(Source: Flickr / tambako, via tit-deactivated20111119)
This guy in Wales built his own house for $5000. The house was built with maximum regard for the environment and by reciprocation gives us a unique opportunity to live close to nature. Being your own (have a go) architect is a lot of fun and allows you to create and enjoy something which is part of yourself and the land rather than, at worst, a mass produced box designed for maximum profit and convenience of the construction industry. Building from natural materials does away with producers profits and the cocktail of carcinogenic poisons that fill most modern buildings. (more here)
Vancouver campaigning politician perpetuates ignorance surrounding urban agriculture
You’d think that in the beautiful west coast city of Vancouver, we’d have the same progressive laws which say, Portland adopts. Unfortunately this is not so, or has not been so until recently. The current mayor of Gregor Robertson (founder of Happy Planet) has championed a change or shift enabling sustainable change and enlightenment to a surprising amount of opposition. New bike lanes, advocating for urban agriculture and an developing an exciting initiative which wants to place Vancouver as the “Greenest City in the World by 2020” (by doing so, engaging the city, holding forums and acting on his promises) are only a few examples of Robertson’s desire for change. Again, you’d be surprised by the opposition from the public, but you’d be even more surprised for campaigning politician Suzanne Anton to break out with the perfect articulation of the public’s ignorance towards progressive culture. “NPA attack ads against “back yard chickens” and “front yard wheat fields” may backfire as an increasing number of Vancouverites embrace community gardening and urban agriculture.” Are you kidding me? This situation is both terrifying and incredibly disappointing. SO! Get on the horn and get behind Gregor, he has been the first mayor in the history of Vancouver’s political history that has been willing to be the pioneer of change that is needed globally to make the real shift happen. You have my vote!
(Source: thomaspearson)
UN rep. Prosor: Israel has no chance of stopping recognition of Palestinian state - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News
Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Ron Prosor, sent a classified cable to the Foreign Ministry last week, stating that Israel stands no chance of rallying a substantial number of states to oppose a resolution at the UN General Assembly recognizing a Palestinian state in September.
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She was a level-headed dancer
On the road to alcohol
And I was just a soldier on my way to Montreal
Well she pressed her chest against me
About the time the juke box broke
Yeah, she gave me a peck on the back of the neck
And these are the words she spoke
Blow up your T.V.
Throw away your paper
Go to the country
Build you a home
Plant a little garden
Eat a lot of peaches
Try’an find Jesus on your own
Well, I sat there at the table and I acted real naive
For I knew that topless lady had something up her sleeve
Well, she danced around the bar room and she did the hoochy-coo
Yeah she sang her song all night long, tellin’ me what to do
Blow up your T.V.
Throw away your paper
Go to the country
Build you a home
Plant a little garden
Eat a lot of peaches
Try’an find Jesus on your own
Well, I was young and hungry and about to leave that place
When just as I was leavin’, well she looked me in the face
I said “You must know the answer.”
“She said, “No but I’ll give it a try.”
And to this very day we’ve been livin’ our way
And here is the reason why
We blew up our T.V.
Threw away our paper
Went to the country
Built us a home
Had a lot of children
Fed ‘em on peaches
They all found Jesus on their own
John Prine “Spanish Pipedream” (via thefreeup)
Hugelkultur with Paul Wheaton
Wonderful article by Paul Wheaton about hugelkultur, what it is, and why it is so important to the permaculture lifestyle :)
