Bikestorming.org

While many saw that Rio+20 a large failure on the part of many in the environmental world, something special came out of that conference. Something special that is now starting to get a notice in America, and being picked up on various outlets through out the web, and something truly special to help fight and reduce our carbon footprints in the whole world.

That something is a website called bikestorming.org.

The idea sprung up from the Buenos-Aires based bicycle advocacy group, La Vida en Bici. The basic idea is that by 2030 to have bicycles be the primary mode of transportation in the urban world. They are running on the the phrase "51% in 2030. Through their website and group they will use their website to facilitate other advocacy groups, artists, social media commentators, and social activists to come together and push this imitative forward through a truly grassroots movement. 

Bikestorming.org is basing their whole movement on three simple facts to gain traction to their argument.

1) THE PLANET IS WARMING

2)THE WORLD IS URBAN

3) BICYCLES ARE A VEHICLE OF CHANGE

With a beautiful blog covering everything to transit maps, subway escalators for bikes, to bike friendly hairstyles, this is a great meeting place to get the word out and inspire true social change. Espeically since they have a very clear goal.

Check out their video below:

[EN] Bikestorming.org launched at Rio+20, intro by Bill McKibben from mati kalwill on Vimeo.

Check out the great work Le Vida En Bici is doing as well!

Wattvision

Every so often, a new idea springs forth and we get to glimpse into what could be. I have stated on here before, and our original founder, Jay, has stated on here before that one of the biggest issues that is holding us back to truly mastering our energy consumption is real-time energy monitoring. Now, obviously, there are ramification to an electric company for truly offering this to their consumers, and their have been many products and ways to look at to monitor real time energy use.

Even on this site alone, we have talked about this issue a few times, and different products. Jay even posted an unboxing of an Efergy E2. Yet, something then happened over the last couple years, well actually, two things happened over the last couple of years, that now has a direct effect on giving the power back to the consumer.

The first thing that happened was the smartphone revolution. All of a sudden in the past couple of years everyone smartphones seemed to be readily available and accessible for everyone in almost every income bracket. They slowly started becoming part of our lives. Smartphones have changed the way we live and could very well change the way that we do small things around the house. We have been allowed to have a computer in the palm of our hand.

The second thing that has happened is Kickstarter and the crowdfunding movement. These type of sites allow us as consumers to invest in ideas that we think that would better our lives. We don't have to depend on big banks, or large investors that may or may not get our idea, but we can pitch our idea to a plethora of like minded people, and let them decided if they like our idea. It is truly power to the people.

That is where Wattvision comes in. Wattvision is a prototype real time energy meter that delivers real time energy use directly to your smartphone, and can determine how much energy a specific device in your house. I watched the video, and I was pretty impressed with what they are intending to do. You can check it out here.

These guys also have some pedigree under their belt. They have also gained backing for this nifty solar energy charger called the Ready Set Solar Kit.I am excited to see if this project gets funded and where it goes from there. I think with enough people interested, and the correct roll out that this could be a game changer.

---Justin (link via Angie Fretz)

Tribulations and Local Food

It has been a long long time. Sometimes in life, you get bogged down in unexpected events of sorrow and joy, and projects and pledges take a back seat. I have just went through one of the periods. Loss of a father, supporting my wife finishing grad school, and a multi-state move, brings us to this moment now. It has been a long year, and life has thrown us lemons, oranges, grapes, and whatever other fruit life can throw at you, and we made a lot of "lemonade". Now after everything was said and done, it is time, and there is time to pick-up with conservation and getting Slay Energy Vampires! Moving in the right direction. With all of that said...

...welcome back, I am glad you are still following me. Now, on to some brief information.

A few days ago, the city of Tempe in Arizona, added to their city web page a page dedicated to all of their locally crafted food. Everything from Pasta, to Beer, to Popcorn. It is a long and informative list with direct links and locations to where you can purchase this local food. Local food is still the best and most effective way to cut down on your food's carbon footprint. So, if you are in the Tempe, Arizona area, check out this list. They proudly advertised this list on their Facebook page as well.

Right here for great local food!

---Justin

A quick look into Patriotism

Today is the Fourth of July, and a day to celebrate the birthing of this nation. Through many of this county's difficult times, many of them were reflected in the propaganda poster art during World War II. Obviously we all know Rosie and Riveter and Buy War Bonds poster, and an art project has taken up roots to try and make battling climate change and other environmental issues being the new rallying cry for Americans. Green Patriot Posters is an off-shoot of The Canary Project, which is a non-profit organization, that focuses on using art and media to help bring awareness to climate change. Green Patriot Posters encourages people to make their own pseudo-World War II era posters to become rallying cries for the 21st century.

Taken directly from their website:

During World War II the United States was able to mobilize industry and motivate its citizens in breathtaking speed. Factories were overhauled and consumption habits transformed. Strong, graphically compelling posters played a crucial role in the success of this campaign.

These posters presented the actions of individual citizens as vital for the nation and portrayed those who took part as attractive, dynamic American heroes.

Today a similar mobilization is required to address the crisis of global climate change and achieve energy independence. That’s why The Canary Project and its partners have launched Green Patriot Posters.

Green Patriot Posters is a communications campaign centered on posters that encourage all U.S. citizens to build a sustainable economy. These posters can be general (“We Can Do It!”) or can promote a specific sustainability action.

These posters look pretty slick, and it's a pretty cool thing to try and get people involved, and remind us the sacrifices that our previous generations had to make during times of strife. Something that should be reflected on this 4th of July.

---Justin J. Stewart

Pools and Plants...enter the GardenPool a whole new way for backyard gardening

...link via GayLee Fretz

WOW! I don't even know where to start with this new technique in backyard gardening. I am blown away and overly jealous. Who and how do you get a garden in an old pool?! Well the people over at GardenPool.org have found a way to do it, and it is truly a work of amazement.

Swimming pools to being with are a pool of energy waste and excess, if you ask me at look at the numbers (yet, I am not down at all on anyone who wishes to take a dip in their backyard pool on scorching days, especially in the Southwest). This family from Mesa, Arizona took an empty, run-down pool in a new house that they just purchased, and instead of pouring money into it to continue pouring more money and energy into it for recreation, they put money into an investment. The investment was food grown in your backyard (from crops to chickens, to fish!), in one of the most difficult growing regions in the United States.

The garden pool uses solar power to power the self-sustaining garden (farm?!). They are using hydroponics gardening to reduce soil use, aquaponics to grow their fish, and are using naturally grown insects and plants (duckweed to filer and purify the water) to feed and combat nasties from their crops and fertilize their crops. Did I mention they have a chicken coop?!!

This is the empty pool that they started with!They use SPIN (Small Plot Intensive) gardening techniques, which we also have seen in the more common term, square foot gardening. They are promoting this as a way to get as much as what little room you have. Which I have fully supported, I have been saying since my own organic gardening experiences this year (article coming soon!), that if everyone planted a one foot by one foot or two foot by two foot garden we could take a huge strain off of the American food system. They are using gutter planting techniques as 5 gallon buckets as planters and appear to be getting quite the harvest, 365 days a year. DID I MENTION THEY HAVE CHICKENS?! I can't get over the the chicken thing. Even though some people would probably be more impressed that they literally have a Tilapia farm in their back yard. The family also gives tours of their pool, and offers a volunteer program so you can get some hands on experience and think about how you can build one of your own in your desert backyard.

I see this The inside of the GardenPoolas a step, even though a huge step, that we can all work towards. Maybe not at this scale at first, but something we can look at and think about. I am super impressed with these guys, and if you are in the Phoenix area, I would suggest checking this out. If not, please visit their website and read all about it. The information that they have places on their website about this project is so  in depth and fascinating, yet simple reading. I applaud the family for their outreach on this project. Also, check out their facebook page while your at it. Big props to this family for their dedication and demonstration of showing us that you, yes you, can own your own food supply!I will now leave you with a video of their GardenPool!

---Justin J. Stewart (link via GayLee Fretz, all pictures and videos from GardenPool.org)