Back To The Woods!

Its Tricky Doing a U-ey Down a One Way Street!

2009-07-19T18:55:00.000-07:00

Local Environmental Atrocity

2009-02-09T03:17:00.001-08:00

This 'footprint' is a photo of the strata of a local environMENTAL catastrophe. The locale is an ex-mining district of a Northern English provincial city. At the bottom of the photo you can see the lowest sub-layer (at least to where I was able to dig with a stick!) which looks like spent lyme ash. Next up is a burned version of the former - sorry, I'm no Geologist. After that is a burning organic matter which seems to be layered upon what the local people commonly call a "slag heap". On top of that is a less destroyed layer of organic matter consisting of twigs, etc. Then finally the top layer consists of leaves.

The two videos below demonstrate the effect of this deadly combination. The smell which exudes from this monstrosity is close to sulphur, which wouldn't surprise me. However, a proper analysis needs to take place of the burning mess.

Unfortunately, for some of us, we have to live down wind of the smoke. Certainly when walking past the heap if I am walking in the prevailing direction of the wind then I always cover my face with something as the smoke makes me cough.

I also noticed that some of the facing trees seem to have been stripped of their bark by something. I'm not sure if this is connected.

There is some local action to try to fix the problem although its quite obviously of limited impact so far. The problem has been around for some time now and nothing has happened. Meanwhile we continue to cough and splutter. I have no idea how the local wildlife is affected but it can't be pleasent for them either?

Making Wind Power, er, Sexy?

2009-01-05T10:05:00.000-08:00

Windpower Prototype 2.0

2008-12-04T09:17:00.000-08:00

This is the second prototype of my wind power project. The first version was based upon an old, scrounged DC motor with the props constructed from balsa wood. It flew very well but produced little power due to the size of the motor. This version uses an improved stepper motor design (not yet wired up) which I purchased from Ebay. Although it still retains the original balsa wood/cain tail fin and the main vertical strut.

The main prop is now scrounged from an old room cooler thingy I found lying around the woods, believe-it-or-not. It spins quite nicely in a light breeze when just placed loosely on a dowel but now I'm awaiting a strong breeze to test this rig. There's a little resistance and quite a bit of weight on the prop (which may improve) so this version will require stronger winds than the previous prototype. This is a good thing though since, due to the plastic props, it should be capable of spinning pretty quickly and sustaining high winds. Should. As ever, the proof of the prototype is in the testing!

So, wish me luck - I'll make further posts as no doubt the design improves as bits drop off and others are added!

Cheers.

Blair Witch Project!

2008-11-26T16:39:00.000-08:00

came acr0ss this old wreck in the woods
it was better off than good
in the hood
pud pud pud

needy are greedy
seedy

;-))

cops n robbers

2008-11-18T16:55:00.000-08:00

Achim Steiner (of UNEP) and Sir Mark Moody-Stuart invited yours Truly (and 5000 others) to participate in a survey of "elite climate change decision makers and influencers".

Today I actually got around to completing it as its importance dawned upon me.

Actually, the results will be fed into COP14.

It took me more than the estimated 20 minutes to complete as it was pretty heavy in places! Some of these ideas may feed into a post-Kyoto agreement...

I mostly used solar energy to complete the survey but ran out of juice at around 63% completion, a point I made in the survey: there isn't enough sunlight in the UK (yet)! Must get back to the wind turbine prototype ASAP.

2008-11-09T12:34:00.000-08:00

As the tree bears fruit
We all loot
Forget the soot
We build new shoots

The trees all cry
When Mothers die
I wipe my eye
As chips we fry

Let go the past
It will not last
A New Age dawns
As generations morn.

Peace Out. DD.

U-eee!

2008-09-19T00:41:00.000-07:00

So, how come the UK Government now wants to trade 50% of emissions as opposed to the previously agreed 30%? This stinks! Typical hypocrisy.

Even major business leaders, including leading energy producers, are now claiming we need to be doing something about global warming!

Trading is just NIMBYs by any other name. Trying to say the money will encourage environmental projects in Developing Countries doesn't cut it. We're not fools!

About time we lived up to our own hype - and responsibilities - and acted as British people should be acting; not continuing to be puppys for others!

Energy Wars

2008-08-17T14:39:00.000-07:00

Things are hotting up. America puts missile shields in the Balkans, Russia responds by pointing nuclear missiles at 'the West'. Seems a pretty obvious response to me? Things will get worse before they get better, if they ever do. See you later.

2008-07-17T16:22:00.000-07:00

So, I don't just talk about things I actually do them! Rare indeed amongst academics although I am not such at this time! :-)

Its a nice wood although I wasn't actually supposed to be there. Nonetheless, it was emancipatory to spend two nights out with Mother Nature. I was a little too close during this evening though since a visitation by the local (by the sound of it very large) wildlife in the night left me a little unnerved.

However, I've come back feeling much more relaxed and at peace with the world. Its got to be the best therapy in the book in my opinion. I am glad to hear that more and more of us in the UK are rekindling our interest in camping. There's got to be no better way to understand what all the fuss is about re climate change/global warming/wars, etc.

It can be a beautiful world, if only more of us would get out more, away from the TV and others' views of the world and start forming our own. This way the world really may become a better place for our children and their children.

Political Greenwash or Lack of Education?

2008-07-04T15:34:00.000-07:00

I partook in this survey of over a thousand global warming/climate change 'key influencers' not so long ago, the results are just in. Seems political leadership is still deemed to be lacking:

"A new worldwide survey of key climate decision-makers shows strong and consistent views that government leaders worldwide need to act quickly and agree on a set of clear, inclusive, and long-term policies in order to put climate solutions in place. The survey comes as countries and regions prepare for the crucial Copenhagen meeting of the UNFCCC and the G8 Summit."

We have around 20 to 30 years to start to put things right. This is not long. Political processes are notoriously slow. Sure, there is progress but we now need to start 'fast-tracking' policies. There is some evidence in the UK that this is starting to happen, e.g. the contentious "eco towns" projects, but education is still required at all levels of society, from the top to the bottom, before true progress is acheived. Meanwhile, whilst we all chew things over, Mother Nature will continue to ruffle her polluted feathers.

why flooding?

2008-06-26T16:54:00.001-07:00

because we have these...

but we do this...!

Eco Zoo

2008-06-13T12:23:00.000-07:00

Eco Zoo - What the Net was invented for. Things are really ramping up now guys. Good work.

public splutter

2008-06-12T12:22:00.000-07:00

More of us should use public transport but if its polluting like this vehicle then is it really much better than having a wealth of up-to-date private vehicles?

What do you feel?

BTW this bus almost ran me over too due to the actions of a rather reckless driver in the bus station! Nuff said.

Green Angel Sings the Blues

2008-06-02T18:51:00.000-07:00

So, the sky is falling in but we're all still running around in petroleum-driven vehicles, at great cost.

Green Angel sings the Green Blues.

Hacking the Mainframe!

2008-04-11T15:56:00.000-07:00

Dr. Timothy Barker
France (in exile) 11th April, 2008.

It is actually quite difficult to deprogram oneself from consensual reality. It also now seems, in retrospect, to not be an entirely good idea. Certainly ‘the authorities’ or ‘the establishment’ do not like people to think for themselves. For my own part in these escapades my objective was simple. I was witnessing, along with countless others, the destruction of our planet. I could no longer stand by and allow this to take place. Not on my watch, as they say. So, I sought to make a few changes.

The principal change, therefore, which one has to enact is to let go of the commonly held beliefs around about one’s being in society and then try to create one’s own path. However, this is much more easily said than done. For example, I was quite used to using shampoo and conditioner every day. I would try to take a bath or a shower (if I had one) every day. Looking back I’m not really sure why. But isn’t that what you’re supposed to do? Everyone is always doing this on the TV, right? It took around three or four months (I lost count actually) for my hair to ‘get right’. I still don’t use products, it looks OK to me. This probably hits that particular nail right on the head, so to speak. Taking responsibility for one’s own choices is paramount if we are to live in a sustainable manner. And this is the key objective of all of my experiments. Some of these I am outlining here.

Precisely why I am outlining these at this time is of great interest since I find that I am (I am struggling to find the English to describe this) being ‘held’ under a Section 3 of the Mental Health Act, 1983 (under British law). Actually, I fled the UK after some wholly un-British (in my book) actions on behalf of ‘the authorities’. Being pinned down and injected with pharmaceutical drugs, being handcuffed and dumped in a hard-to-locate ‘secure’ (actually drugs came and went like candy in a school playground) hospital ward and being denied all kinds of basic human rights such as the right to breath natural air and generally practice one’s own spirituality all say to me that the Mental Health system in the UK is in need of a jolly good overhaul and, more-to-the-point, should not be used in lieu of laws for the detention of citizens (with rights equal to others’) who want to deprogram themselves from consensual reality. Phew…

You see, my real bone of contention with all of this, is that consensual reality simply IS NOT WORKING! Take a look around, what do you see? Not only are we killing each other through drink, drugs and consumption in general but we are killing our one planet we are currently able to call home AND, potentially at least, a number of other species who may get along better without our interference. Those of us who are not concerned by this: ‘as long as we are doing OK’; should stop to think about our children’s children or our children’s children’s children. Or maybe you don’t have children? Well, here’s the news – you too were a child once! Grow up! Peace out, DD.

Journey to Forever

2008-02-04T05:33:00.000-08:00

This project sounds about right. Good luck to you all! :-)

Pow-A!

2008-01-30T03:56:00.000-08:00

"Health, HIV-Aids, tuberculosis, and even deficiencies in diet. Many of these problems can only be eradicated by education, knowledge, empowerment - the dynamic information at the right time and the right place." MS Swaminathan

A Lot of Hot Air!

2008-01-24T01:08:00.001-08:00

Nice article on the Beeb about the UK and talk of 'renewables', to quote:

"Still, a lot of wind can clearly take Britain a long way."

Never was a truer word 'spoken'.

The article also points out the obvious mistake; a lack of respect from on high for 'micro generation'.

Finally it ends with what everyone really knows. We are obese when it comes to energy consumption too.

If we use less we don't need to generate as much! Simple.

war and peace

2007-12-19T00:48:00.000-08:00

"These are anxious and exciting times and remind me of the days before the Second World War when many free spirits saw the need to accept conscription. They knew that if war was to lead to a just and successful peace its objectives must be kept in mind as well as the disciplined mechanics of military action. There is no betrayal of Gaia, we need the restraint of scientific conduct for investigation and theory testing and we need the poetry and emotion that moves us and keeps us in good heart while the battle goes on."

James Lovelock , Gaia, Preface p.xiii (2000 Ed.), Oxford University Press.

switch off the mind and let the heart decide

2007-12-16T10:53:00.000-08:00

wind, warmth and water
land, life and love
the earth that surrounds us
with heaven above!

heart and lungs

2007-12-06T00:05:00.000-08:00

"Whichever way one looks at this, education is absolutely at the heart of the transformation process - starting in our homes, workplaces, leisure centres, professional bodies or institutions, clubs, trade unions and so on. And it's as much a re-education of the heart that we are talking about here as the continuing education of the mind." Jonathon Porritt, "Capitalism as if the World Matters", Earthscan, 2006. (my emphasis)

Reclamation!

2007-11-23T11:22:00.000-08:00

Can't See the Wood for the Trees?

2007-11-05T14:44:00.000-08:00

There's an interesting development at "Maer Hills" Maer, Newcastle-under-Lyme, UK (the felled areas in the linked Google aerial photo are supposedly where anemometer masts may be hoisted).

The proposal is to build an "eco village" on a 'green site' (woodland) including wind turbines, 'holiday homes', even a golf course, allegedly!

Here are three aspects of the argument:

1. Local demography.

2. Community opposition to renewables.

3. 'Community' opposition to the presumed motivations of developers.

I'm sure there are many more arguments but these are a start. It also looks like (from the website designs, language, etc.) that there may be differences in attitudes amongst generations, classes, etc.

The property developers, Claymoss Properties, indeed do not appear to have a website so it is difficult to present their side of the argument. The planning applications are in the local planning office though - as they were in the Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy. (Watch out for those Vogons, clever people but appalling poetry!)

It certainly makes 'back to the woods' difficult if there aren't any trees.

I really do wonder if this whole enterprise is doing more harm than good?

Polarisation of communities may be good for business (in this instance) but it is bad for social cohesion. We need to be united not divided if our species is to survive this millennium en masse.

When It's Gone It's GONE!

2007-10-29T15:11:00.001-07:00

City Slicker or Country Bumpkin?

2007-10-23T10:01:00.000-07:00

So cities "have the highest potential for eco-living" according to Colin Butfield, campaigns manager of the WWF-UK. I'd absolutely (presently, at least) disagree.

To me cities are the epitome of centralised economies which tend to lead to increased transport (delivery of goods/provision of services) as well as untold 'social problems'.

Its an easy exercise, I did it just last night, but start in any city centre and steadily walk out of it, in one direction, until you are beyond the city limits. Note the differences as you encounter the various strata of socio-economic 'development'. This includes detritus (such as used syringes, discarded alcohol bottles and litter in the city centre) to environmental conditions (such as fresher air, natural smells and calmer traffic in the countryside).

I did muse last night that planned cities may be different, such as Dongtan, near Shanghai in China. But, the jury is still out. My own suspicion is that more autonomous, smaller communities may be a better solution. If, indeed, there is a solution. In other words, we should go back to just the way things probably were some time ago before everything got out of control:

I think 'developing nations' would be wise to pay heed to some of these kinds of issues in 'industrialised nations'.

Bumpkin may be a derogatory term and not particularly fashionable but I'm guessing that too will have to change.

Re: Evolution

2007-09-24T05:48:00.000-07:00

Terrence McKenna penned this awesome lyric with The Shamen some time ago. It quite succinctly declares the current crisis.

Quiet Time

2007-09-07T07:54:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't been posting much here. I have been doing a lot of walking and little talking. Maybe, come the Winter, I can write a bit more again. My advice? Get out! :-)

walk the talk!

2007-08-07T08:33:00.001-07:00

Les Sentiers de l'Utopie

2007-07-31T03:16:00.000-07:00

Paths Through Utopia

Later...

2007-07-29T01:57:00.000-07:00

Nick Rosen has a site and book about living off-grid.

Alternatives

2007-07-28T04:18:00.000-07:00

The UN "Universal Declaration of Human Rights" states in Article 25 that:

"Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services..."

Recently I had a couple of dealings with banks. I later reflected that one such institution who purported to being 'ethical' was not, in my opinion and that another, who were apparently one of the largest, ran such a disjointed business that their systems (particularly of communication) were inadequate, again in my opinion. So this led me to ponder what choices I had.

These days it is almost impossible to lead a 'modern lifestyle' without a bank account. From credit cards, to electronic transactions (necessary to pay bills, for instance) to simply receiving a salary it is assumed that we will have a banking 'facility'. So, if - say for the reasons highlighted above - we think current banking systems are not up to the job then what can we do?

This notion applies to other dominant systems. What choices do we really have? Are there any? Is 'choice' a delusion?

So, if I fancy getting a home - as may be my right - together with other life-sustaining necessities - but I don't agree with the buy-in into the established systems one has to submit to then what are the alternatives?

Ecoversity

2007-07-23T17:39:00.001-07:00

Utopian Dreaming?

Nothing To Declare!

2007-07-23T11:31:00.000-07:00

So Babylon's Burning/ Drowning/ Consuming...What Should We Do?