Comments for Ideas of the Gardener

Comment on Grist – responses to myths of the climate change denial industry by ken

ken — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 22:03:52 +0000

I am not in denial, but I’m still waiting for the UN IPCC to deliver the big hammer. The science that will prove that C02 controls the earth’s climate. Untill then I’ll continue to wait. Thanks for the great web site, very informative.

Comment on All we have to do is reverse things, and its easy by clareaka

clareaka — Wed, 06 May 2009 05:02:37 +0000

Hey thanks for the link to KarmaTube
Amazingly video isn’t it?
I first saw it via Fiona Edge, who is acquainted with it’s creator.

What this is saying, about youth and family, really resonates with what I’m reading now in a book called “Hold on to your kids : why parents need to matter more than peers” by Gordon Neufeld.

Comment on Microbial Fuel Cells create Energy from Waste by ideasofthegardener

ideasofthegardener — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 11:30:03 +0000

yes, first the chemistry
septic tanks are working on an anaerobic basis, and the diagram above shows the need for O2 in the right hand side of the cell, so aeration would be necessary.
second thing, would be modifying the access to the tank

I’d also want to do a Life Cycle Analysis of turning a septic tank into a methane producer, catching and using it as methane, or turning it into an electricity producer.

It could also depend on scale and end user needs.

Comment on Microbial Fuel Cells create Energy from Waste by Sue Trumpfheller

Sue Trumpfheller — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 21:51:51 +0000

Wonder if this system would work in an septic tank environment? If so it would take people off the grid in many parts of the world.

Comment on Climate Change as a civilisation threatening event by Sanjay Yengul

Sanjay Yengul — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 17:24:55 +0000

Nice post. I would like you to say a little more about the 22 positive feedback loops. I think one of the problems with generating awareness about Climate Change is that most people are not able to relate to the non-linear nature of the effects of these feedback loops.

In other words, an exponential increase is very different and far more dangerous than the linear increase that most people can fathom easily in their daily experience.

Comment on Misuse… or changing use of “aspire” by Spirit444

Spirit444 — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 08:46:35 +0000

Aspire.

Perhaps another way of understanding the meaning is to consider the pull of the Spirit.
In this context it is “to rise up”.

Those who aspire to better homes such as McMansions (as The Gardener mentions) and want bigger and better goods and gadgets are perhaps quite reasonably seeking to improve the quality of their life. This can be a never ending drive that cannot be satisfied, endlessly wanting more and more, but there is also a good side to it.
We are all naturally being drawn to improve the quality of our lifestlyes.
Some do this by improving the physical quality of their lives, others by improving the environment or their general surrounds.

Creating or adding to the simple beauty of a suburban garden or natural area is utilising the creative side of us that urges us on.

Some contribute, not only to their own gardens, but help to create remarkable places of beauty that others can share. This is a wonderful thing.

Comment on About the Gardener by ideasofthegardener

ideasofthegardener — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 17:49:24 +0000

Yep, as I am pretty busy and as collective efforts can be a lot more powerful I have asked various friends and colleagues to contribute, so Aurelius was talking about me.
See his post http://aurelius.wordpress.com/2007/07/03/deja-vu/

Comment on About the Gardener by The Swindle Swindle « Ideas of the Gardener

The Swindle Swindle « Ideas of the Gardener — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 17:03:54 +0000

[...] in the media, attending talks and seminar like the Earth Dialogs last year and associating with people who do a lot more reading on the issue than I [...]

Comment on Gidday by Posts at Ideas of the Gardener « The Gardener at Number 27

Posts at Ideas of the Gardener « The Gardener at Number 27 — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 09:24:12 +0000

[...] Posts at Ideas of the Gardener Gidday and why I started [...]

Comment on Misuse… or changing use of “aspire” by Aurelius

Aurelius — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 06:57:30 +0000

I understand “aspiring”. I’m curious about “Renaissance Man”.

Comment on The Cost of Permaculture Courses by ideasofthegardener

ideasofthegardener — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 00:02:07 +0000

3 Responses to “Perma($$)culture”
1. The Gardener said:
June 7th, 2007 at 8:46 am Read your comments on Permaculture Training
Totally agree that it should be free, but as a Permaculture practitioner since doing my Design Cert with Bill Mollison in 84, free Permaculture in Australia certainly is mostly not possible.
Many teachers have scholarship, discount or work in return for courses. But that doesn’t pay the rates, mortgage, kids school fees, course advertising, text books, or getting that ideal Permaculture garden going. But the bottom line is that to be an effective Permaculture educator takes a very large amount of time and money on course resources, journals further training and possibly undergrad if not postgraduate degrees. So you either have to cross-subsidise that through other work or the teaching has to earn you a living if not a return on your investment. …… I know it sounds horribly capitalistic…. but that’s the reality.
To be a better Permaculture educator and designer I have added to my PDC, 4 Diplomas in Permaculture and at the same time an undergrad Bachelor of Applied Science in facilitating social change, water quality and sustainable agriculture, an Honours Degree looking at Permaculture and the changes needed to attain sustainability.
A Graduate Diploma in Environmental Education and Masters of Environmental Education and now restarting a doctorate in Environmental Design and Environmental Education looking at how to bring about deep personal change more effectively, and how to take those storytelling life-changing strategies into Permaculture and sustainability education.
So far I have been practising and studying Permaculture and sustainability issues {as well as working} almost continuously since 84 in order to do it better.
Costs of studying, professional and industry association memberships, journals, textbooks, computers, data projector, conference attendance ++++…. as well as cost in lost income not following through typical career path for me when I added it up well exceeds five hundred thousand dollars.
I currently lecture on sustainability at uni.. a really excellent 1 hour lecture takes me 30-200 hours preparation. 30 hrs in revision and updating slideshow. 100-200 hours if it is a new lecture and slideshow.As Bill Mollison (Mollo) co-founder of Permaculture also taught my course in 84… unless people are desperately needy (as in short of food)…. if it is free.. they will not value it.
hope this makes sense and helps
why not offer to work your way through a course…or just save.. in the meantime take the book, join a permie elist and start experimenting.
cheers
the Gardener
2. The Gardener said:
June 7th, 2007 at 8:54 am PS
Permaculturing the cities, suburbs, towns and farms of the world is about the only viable solution to the coming environmental crunches of climate, Peak Oil, water shortages, disappearing biodiversity and spreading bioinvasions.
As Permaculture is a systemic approach based on ancient knowledges, unique design strategies from aquaculture and gardens to local economics and governance structures, that is based on systems thinking and a ongoing educational foundation.
cheers
The Gardener
3. The Gardener said:
June 7th, 2007 at 10:08 am PPS
Sustainability is information intensive, particularly if you have any inclination to teach or consult in this area.
If so Religiously watch ABC TVs Gardening Australia. Every ABC Local Radio station has a gardening and DIY building type talkback every Saturday morning.
Watch every SBS and ABC TV doco relevant including The New Inventors and Catalyst
Listen or podcast the ABC Radio National progs incl Bush Telegraph, the Science Show and In Design
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/podcast/podcast_subject.htmRead every issues of New Scientist, Renew from the Alternate Technology Association, the ABC’s Organic Gardening
and check out Australasian Poultry, Mother Earth News, Grass Roots, Earth Garden, Owner Builder, Acres, Small Farmer, Town and Country, The Weekly Times (Vic Farmers paper)
also check out associations like the Seed Saver’s Network, Rare and Minority Breeds Association and the local or state organic gardening mobs.
that should keep you going in the right direction.