Donald Kenning

+ Follow
since Jul 25, 2014
Merit badge: bb list bbv list
Biography
Physicist turned Environmentalist. I decided to create Greencompletely.com in 2008 because it seemed like people were long in "feeling good" but short in facts about environmental issues.
For More
Tri-Cities, Washington
Apples and Likes
Apples
Total received
In last 30 days
3
Forums and Threads

Recent posts by Donald Kenning

Thank you for the shout out!!! Yea, I think I have been following your stuff for 15+ years and I find great solace in listening to the podcasts, watching the Youtubes, reading the X posts and so on. I have also gone back and watched some stuff a few times (the 72 Bricks presentation at that church 12 years ago comes to mind).

I found that I kinda had a problem with how many people green wash things and I would get angry at bad people doing bad things. Over the last decade and a half Paul would simplify and explain things in a very easy to understand way on issues that I care about.  I found that it really helped me deal with bad people, not necessarily ignore them but helped me be calmer and more logical (like Paul does it). That is why when the Kickstarter came out for "Building a Better World in Your Backyard ... " I jumped on that and became a supporter. I gave out my initial 9 books from the kickstarter and am working on giving the next 10. Sometimes I actually listen the to the podcasts to help me calm down because I am angry at bad people.

When sometimes I teach in a classroom or museum, I find myself breaking down the material in a very similar way to Paul. It really does help young minds to see that they can do real things without having to be an activist (which many people teach) that yells and screams but accomplishes little. Anger at bad people can wait till they are older.

Again, thanks, it was my pleasure to tag along for the test drive.

Here is Paul during the test drive at a lake he navigated the cyber truck to:
I was dropping my car off for service at the Tesla Service Center when who walks in? That is right, Paul Wheaton!!! I felt honored just meeting him!! Then, I was so excited when he invited me along for the test drive. We were with the Tesla person for a short test drive then Paul and I went on a longer loop. He navigated the area using Grok (the on board AI) and the map displayed on the screen. The service guy answered a lot of questions and I tried to answer some others. Talking with Grok we got more answers.

Of course, Paul had the truck navigate to a local lake so he could dip his toes in and we took in the beauty of this pristine lake before heading back to the service station. While we were there I commented to Paul how I thought the truck was beautiful because it looks like a truss (one solid piece) and I said I think they designed it to be stronger than a cab dragging a bed that could break in the middle. Truly a design where form follows function.

I was truly honored to spend that hour or so with Paul, so glad you are enjoying the truck.

Here are a few pics from that encounter:

Hello, I have not posted in these forums for a few years. However, when I saw the kickstarter and saw the focus, I had to get involved!!! Such an awesome project!!! Then when I saw that $100 supporters get 12 physical copies of the book, I thought about all the people I could give this book to ... and if I had my name in it ... that would be really, really, really cool. So, my "belly when up to the bar" and I happily pledged $100 (on the first day). Then all these "stretch goals" came up and I said ... WAAAYYYY COOOOLLL!!! This is the best $100 ($115) I have ever spent. Thank you Paul and Shawn and everyone else responsible for making this happen. This has been long overdue.
7 years ago
I have a small problem with this map. I commented on this on the other comment string.

I really, really, really like the idea of a map. Just not this one.

There are many reasons why. Most of that deals with control of information.

Without logging onto permies, I was able to put a pin in my location on the map. I could be anyone, not just a member of this forum (with an account and everything).

Anyone (perhaps a troll) can move my location. I can go right now and move people location, after all, my location had been moved since yesterday. All it takes in one person to severely wreck this map (troll or not).  

Too much information. Many people would be OK with sharing what state they live in, but not their physical address. If I only shared that, would I put a pin in Olympia (our state capital in Washington State). A location filter would need to be installed on this map for those who do not want to give too much information. I think it is interesting that Paul Weaton's pin is on International Gaming Technology in Missula, Mt.

Too much information. People can put in multiple locations. This may not be a big problem but maybe they could do a change of address when they move.

Names are not clickable. One of the points of this is to be able to contact like minded people in our local area or where we travel. This is a great forum to send a purple moosage without giving out real e-mail addresses. On the map, I could see a name, then I would have to go to permies to search for the name (this is a real hassle if the name is not connected to a permies account).


Needs to be more controlled. I am forced to conclude that the map is a weak substitute for a map of members of permies.com. I still believe this should be some code implemented by the site itself for a "map" view-able on the permies site. Sorry. I really, really, really like the idea.
10 years ago
My two cents:

I think this would be great!!! Often I feel like I have no one to share my successes and failures with in my local community. You know the ones that are traveling this unusual path (Paul W. might call is eco-4 and higher people). Yea, they are just waiting for my failures but they take my successes with a big grain of salt.

Paul Wheaton wrote:

Set it up and we can promote it!  



Yea, that is OK, I think but maybe we can make this a bit simpler at first.

Now, what I am suggesting is re-writing some code on the permies.com site, hence the apprehension ( I am assuming) from Paul. However, I think that is about the only way it could be done.

I think that in your "personal preferences" there could be a check box or something that allows a permies member to be "seen on a map".
Then in that list you check the box that is the amount of information you are willing to publish (Name and location). The "amount of information" I mean is a level of information on your location. So, you could have a check box on "country", "State", "County", "City", "Zipcode". I would not get more detailed than zip code for privacy reasons. Then the member simply checks one of those boxes.

For the "promote it" part, permies.com could have a special page for the "map". This can start out as a searchable data area where a  person can look at "lists". These lists can be clickable member names. So, when searching a level of detail, a list could pop up. Then if a member wants to contact the other member they could send a purple moosage.

As time goes on, this list of lists (or database) could be set to the backdrop of an actual map (like google maps or something).

Unfortunately, I think the programming should be coming from permies.com itself. "Unfortunately" because you all are pretty busy over there. I would be happy to help if I can.
Hi guys.

Sorry about the people being mean. Some people are mean and like to judge other people (there I go judging people).

Growing up, I remember hunting for Shantrel mushrooms. I guess they are highly sought after, I don't know, I just picked them for the family (I do not like mushrooms). I would also say that the peninsula may have many other kinds. I am thinking in some of the Birch trees could have Chaga. In the woods there may be Turkey Tail or Chicken of the Woods. And I never looked but I would bet in some of the second growth fir stands of timber there might be some White Truffle.

Locally, there is a lot of information. I just googled it and found a few links for you to follow:
https://radicalbotany.com/category/fungi-and-mushrooms/
https://www.facebook.com/OlympicPeninsulaMushrooms/
http://olymushroom.org/

As for people who commercially deal with the stuff I would look at Paul Stamet's mushroom site called Fungi Perfecti Who is an expert on fungus in the Olympia, Washington area. I hope this helps.
10 years ago
Here is an update on my research into SciShow channel on Youtube.

Discussion Forum. This channel has one. It is interesting to see all the suggestions people write for shows for them to do. These suggestions come one every 3 to 5 days.

Their world views: Well I watched a few of their videos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7i8pjnjZcF8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIEg-Ei_BCM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tzaWOdvGMw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sH4bi60alZU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2Jxs7lR8ZI&list=PLB3FCEEAC84884760&index=4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmjtA1R0qVM&list=PLB3FCEEAC84884760&index=5

These deal with garbage in the ocean, global climate change, GMO, curing cancer and other stuff. I post these links because this is what I am using to form an opinion as to how the channel will work with issues that permies would have.

What questions to pose? On my next post to this stream, I will have a strategy for posting to the facebook, twitter and youtube channel for SciShow. I hope other people reading this will join me in posting some of the questions that will help with the "world domination" some people (Paul W.) are trying to achieve. It is just, what to ask ... I am working on it.
10 years ago
Hi everyone.

For those who do not know what SciShow Youtube Channel is, I have linked it here. Their by line is "We hate not knowing things". It looks cool and they have about 3.5 million subscribers. Almost every video they produce will get 1 million views. In the videos, they do a lot of research to find explanations of the topic they are talking about. This is a great venue for learning about stuff scientifically for the masses.

Them doing a video about any aspect of permaculture would be huge for the cause. Is it the right time? Is there enough for them to research? What topics could they choose? Agriculture? Energy? Heating? Home building? Community?

Personally, I think the time is right to recognize that many of the practices of permaculture can be scientifically justified. It is past time to show the "world" needs to be "dominated" by biology rather than chemistry. It solves so many problems and dispels so many fallacies. The studies exist that prove the approach is sound and should be on a forum for the masses to see.

I think what I will do is subscribe to the SciShow channel. And with Paul Wheaton's blessing (or without) I could pose some specific questions to the channel that can scientifically be proved. You know, small steps toward people realizing that permaculture is at the end of that journey of knowledge. Does that sound fair?

edit: my thought here is that if a question is popular enough, they would investigate. And I mean a simple question. I will post in a second with the questions.
10 years ago
Dylan Gillies

Hi and welcome.

I grew up in Hoodsport on the Hood Canal. This is an area I love a great deal. At the bottom of this post you will see a link to another comment stream from a Carol Ochs from San Diego. She is looking to move to the east side of the Hood Canal. On that comment stream I put in a bunch of stuff about the Hood Canal and area.

While the area is not very densely populated, it is a place with a lot of tourist late spring to early fall. So there is an ebb and flow of people in the region. The people who are there all year are good people. Since it is Western Washington, mostly liberal, Democrat, but there is more of an independent vibe. I assume by posting on this forum, you are looking for people who are more "permies" type of people to interact with? They are all over the place in Western Washington (more so than here in Eastern Washington). I have seen people posting from Bothel, Seattle, Bellingham, Orchas Island (some pretty famous people there).

Doing permaculture in this area is mostly a no brainer because of the amount of rain. That has made the soils "successionaly" more fungal dominated as evidence by all the trees. So I would choose to do permaculture things that capitalize on that.

I personally love the rain. In Hoodsport about 90 inches a year. I love having the sea (Hood Canal) in my front yard and the mountains (Olympics) in my back yard. I think you and your father will love it here (sorry, there). So let me be the first to welcome you to the neighborhood.


https://permies.com/t/56401/real-estate/homestead-farming-culture-Western-WA
10 years ago
Hi;

One last thing about the septic system. The system I talked about at $30 to $35k was for a house on Finch creek in Hoodsport. There the water table is a foot or two below ground. If you are on a small hill, the water table will be lower. I think it is like a "sand vault" kinda thing. If you are on the canal or living on one of the creeks or rivers that feed the south part of the canal, they may insist on this type. The expense is shipping in the sand and the back hoe and stuff. And, of course, Belfair has that sewer system now, if you go there.

But Potlach to the Dosewallups river water shed (Brinnon) puts you on the east side of the canal (sea in the front door, Olympics out the back). But most of the towns that have anything are Brinnon in the North and Shelton (12 miles beyond Potlach) in the South. And of course, Belfair and Union on the "hook".