Massive Attack's Posts - Urgent Evoke2024-03-29T08:55:19ZMassive Attackhttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/zackstieberhttp://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2209226761?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1http://www.urgentevoke.com/profiles/blog/feed?user=1fl0iel0labmm&xn_auth=noDesprawlingtag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-04-22:4871302:BlogPost:963722010-04-22T00:00:00.000ZMassive Attackhttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/zackstieber
Desprawling
DesprawlingBarteringtag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-04-12:4871302:BlogPost:902392010-04-12T16:55:41.000ZMassive Attackhttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/zackstieber
Since I've been living on such little $, relatively, the potential that barter brings is even more evident. I don't have a washer or dryer, so I bartered with my friend, trading him a bottle of my homebrew to wash my clothes there. Bartering has many advantages, the foremost for me being the personal aspect of the transaction. moneyy makes things rather Impersonal...<br />
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Exchanging goods & services brings a level of intimacy that I welcome. So I will be bartering much more, especially since my…
Since I've been living on such little $, relatively, the potential that barter brings is even more evident. I don't have a washer or dryer, so I bartered with my friend, trading him a bottle of my homebrew to wash my clothes there. Bartering has many advantages, the foremost for me being the personal aspect of the transaction. moneyy makes things rather Impersonal...<br />
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Exchanging goods & services brings a level of intimacy that I welcome. So I will be bartering much more, especially since my beer Is so delicious!The Water Dreamtag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-04-09:4871302:BlogPost:860422010-04-09T00:02:13.000ZMassive Attackhttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/zackstieber
<p>I'm in the place of my upbringing, the outskirts of Washington D.C, for the World Water Gathering, 2020. There are, of course, similar gatherings in many other places globally, including but not limited to, Tokyo, London, Beunos Aires, Mexico City, Babylon, Amsterdam...</p>
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<p>Wow, there is the magnificent energy-generating, re-circulating waterfall powering 50% of the entire event</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><img alt="" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2234194244?profile=original"></img></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">this was first introduced,…</p>
<p>I'm in the place of my upbringing, the outskirts of Washington D.C, for the World Water Gathering, 2020. There are, of course, similar gatherings in many other places globally, including but not limited to, Tokyo, London, Beunos Aires, Mexico City, Babylon, Amsterdam...</p>
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<p>Wow, there is the magnificent energy-generating, re-circulating waterfall powering 50% of the entire event</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><img alt="" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2234194244?profile=original"/></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">this was first introduced, of course, @ the 2016 Rio olympics</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><img alt="" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2234194362?profile=original"/></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">This is the first time that it has been done in the middle of the city & the outcome is truly amazing. I had a hand in the initial planning stage...</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><img width="721" alt="" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2234194873?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024"/></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">The use of advanced aquaponics (a combination of hydroponics{growing plants without soil, using water as a meduim} & aquaculture {farming fish}) is what has made this magnificent waterfall possible...Then again, with the changes that have occured in DC, once a very humid, hot place because of the cities negligence in becoming green, now transformed into a very environmentally & innovative city, still not even in the top 10 worldwide, how could you catch up to those who broke away from the pack fast? it was like a race, but a good race, one where all the spectators & fellow racers want everyone to finish...</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">So there's so many fresh fish for everyone to eat, taken from nearby Chesepeake Bay, replenished after scientists & fish lovers & others worked hard & harder when the fish were dissapearing so fast from non-sustainable fishing & sea transportation methods...</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><img alt="" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2234194942?profile=original"/></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><img alt="" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2234215514?profile=original"/></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">The man-made wetlands so prevelant in the once woe-begone city are so nice to view & tramp around in. The wildlife has finally almost come up to a point of co-existing with these humans, oh the humans who nearly learned there lesson the hard way...</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Did i mention I have land near here 7 have trained deer, trained yes but i let them run wild on mostly natural habitat, there is my favorite one whom i rode here, to all those who would cringe, no he does not mind we are quite fond of each other...</p>
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<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">everyone is having such a good time just celebrating...the end of all world problems has not arrived but oh has so much been accomplished since I was struggling to make a difference 10 short(long?) years ago in Arkansas...</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">The water is so plentiful from so many methods that have been adapted since them, from condensation catching rain-misters (converting condensation from weather & agriculture into water), to such amazing desalination that it has become the norm...fresh water rivers & lakes can come to being wherever it is chosen</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><img alt="" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2234215629?profile=original"/></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">By solar-desalination plants, which convert sunlight into water, pioneered by IBM in 2014 in Saudi Arabia...The water is so plentiful & everyone is just enjoying it, drinking it, playing in it, splashing friends, family, strangers, I'm glad I decided to come, but wonder if other cities gatherings are better...</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">That's not positive thinking though & there is my good friend whom I must catch up with....</p>Is Ignorance A Excuse for Apathy?tag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-04-06:4871302:BlogPost:825332010-04-06T13:30:00.000ZMassive Attackhttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/zackstieber
I've been pondering the rather carefree attitude many seem to have about the world's problems we are attempting to solve. Does it ever seem like some people you are acquainted with just dont care?<br></br>
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Are those of us who expend a considerable amount of time researching, thinking about & trying to fix highly relevant issues; wastefulness, consumerism, poverty, impending water shortage, etc. Enough to overcome the apathy displayed by, in my humble opinion, too many world citizens? I…
I've been pondering the rather carefree attitude many seem to have about the world's problems we are attempting to solve. Does it ever seem like some people you are acquainted with just dont care?<br/>
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Are those of us who expend a considerable amount of time researching, thinking about & trying to fix highly relevant issues; wastefulness, consumerism, poverty, impending water shortage, etc. Enough to overcome the apathy displayed by, in my humble opinion, too many world citizens? I would like to thank those who sacrifice personal comfort, $ &time for the sake of this game & helping others in general...<br/>
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We can rise above the gritty pain caused by the selfish & naive. We can help initiate more on this all-important quest for a better world. We can overcome ignorance & apathy. Stay & dream with me friends & welcome new comers. We can do this. The future is ours.Wąťër...Chåńğe?tag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-04-05:4871302:BlogPost:815282010-04-05T17:38:47.000ZMassive Attackhttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/zackstieber
Figuring out how to act on the water crisis is tricky. Yes, you can donate money, but thats scarce. I'd rather do something concrete; help in the actual process.<br />
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I first visited waterforpeople.org & friended them on facebook. Changemakers led to self.org, a pretty sweet project that uses solar energy to provide drip irrigation that has been implemented in several villages. The big changes are solar from gas(pump power) & ability to grow things in the dry season, which is like half the…
Figuring out how to act on the water crisis is tricky. Yes, you can donate money, but thats scarce. I'd rather do something concrete; help in the actual process.<br />
<br />
I first visited waterforpeople.org & friended them on facebook. Changemakers led to self.org, a pretty sweet project that uses solar energy to provide drip irrigation that has been implemented in several villages. The big changes are solar from gas(pump power) & ability to grow things in the dry season, which is like half the year.<br />
The women have been earning $7.50 more a week with the bountiful harvests, much needed $ for medicine & schooling. + the obvious bonus of having more wholesome food for their family. This is in places where distended bellies are a frequent sight, caused by hunger.<br />
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Ashoka.com is a organization that brings together social entrepreneurs & uses innovative idea to tackle issues such as the water crisis. I will be volunteering for them virtually, if I cannot find a project near me. the damn search wouldnt work on my phone internet.<br />
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So thats the act, folks. Cheers.Social Innovation Herotag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-03-30:4871302:BlogPost:519672010-03-30T15:43:49.000ZMassive Attackhttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/zackstieber
IMaybe this is a little like cheating, but my hero is my brother, Josh. After entering the army out of high school, he went to Iraq. The things that happened to him over there really tested him in many different ways. He advocated for better treatment of Iraqis, while exploring moral grey areas with fellow soldiers. After getting back, Josh applied for & eventually got conscientious objectors status (discharge from army due to changed personal/religious convictions against…
IMaybe this is a little like cheating, but my hero is my brother, Josh. After entering the army out of high school, he went to Iraq. The things that happened to him over there really tested him in many different ways. He advocated for better treatment of Iraqis, while exploring moral grey areas with fellow soldiers. After getting back, Josh applied for & eventually got conscientious objectors status (discharge from army due to changed personal/religious convictions against war.)<br/>
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Next up was a bike journey across America telling about the perils of the army (messes with people's heads big time, while spending over 50& of our national budget ineffeciently) & how peace & love are always plausible solutions. His blog contagiousloveexperiment.wordpress.com details his completed trip. He highlighted different charities (bikes not bombs, oxfam, Alex's lemonade stand etc.) And planned his trip around physically visiting them.<br/>
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Josh has been talking with a peace group of afghanis, our journey to smile (ourjourneytosmile.com/blog) & hopes to go on another cross country trip, with both Afghan & Iraqi natives, showing people a face of the war many have never seen or thought of.<br/>
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Josh became a vegetarian because after his time served he says he appreciates life & living things more. He also became a pacifist & advocate for change. Josh is my hero for following his convictions & sharing his knowledge while staying humble.Multi-functional structures feature underground water source, wastewater treatment withintag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-03-28:4871302:BlogPost:658652010-03-28T20:30:00.000ZMassive Attackhttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/zackstieber
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><img alt="" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2234189130?profile=original"></img></p>
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<p>As a green architecture training expert & fan, I love the fact the range of buildings' features can be so complete, from all energy & water needs met through renewables & surplus energy & water distributed to nearby structures to cover some or all of their needs, to waste water treatment inside building, to grey-water systems & almost anything else you could imagine. This is a wonderful water-purifying skyscraper designed…</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><img alt="" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2234189130?profile=original"/></p>
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<p>As a green architecture training expert & fan, I love the fact the range of buildings' features can be so complete, from all energy & water needs met through renewables & surplus energy & water distributed to nearby structures to cover some or all of their needs, to waste water treatment inside building, to grey-water systems & almost anything else you could imagine. This is a wonderful water-purifying skyscraper designed for Jakarta that includes sustainable housing, replacing the slums now on the river. Some of its highlights are pumps that go from & to the currently polluted rivers to collect waste from, filter, & purify water, use it for the building, & also send clean water back to the rivers. It is mainly for Ciluwung</p>
<p>River</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><img alt="" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2234201995?profile=original"/></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">The waste is not wasted; it is for fertilizer to grow things back up on the river banks. Additional waste will be from the housing. This skyscraper is quite an intriguing idea.</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><img alt="" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2234205753?profile=original"/></p>
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<p>This water tower would draw water from an underground aquifer. It is designed by H3AR for constructing in Sudan, resembling a baobab, the upside down tree from Savanah. In 2007, scientists discovered one of the largest underwater lakes in the world in Darfur. It includes a hospital, water storage center, food storage & a school.</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><img alt="" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2234205830?profile=original"/></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><img alt="" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2234206064?profile=original"/></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">The water pumps utilize water to heat & cool the building, as well as store it in large capacities in the core. It would be treated for potable use. The towers would be built using clay bricks, which would be made on site.</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">So that's two buildings that excite me with the possibilities.</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Three of the main culprits in this water crisis are: plastic bottled water, agriculture, & personal waster of fresh water. The first two are debateable, the third is not.</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Flushing a toilet is also flushing fresh water. I use grey-water to flush my toilet (grey-water is water from say a kitchen sink that was used to wash dishes; not drinkable). Letting the faucet run unecessarily. Not utilizing rain water. All of these things contribute to this crisis. Water is not even thought of by many people as a resource; it is just there, & plentiful right now, so why worry about it. Ignorance is bliss, eh</p>
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<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">I'm not going to get into the plastic bottled water industry because it is tiresome, & I have already read a fair amount about it on here. So let's move on to agriculture.</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Agriculture is a huge grey-area. We need water & food, & we need water to grow our food. Agriculture uses to much of the world's fresh water (70%), because of wasteful practices. Growing things naturally, in tune with nature, the way things were intended, uses much less water. We're so close to growing food on a large-scale in the afore shown vertical farming buildings, & with green roofs & walls. There's plenty of space to expand, chemicals & pesticides aren't really needed. Growing naturally everywhere that's currently not would cut down on a lot of water.</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">It takes 1,000tons of water to produce one ton of grain, while it takes 15,000tons of water to produce one ton of beef. Let's eat less or no meat.</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Microbial fuel cells are cutting-edge technology that can convert things like plastic, food scraps & sewage into fresh water & clean energy. It is so cutting-edge its not ready yet. Boo. But it is being worked on, & the estimate on this site shows 20 million gallons of water saved a year watering 3,000cows. That's pretty damn good</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><a href="http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Microbial+fuel+cells:+converting+waste+to+water+and+watts.-a0218121624">http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Microbial+fuel+cells:+converting+waste+to+water+and+watts.-a0218121624</a></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">I believe with these types of multi-functional, especially water-conservation dedicated buildings above, & new products like the Nomix toilet we</p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><u><a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/2010/03/24/nomix-toilets-separate-waste-are-super-eco-friendly/"><font color="#810081">http://www.inhabitat.com/2010/03/24/nomix-toilets-separate-waste-are-super-eco-friendly/</font></a></u></p>
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<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><font color="#810081">we are on the way to a future of conserving & seeing what a precious necessary resource water is...</font></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><font color="#810081">I would like everyone to personally vow to do these things in an effort to avert the water crisis</font></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><font color="#810081">-do not flush toilets with fresh water</font></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><font color="#810081">-wash dishes by hand</font></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><font color="#810081">-try to set up a rainwater catchement system if possible</font></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><font color="#810081">-if you have a lawn, consider converting it to low-maintanence plants (ones that subsist off of mostly rain)</font></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><font color="#810081">-don't purchase plastic bottled water; it is less healthy for you then even regular tap water, for one thing.</font></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><font color="#810081">-etc..(any more ideas anyone?</font></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><font color="#810081">will add a picture of my greywater later when I have time for all who were intereste...thanks</font></p>Evokabration April 20, 2020, Your all invited!tag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-03-22:4871302:BlogPost:569652010-03-22T23:30:00.000ZMassive Attackhttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/zackstieber
<p>One of my favorite days of the year is 4.20. On this momentes day in 2020 many think back just 10 years ago when water started becoming scarce & alternative means to power & live started to really take route. Today I am on a meduim-size island with a friend who owns it off the coast of South America. Due to the collaborative efforts of the ignagural class of Evoke, 2010, the world leaders & governments were helped in diverting global food & fossil fuel shortages, riots,…</p>
<p>One of my favorite days of the year is 4.20. On this momentes day in 2020 many think back just 10 years ago when water started becoming scarce & alternative means to power & live started to really take route. Today I am on a meduim-size island with a friend who owns it off the coast of South America. Due to the collaborative efforts of the ignagural class of Evoke, 2010, the world leaders & governments were helped in diverting global food & fossil fuel shortages, riots, death. In honor of all of our dedication through time & research this is an Evokabration. Everyone who signed up that first year is invited to this island party. Not only does my friend own this island, he has made it very sustainable with the aid of me and countless others.</p>
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<p>The islands buildings are powered by 30% solar energy, 40% geothermal, 15% wave & 15% wind. It is renowned for one of the first larger scale projects in the world. There is a three story library/community gathering building, 75 houses, each with a solar powered golf cart & green roof, ranging from one-bedroom to five, hammocks strewn throughout the island for those who miss out on these houses. Or maybe the ones in the houses miss out on the hammocks...</p>
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<p>There is a water desalinazation plant, ten docks for visitors & supplies, two electric helicopters, a exploratory fish farm, greenhouses, hemp fields, the best bud cultivation, a glass blowing shop, many gardens, & three fairly sized areas where natural habitat remains untouched (save for some narrow paths) & countless other sustainable things. The party will feature fresh fish from the sea, replenished for five years into what it once was. Fresh fruit, mangoes, coconuts, kiwi, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, watermelon and more will fill up an entire three tables. Cooked & fresh vegetables will accompany the fish as well as two other tables. We are proud that fish is the only meat served; other meat is kept to the bare minimum.</p>
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<p>Several large ships will be docked at some of the docks to take a bit of stress off the island. These ships run on power garnered from the sea while passing through. I rub my hands together & throw a silly grin to my friend. After all we have been a part of evoking what were once the greatest fears of mankind; hunger, poverty, diminished fossil fuels, war, & hatred. Peace & kindness reign in the kind of dreamy way no one thought was possible. Neighbors help each other out on projects & recieve help in return.</p>
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<p>I'm excited for all the people who chipped in on the first class; discussing the imminent fuel dilemma, supreme poverty & hunger & war. We solved what governments either couldn't or wouldn't solve. I've got to stop writing now, guests have started arriving, I recognize many from their online pictures!</p>Learning New Ways to Power/Livetag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-03-22:4871302:BlogPost:543472010-03-22T02:13:11.000ZMassive Attackhttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/zackstieber
I have incorporated ways to lessen my footprint/use less power since moving to Little Rock into an apartment. I put a greywater 5 gallon bucket under my kitchen sink. I use this to flush the toilet(and thinking about using it to water my non-edible plants, thoughts anyone?). I have replaced the light in the living room with christmas lights & will soon do this for the rest of the rooms. I have vowed not to use air conditioning & hope I can stick to my guns. Recycling obviously. Making…
I have incorporated ways to lessen my footprint/use less power since moving to Little Rock into an apartment. I put a greywater 5 gallon bucket under my kitchen sink. I use this to flush the toilet(and thinking about using it to water my non-edible plants, thoughts anyone?). I have replaced the light in the living room with christmas lights & will soon do this for the rest of the rooms. I have vowed not to use air conditioning & hope I can stick to my guns. Recycling obviously. Making my own beer (saves aluminum bottles), biking instead of driving(sold my car). Composting food scraps. Not using a dryer for more then 10 minutes (just a little pre-dry for hang-drying). I would love to throw some type of solar on the roof, but not sure if that could happen. Thoughts on that?<br/>Power Player- Clarke Snell & Michael Reynoldstag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-03-22:4871302:BlogPost:543052010-03-22T01:30:00.000ZMassive Attackhttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/zackstieber
Clarke Snell is a green builder based in the United States. His book<br></br>Building Green: A Complete How-To Guide To Alternative Building Methods<br></br>Is a virtually complete reference to alternative building. He builds his own house in the book & explains in detail each process, from his four different wall methods (modified wood frame, cob, haybale & clay-strip straw) to his green roof, with his extra rainwater feeding his garden. His emphasis on incorporating the outdoor into his…
Clarke Snell is a green builder based in the United States. His book<br/>Building Green: A Complete How-To Guide To Alternative Building Methods<br/>Is a virtually complete reference to alternative building. He builds his own house in the book & explains in detail each process, from his four different wall methods (modified wood frame, cob, haybale & clay-strip straw) to his green roof, with his extra rainwater feeding his garden. His emphasis on incorporating the outdoor into his houses. His bottle formations in his wall let in amazing, multi-colored lights. His french doors lead directly to a relaxing wrap-around porch. His one-story house being described as economical is an understatement. He, his wife & two kids live in a house most individuals wouldn't reside in. His & his families forward-thinking is at the very least admirable.<br/><br/>Snell's current venture is using hempcrete, a mix of hemp & portland cement from the UK (since growing hemp is still wrongly illegal in the States). This gives a R-value(resistance to heat) of 30, creating a very insulated dwelling. Check Snell out at Nauhaus.com. <br/><br/>My other power player is Michael Reynolds. The documentary about him, made by Oliver Hodge, is called Garbage Warrior (Garbagewarrior.com). Over 30 years ago, he thought about all of the building materials going to waste, like tires & used beer cans. Trying, failing & learning, Reynolds finally perfected his technique just to get his architects license stripped because one of his aforementioned failed buildings caused a typewriter to melt because of too concentrated solar energy.<br/><br/>Lobbying the government in New Mexico (where he was building), he ended up changing legislation to allow him to continue constructing his "earthships". Earthships are defined by buildings that cost nothing to live in through using natural resources like the sun to power & create optimum temperature. The website compounds it into off-the-grid self-sufficient communities. Watching Reynolds is what really got me interested in the environment & especially green building. Reclaiming wasted material headed for the landfill is quite resourceful & anyone who spends over 40 years on pioneering a field like this is deserving of power player in my mind.<br/><br/>Reynolds & Snell are two people who are always looking for better & more sustainable ways to build. I encourage you to research them at least a bit.<br/>My meal imaginedtag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-03-21:4871302:BlogPost:534522010-03-21T19:13:50.000ZMassive Attackhttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/zackstieber
<p>I will be living next to an ocean on a beach, in a forest with gardens, or in the mountains near delicious spring water, whichever one will have fresh, abundant air. I will be sharing a meal with my colleagues; people who live near me & help me with my goals while I help them with theirs. Our accomplishments include multiple community gardens, several shared vehicles (zero-emission helicopter & car) and rainwater catchement. My house is small, but has a badass green roof where I love…</p>
<p>I will be living next to an ocean on a beach, in a forest with gardens, or in the mountains near delicious spring water, whichever one will have fresh, abundant air. I will be sharing a meal with my colleagues; people who live near me & help me with my goals while I help them with theirs. Our accomplishments include multiple community gardens, several shared vehicles (zero-emission helicopter & car) and rainwater catchement. My house is small, but has a badass green roof where I love to invite others over for a nice meal watching the sunset. Well, then again, almost everyone has a green roof so I eat most of my meals on them (if I'm not living on the beach of course.)</p>
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<p>My meal's main feature will be hemp, the most nutritious of all foods. Maybe it will be a nice hemp burger, with some hemp burger, with a salad of fresh veggies topped with hemp cumin vinaigrette. Or a hemp veggie chili with some hemp nuts on the side. Accompanying my meal will be an amazing mixed drink, a reward for a hard day of work. Compromised of entirely fresh fruit juices & homemade liqour, it is oh so sweet. Perhaps you will be with me on this regular, but always satisfying meal.</p>Helping others eat righttag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-03-21:4871302:BlogPost:534062010-03-21T18:56:50.000ZMassive Attackhttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/zackstieber
<p>Man, is there anything more delicious then a peice of fresh fruit or a tasy dish of vegetables with rice & potatoes? Over the past year, I have been working hard to eat right & the right food to eat turns out tasting better then the wrong food. I really enjoy taking fruit with me, especially oranges, on the go, slicing it up & sharing a piece with whoever is around. Many people confide its been a while since they tasted fruit & had forgotten how good it…</p>
<p>Man, is there anything more delicious then a peice of fresh fruit or a tasy dish of vegetables with rice & potatoes? Over the past year, I have been working hard to eat right & the right food to eat turns out tasting better then the wrong food. I really enjoy taking fruit with me, especially oranges, on the go, slicing it up & sharing a piece with whoever is around. Many people confide its been a while since they tasted fruit & had forgotten how good it is!</p>
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<p>This year, I have helped start three gardens. I'm sure whatever work I put in will be worth it ten times more with some fresh fruit, herbs & veggies I had a personal hand in. I also like to cook & share my food with others. After cutting red meat out of my diet & severely limiting all other meat, I don't even crave it anymore!</p>
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<p>So that's my contribution so far: gardens, turning almost vegetarian (I don't refuse non-red meat when cooked for me...yet) sharing fruit & good old home cooked food. As sustainability officer for my Americorps program, I have been trying to think creatively about out-of-the-box solutions to helping others eat better. If anyone has any ideas about community advocating, sharing food, etc. please let me know. I look forward to hearing from you.</p>The Delicate Balance Between Water Shortages & Needed Increased Agriculturetag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-03-21:4871302:BlogPost:533812010-03-21T18:30:00.000ZMassive Attackhttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/zackstieber
<p>In The recession of 2008, skyrocketing food prices brought much of the world to riots, social unrest & even death. Prices have leveled out, but not for long. Our population is still growing, relatively rapidly & with fluctuating temperatures & moisture caused by global warming, our food supply is in danger of yielding gains far beneath what we need to survive.</p>
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<p>There are many solutions feasible to tackle this problem. Increased productivity through hybrid plants…</p>
<p>In The recession of 2008, skyrocketing food prices brought much of the world to riots, social unrest & even death. Prices have leveled out, but not for long. Our population is still growing, relatively rapidly & with fluctuating temperatures & moisture caused by global warming, our food supply is in danger of yielding gains far beneath what we need to survive.</p>
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<p>There are many solutions feasible to tackle this problem. Increased productivity through hybrid plants & innovative outdoor farming methods. Decreasing waste, preventing deforestation & climate change, utilizing water & nutrient use carefully & most importantly implementing sustainable practices as they are discovered.</p>
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<p>Sharing knowledge is key. Someone halfway across the world might not be aware of some of the newest practices and simply needs to be. Localizing farming is what I believe will conquer this problem. If an area, be it a city, village, town, can produce most if not all of its own food & everyone everywhere can accomplish this, not much surplus is needed. Those places that are the best at this can share the extra. This means increased storage capacity, better testing (for safety & quality), protecting harvests, and putting the emphasis on research.</p>
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<p>Researching my local area, Little Rock Arkansas, I found that most of the news took me back to a bigger stage, usually California, national, or international. An interesting piece popped up about child adoption & how our own country's youth suffers from poverty & hunger, but are largely ignored in favor of international adoptions. This is kind of unrelated, but I think it applies. Another tidbit is Heifer's international headquarters are located here. It is a Platinum LEED building, using grey-water, a water storage tank & many other innovative methods. <a href="http://www.heifer.org"><font color="#568E1A">www.heifer.org</font></a> Heifer is a great organization that combats hunger & poverty by offering "living gifts". They will give a needy family an animal, like a cow or goat, that can earn them $ while also helping feeding them. They then give away one of the offspring to another needy family. These gifts have changed so many lives & this idea is so simple, yet effective.</p>
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<p>So, back to the water & food crises. Many desert countries like Saudi Arabia are concerned with dwindiling water resources out of an already scant supply. A German scientist looking for water in the Saudi desert says that the capital city will be without water in less then 30 years at the present consumption rate. The balancing act typical for many parts of the world is, with water running out, how much water can be devoted to domestic agriculture? Will it be more cost & resource-effective to import agriculture & save water for drinking? Hopefully there will be nothing like a world water(& possibly food) war.</p>
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<p>A big question is using water for things like plants & lawns & flushing toilets. I advocate whoever can to install some type of grey-water system in their place of residence to at least flush your toilets (if it's yellow, let it mellow, if it's brown, flush it down?) if not water non-edible plants &, if you must have one, your lawn. Why not rip that lawn up and replace with low-maintence, low-water plants that look nicer anyways? Lawns are outdated & a huge waste of water; notice in droughts how they are one of the first water usage things to be limited mandatorily. Rainwater is also wasted & things like rainbarrels(see beow) & drip irrigation should be used for all buildings. I love the idea of green roofs & walls(which can also be grown indoors). They subsist off of rain & ciould be another part of the solution. Please compost your food waste too. It is another resource we must take advantage of.</p>
<p><img src="http://www.watershedactivities.com/projects/spring/media/rainbarrel10.gif"/></p>
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<p>Another solution suggested & already being put into use is skyscrapers with parts reserved for farming. Vertical farming is an intriguing idea, that I believe will become one of the keys to feeding our world. One of the most eccentric but mind-blowing plans I came upon was an underwater skyscraper <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/2010/03/09/underwater-skyscraper-is-a-self-sufficient-city-at-sea/">http://www.inhabitat.com/2010/03/09/underwater-skyscraper-is-a-self-sufficient-city-at-sea/</a></p>
<p>which is a self-sufficient city that floats in the water! This is the kind of innovation that will probably prove to be our saving grace. <img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-92936" title="Waterscraper" height="410" alt="<img src=" src="http://www.inhabitat.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/scraper-city.jpg" width="537"/><a href="http://www.inhabitat.com">www.inhabitat.com</a> wp-content uploads 03 scraper-city.jpg? 2010></p>
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<p>Here's a couple more links for vertical farming.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/2007/09/12/the-science-barge-making-waves-in-urban-agriculture/">http://www.inhabitat.com/2007/09/12/the-science-barge-making-waves-in-urban-agriculture/</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/06/03/pyramid-farm-vertical-agriculture-for-2060/">http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/06/03/pyramid-farm-vertical-agriculture-for-2060/</a></p>
<p>The downside is the amount of energy & water to farm indoors. This has been solved for the most part by built-in wastewater treatment & renewable energy like solar & geothermal.</p>
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<p>Lastly, natural farming methods have been shown to work (growing plants close together that supplement each other, sometimes not even weeding, letting nature do its work.) Yes, with chemicals & such crop outputs are bigger. How is the quality affected? I believe it is usually subpar. This is another grey area that could be debated almost endlessly.</p>
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<p>So there are possibilities out there to feed & water us all. I'm excited to see how the world responds to this growing deficit.</p>
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<p></p>Imagine1 2020tag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-03-21:4871302:BlogPost:520312010-03-21T05:00:26.000ZMassive Attackhttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/zackstieber
My company is unique in many ways. One service we offer is total destruction of original, outdated, ineffecient house. The trick is the materials that are salvageable. Those that aren't are recycled. We have been zero trash since we started three years ago in 2017. The old materials end up mostly usable. Eliminating outdated architecture like crawl spaces & attics decreases material needed.<br />
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Clients love the balance of design, maximizing vertical space & affordability. There are enough…
My company is unique in many ways. One service we offer is total destruction of original, outdated, ineffecient house. The trick is the materials that are salvageable. Those that aren't are recycled. We have been zero trash since we started three years ago in 2017. The old materials end up mostly usable. Eliminating outdated architecture like crawl spaces & attics decreases material needed.<br />
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Clients love the balance of design, maximizing vertical space & affordability. There are enough people doing this that the competition is rather intense sometimes. Separation is achieved by going above in beyond. We are building, natural resource, recycling, landscape(& horticulture), design & environmental experts. We offer solutions to problems you never thought of.<br />
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Public education is a key part of community, so we show learning tours of sites, as well as host presentation events; here one learns what's new in sustainabke architecture.<br />
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Our m.o is treehouses. Their the hot new thing. Some folks are even tearing down their first house in favor of a treehouse with several stories. The yard space that opens up is pretty substantial. The sunlight that frees up is amazing. Look me up in 2020. I'm sure a bunch of people can join me in my adventures.Social Innovation & Changing Mindsetstag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-03-21:4871302:BlogPost:519312010-03-21T03:42:25.000ZMassive Attackhttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/zackstieber
I feel like choosing just one secret is too narrowing & there are ones that are closely related & interwoven. Take what you have is more important then what you lack. Now add do hard work needed to find a simple solution. When your limited to a certain amount of assets, you pretty much automatically have to work harder to find a way to utilize the alternative materials which is subsequently simplifying the process by just using what you have. <br></br>
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Delving in furthur, sticking to…
I feel like choosing just one secret is too narrowing & there are ones that are closely related & interwoven. Take what you have is more important then what you lack. Now add do hard work needed to find a simple solution. When your limited to a certain amount of assets, you pretty much automatically have to work harder to find a way to utilize the alternative materials which is subsequently simplifying the process by just using what you have. <br/>
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Delving in furthur, sticking to your immediate resources & simplifying makes it inexpensive. I needed two tables for my new apartment. The options were<br/>
Buying a table<br/>
Buying wood + materials<br/>
Scavenging + using what I had<br/>
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In the end, keeping a eye out (peripheral vision?!) for "waste" like perfectly usable wood, nails & screws & obtaining a table from freecycle (for the base of one of them, these are rather vertical) enabled me to make two two-level tables for $5.00. I had plenty left over for other projects + more levels(coming soon)<br/>
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Seeing the obvious (good, solid resources being disposed) & interrupting this unnecessary waste stream while at the same time benefiting from this personally is helping you & the environment. Sharing about this knowledge will make other people realize how much they could create themselves (much more fun in almost all cases) from recycled, typically free materials, rather then buying empty, unsustainable products. This is continuing innovative progress.<br/>
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Try baking your own bread, installing a greywater and/or rainwater catchement, growing a garden, eating less meat & figuring out an alternative transportation method. In a personal effort to simplify, I am selling my car, instead riding a bike around. Try something that simplifies, making it less expensive at the same time. Then share your knowledge! I am always striving to work towards a minimal lifestyle. This is aided very much by shared knowledge. Evoke is a great example of how much of an impact shared knowledge can have. It's quite exciting.<br />
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Well, that's the way I see it. These secrets just seem to lead from one to another in a smooth flow.