UWW310 Technology & Sustainability

With drought becoming more serious here is a good article with some water saving tips

An interesting article about the effect of pesticides and insecticides on the rest of the environment

Lionel Buckett has created several passive solar cliff top caves for dwelling enjoyment. Located in Australia's Blue Mountains range, Lionel intertwines a view thousands of years old with alternative energy systems and modern living features. Nature is all encompassing in his designs, as the cave's glass door and outside wall shower prove to be.

The Providence Arcade built in 1828, was transformed when Evan Granoff bought it and renovated the top floors into micro units. The ground floor welcomes tenants and others with micro shops designed to fit local needs.

"Between 1900-2006, campaigns of nonviolent civil resistance were twice as successful as violent campaigns." Sustainability and livelihood where gratitude is the attitude.

Dew-collecting greenhouses used in desert areas allow for water vapors to collect and be used for hydrating plants and animals alike.

With all the graveyards in the world, and an estimated world population of 7.125 billion ... biodegradable coffins and urns seem like a pretty good idea to reduce pollution.

Much of our food supply come from very same regions in China where e-waste including our old iPads are dumped. You should watch this!

The Dirty Dozen & The Clean 15! Learn the top 12 most contaminated and sprayed fruits and veggies, and also learn the safest 15 to eat! Which foods are best to buy organic? Money saving produce tips here: http://youtu.be/dXy3v0oXH2U.

Most people are not aware that regular coffee consumption can be a significant source of pesticides. According to the CS Monitor, conventional farmers apply up to 250 pounds of chemical fertilizers per acre! So when you sip on your non-organic morning brew, you are also sipping on pesticide residues.

The Story of Stuff, originally released in December 2007, is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world.

How many electronic gadgets does your family have? What's your favorite electronic gadget? An iPad? Video game? TV? How many gadgets does your family use? Would you believe that the average home has 24 electronic products! Do you ever think about what happens to these gadgets when you are done with them?

Hemp is such an amazing plant. From it an array of oils, plastics, paints and twine can be created ... of such strength Kentuckians were able to avoid WWII draft by staying home and growing hemp. The fiber of this plant is so strong, that the government was eager to have farmers plant and grow it (with government provided seeds) so that the best parachutes, laces and other materials could be made for soldiers and the war. "Breathing in 4x the carbon dioxide (CO2) of trees during it's quick 12-14 week growing cycle. Trees take 20 years to mature vs 4 months for Industrial Hemp" So why are we still clearing forests and avoiding the CO2 sync of this marvelous resource???

In this YES! Magazine article by Kayla Schultz, Canadian Sophie Toupin remarks on how inaccessible technology seems to women and others considered a minority to the traditional "white hacker" notion. Toupin talks about the need for all members to feel safe and supported to explore whatever notion they deem interesting. This includes the opportunity to lead group sessions regardless of age, orientation, or any other possible classification ... as long as socially-minded sustainable ideas are crossing thresholds of imagination.