DIY

Two founders of the Rhizome Collective have created an incredible practical guide for DIY urban sustainability.

There are hundreds of great books on sustainable living, but they tend to have a few stark shortcomings. They spend a lot of time selling the reader on the green vision instead of simply saying how to enact it. They often focus on efforts that are either consumer-oriented ("let's buy our way out of ecocide") or electorally oriented ("if only we had voted for Al Gore the oceans wouldn't be dying and our cars would be powered by rainbows"). The DIY steps are often expensive and out of reach for folks who don't own their own property or houses. Even if you do, not many people can simply decide to throw down $30,000 for a hybrid car or design their own green house.

More than a punk rock guide to parenting, this is a book for those who desire to support the growth of future generations from a standpoint outside of the ever-present grasp of over-consumption, gender inequality, and hierarchical power structures. The author provides an outline for the ways in which one can raise a child in this world without having to conform to the consumer-oriented aspects of childrearing. She empowers those who desire to raise a child in congruence with their ideals while raising important questions about how western culture has presented the topic of parenting.

What if it were possible to combine energy and water in a way that would contribute to the reversal of global warming and the restoration of the planet? What if it were possible to have a better quality of life, without having to give anything up? What if that plan made such economic sense that governments and large corporations would buy into it?

As it turns out, it is possible to create an energy source by using key technologies that are already available. Most cities have enough rain and sun to meet their water and energy needs, by using simple technology.

Building on current mainstream trends in solar energy and wind power, Electric Water offers a clear vision of how the world's energy and water infrastructure could be transformed. The book provides:

* an outline of the major issues that need addressing, including global warming
* a fascinating explanation of key technologies in plain water
* a vision of business and job opportunities in restoration

*What ecovillagers, permaculture teachers, and others are saying about Creating a Life Together :

“The indispensable, state-of-the-art, ‘how-to’ book on starting a community from scratch.”

— Richard Heinberg, Peak Oil activist and author, The Party’s Over and Powerdown

“Every potential ecovillager should read it. This book will be an essential guide and manual for the many Permaculture graduates who live in communities or design for them.”

— Bill Mollison, co-founder of the Permaculture movement, and author, Permaculture: A Designer's Manual

“On my top three 'must-read' list for cohousers. I wish I'd had it when I started my first cohousing community!”

— Ann Zabaldo, Takoma Village Cohousing

“The book is a godsend....a serious book in a spritely style that packs a wallop!....Useful also to anyone already involved with community, Creating a Life Together will be the prime reference in its field for many years to come.”

Since the big telecom companies seem deadset on smothering the utterly sane concept of municipal wireless in its crib, I decided to post a few links on building very cheap wireless antennae and suggestions of where you might point them to in Austin. Don't download anything big unless the place is closed, because you'll get it shut down.

Municipal wireless is the elegant and inspired proposition to provide broadband wireless internet for an entire metropolitan region as a public utility, paid for out of tax revenues. Oh god, more taxes! Some say. But back when Philadelphia was seriously considering it, before it got mangled into a corporate boondoggle, the cost estimate per person would have been $6 per person for the first year and $1-1.50 per person EVERY YEAR AFTER for maintenance. So instead of paying $50 a month, $6 the first YEAR and $1 afterwards.

Berkeley Public Library Tool Lending Library

I just wanted to post a link about this program offered by the Berkeley Public Library system. It's also offered by the libraries of Oakland and San Francisco. You can check out tools of all types (from hammers to cement mixers) with a valid library card and proof of residence. Amazing. I personally think this sort of program would be very popular in the Austin area as well.

Another great example of a tool library is the independent nonprofit Atlanta Tool Bank, which loans out tools to community groups for repairing homes and civic buildings, building theaters and play sets, etc. They live by donation, so check 'em out.

I read this post and it floored me.

Gin, Television, and Social Surplus

I think this is the best way to think about the cultural shifts that are occurring in pop culture today. It's amazing to me that we've reached a point where young folks will talk about and use a large encyclopedia for fun, sometimes at parties. There's something much more profound to this though as this article discusses. We've got a surplus of leisure time, more or less. And we're seeing the beginnings of a cultural shift towards using that time for constructive communitarian projects, rather than pissing it away on television and self-destruction.

Build it.

Replicating Rapid-prototyper

"What is RepRap?

RepRap version 1.0

Look at your computer setup and imagine that you hooked up a 3D printer. Instead of printing on bits of paper this 3D printer makes real, robust, mechanical parts. To give you an idea of how robust, think Lego bricks and you're in the right area. You could make lots of useful stuff, but interestingly you could also make most of the parts to make another 3D printer. That would be a machine that could copy itself.

"In this DVD Craig introduces you to each part of his bio-fuel conversion so that you can convert your own vehicle to run on used cooking oil. If you want to stop paying outrageous gas prices and cut your emissions, then this DVD is for you."