Jay Angler

I tripped over this video:



I never agree with everything someone says on a controversial subject, but he makes some good points. The "extreme" or "perfection"  could be the excuse for not aiming for a more realistic version of a renewable world.

The images he showed and the information he covered was still very "big city" focused. I think many of us are of the opinion that most of our cities are broken - too big, too energy dependent, and too fragile if the s--t really hits the rotary impeller. We have to consider who benefits from these concrete jungles, and who are struggling within them, and help the struggling to see ways to help themselves even if that's as basic as learning to cook a little and grow sprouts on their window ledges. Many apartment dwellers already have a houseplant or three. Why can't those houseplants be a mini-tomato plant with some walking onion sharing the pot?

This is becoming more and more important, not just for the food it represents, but for the cooling effect, trees, particularly groups of trees, have on a city. If we *need* to plant more city trees to protect lives during heat waves, why not make them mini-food forests?

It is very easy in conversations like this one, to not see the forest for the trees!

There has been so much in the news lately about heat waves. There is excellent research out there about how trees, particularly mini-forests, within walking distance of every home or apartment building, can literally save lives during bad heat waves.

Why not make that important and necessary shade do double duty and plant fruit trees along with trees known to clean urban air of pollution? One good shade tree in the center, and a ring of shorter fruit bearing trees around it, creating an island of cooler air.

If you use raingarden principles as the first step, these islands may be able to support themselves just on rainwater.

If you then present your plans to authorities, focusing on "reducing run-off"  and "saving lives during the heat", you may find them more interested in approving your plan. That apple tree you plan on including, is just a beautiful blossom tree in the spring, with pretty red balls on it later in the year!

Someone mentioned freezer storage. If it was only me, it would be easier, I admit. However, one year when I had control of the situation, I used the reusable grocery bags with labels attached to keep like, or similar, items together. So all the frozen raspberries went in one bag. Various packages of frozen veggies went into another. I had 5 or 6 bags on the go, but had difficulty keeping people around me seeing the benefits.

In the future if I try again, I will make sure the bags are distinctly different colours.

For the "veggie bag," I'd consider several smaller bags to keep various types separate.

I'd consider making up a bag for outside purchases, such as the bread Hubby likes to buy, as I think that would help him buy into the system.

Jenn Martinson wrote:... Borage is sounding like the best bet...

OK, either Canadian "Borage" is different, or it just *really* *LOVES* my ecosystem, because my borage, and the plant at a friend's place, grow at least 2 1/2 feet tall! I'm pretty sure that had I measured it, one that grew last year had to top 3'. Granted it volunteered where it could tap into the bottom of a compost heap. I don't think I've tried consistently pruning it for shortness to know if I can be kept short. The bees love it so much, I try to leave it be.

In this "Good News" article, someone in Spain is rescuing donkeys, and turning a group of them into a fire protection team. Their task is to clear fire blocks and reduce the fire load.

As Paul said above, *how* you clear underbrush can either improve or reduce the quality of your soil. How animals browse can either be an asset or a liability to the soil, but hopefully the article's Fire Brigade Donkeys are at least an improvement over nasty chemicals or diesel powered equipment.

https://globalnews.ca/news/11987460/donkey-fire-brigade-spain-wildfires/

Get checked for sleep apnea? - it keeps waking you to a level where the kidneys start producing urine. Two people I know who started wearing CPAP machines stopped getting up to pee.

Essentially, anything that might be disturbing your sleep, can contribute to the need to get up to pee. It could be outside noise or lights, a full moon etc.

D Nikolls wrote: ... that's a much better description of what I meant by using a rock.. they could be better than concrete in the right place with the right rock.. cheap, local, low carbon, and potentially more durable.

Gotchas that I can see are:
A) Not as resistant to frost heave vs a concrete pillar with a mushroomed base below the frost depth..
B) Only as durable as the rock you pick; some are excellent and some suck..

If you are drilling a hole in said rock for the post anchor, you might use that same hole for a lifting eye.. a lever and come-along attached to a vehicle can lift a surprisingly big rock..

Yes - I'm spoiled as we don't get the kind of freezing weather many people get due this extremely large body of water (the Pacific Ocean and its tendrils) that surround my Island.

I wish I was better at identifying rocks and knowing which were better constructed. That said, if the rock is largely under a building, thus not going through repeated wet/dry cycles, it will last much longer, even if it isn't the strongest choice. The secret to many long lived buildings is a good, well-drained, protected foundation.

What do you call a math tool that supports farming vehicle rights?  

Protractor

What do you call a lizard that tells damaging lies about you?

A slandermander.