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Rocket mass heaters are better than heat pumps because rocket mass heaters are free to operate and have less than 6% of the carbon footprint.
"HUSP," an acronym for "Horticulture of the United States of Pocahontas," is a term coined by Paul Wheaton to represent a hypothetical agricultural system practiced in a fictional nation called the United States of Pocahontas (USP). In this imagined scenario, Pocahontas emerges as a strategic leader, thwarting European colonization and leading to the formation of the USP. This fictional nation's agricultural practices are characterized by a deep respect for the Earth, rejecting environmentally harmful methods like plowing and the use of petroleum-based fertilizers and pesticides. Instead, they embrace sustainable techniques akin to permaculture and traditional Indigenous knowledge, leading to superior food production, enhanced public health, and a thriving "health tourism" industry. Wheaton utilizes HUSP as a thought experiment, inspiring innovation and pushing the boundaries of contemporary permaculture. He proposes a real-world project involving a 2,000-acre plot divided into smaller sections where practitioners of permaculture, biodynamic farming, and native plant cultivation can experiment and share knowledge, collectively striving to "rediscover" the principles of HUSP and advance sustainable agriculture. This project emphasizes the importance of collaboration and government non-interference to foster creative solutions for a future where food production harmonizes with nature.
Hugelkultur, meaning "hill culture" in German, is a sustainable gardening method that involves creating raised garden beds by burying wood under soil. This technique, described as "soil on wood," uses logs, branches, twigs, and even whole trees, which decompose and act as "a sponge to hold water". The decomposition process attracts beneficial microorganisms, creates air pockets, and releases nutrients, resulting in fertile soil that reduces or eliminates the need for irrigation and fertilization. Hugelkultur is a versatile technique that can be implemented on a small scale or on a large scale, even spanning nearly a kilometer. By utilizing wood that would otherwise be discarded, hugelkultur promotes environmental sustainability and aligns with permaculture principles, allowing gardeners to "grow a typical garden without irrigation or fertilization"