist that stays the course over a life time. The quotes are from Murray Bookchin.
“It’s about ethical versus instrumental reason,” Murray said to me, so many times over the years. This discussion buoyed me up [...]

Looks like Coloradans will legally be able to harvest rain water. Good for them. They are one state that knows the true value of access to water.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/29/us/29rain.html?_r=1&hp

Seaside Farmers Market Saturday 8-12pm
KIDS FUN DAY with THE RECYCLED ART COMPANY
Join us every Saturday from 8am-12pm for a fun morning at the juice bar in Seaside.  Find the seasons freshest produce available, purchase delicious local organic eggs, and enjoy the best breakfast on 30-A featuring guest chefs each week!  The farmers market will continue [...]

 
Building a permaculture spiral herb garden from Walton Outdoors on Vimeo.
Is this cool or what? My dear friends, the Horns - owners of Artisan Builders - have outdone themselves with a double herb spiral, in this unforgiving heat, even. Check out the full story at Walton Outdoors.

Following up on my post, What is Sustainability?, I couldn’t help but share this line from a recent talk by Dmitry Orlov. “Industrial products that help the environment are a bit of an oxymoron. It’s a bit like trying to bail out the Titanic using plastic teaspoons.”
Gotta love him.
Read the full text here.

Having just returned from Prescott College with a degree in Sustainable Community Development in hand, I have been reflecting on what all this means. By “all this” I mean my career path, my community, and the word, sustainability. For simplicities sake, when previously asked what I was getting my degree in, I would blurt out [...]

Another snippet - great little project happening in Detroit. Sustainable, affordable, hip, and cool housing.
Power House Project by Design 99