Sustainable

Gardens / Photo Galleries

Pests in the Balcony Garden 09

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We had a serious attack of spider mites. They started in the catnip and yarrow and somehow got to the choko and beans. They took the choko down in no time, fortunately it is a hardy plant and it has now grown back to where it was when the spider mites devoured it.

This was my first real run-in with spider mites, which are quite a common especially in container and greenhouse gardeing. I tried neem oil and washing the leaves off, but I think my problem was too advanced by the time I used these measures. I finally found a recipe for a light glue that is sprayed on the back of the leaves and smothers the mites. This has to be done every so often as the eggs will keep hatching. It seems to have finally put a stop to them and my beans are looking a bit better. I also gave them a dandelion tea because I thought it might help add some potassium to the soil and that is another thing beans can easily become deficient in if they are in containers.

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July 28, 2009
Gardens / Photo Galleries

Guerrilla Garden Slideshow I

The revenge of the Bean Bandits and Pirate Tomatoes is upon us! I finally found a good spot on one of the Greenways of Vancouver BC. No one was using it, it got good sun and was just by a sky-train and rail-road tracks so it seemed a perfect spot. There is a lot more space available in this area,…

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July 28, 2009
D.I.Y. / Sustainable

Using Open Source Ubuntu

Fire in the Fennel Stalk

computerWhen I first heard of open-source I couldn’t believe my ears, the whole concept thrills me to bits. It is very timely, and similar to the myth of Prometheus when he stole fire from the gods, and brought it down for mankind in a fennel stalk. This time the tool of assistance for humanity is something that has been co-created through cooperation and free will. When I first heard about using Linux it was 2006 and I was still using my mom’s old notebook made in the 1980s. It was a real dinosaur, but at least it was still working and portable. I had about 4 batteries for it, but none of them held a charge and finally they all gave out.

I did a bit better this time round. My mom gave me her old computer again this year. I was really in luck, because she had just gotten it a couple years ago in S. E. Asia, all the software was pirated and it soon crashed. It was a perfect candidate for the new Ubuntu 9.0.4 that had just been released and suddenly I was back in business with the flashiest computer I have had since I got my PowerBook 165c in 1993.

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July 22, 2009
Blog / Travel

Farmers Markets of Myanmar

Click here to view exotic images of farmers markets around Myanmar.

kid in marketWho can resist an open air market? In Shan State they have a very clever system by having their farmers market run on a five day cycle. So, for example, around the mystical Inle Lake, the market will be one day in Nyaung Shwe, the next at Mein Tauk, the next at the other corner of the lake as a floating market, etc. This way local farmers can sell their product without having to go too far afield, and tourist just love going to the different locations each day. It is a system worth considering bringing back to other areas of the world. The Burmese have been forced to maintain their traditional methods of farming and subsistence living, which may in the long run be a blessing in disguise for them and the rest of the world. If any of us want to know how to live really sustainably, I recommend following in the footsteps of E.F. Schumacher (author of Small Is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered) by going to Burma and learning from them.

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July 13, 2009
Photo Galleries / Virtual Tours

Myanmar Farmer Markets Slideshow

"The Burmese have been forced to maintain their traditional methods of farming and subsistence living, which may in the long run be a blessing in disguise for them and the rest of the world." More... Click here to see images from various markets in Yangon (Rangoon).

2 Comments
July 13, 2009
Book Reviews / Food Security

Food Security & Sustainability

Spider Web

Food Security & Sustainability: For The Times Ahead by Harvest McCampbell, published by Bio Diverse Press in May 2008 arrived just in time.

This book is a level headed and comprehensive look at what is coming our way. Without fear-mongering and trying to get rich off of your fears, Harvest McCampbell provides a wealth of resources and practical steps that you can take to prepare for the transition that our world is gearing up for.

Harvest shares her vision of a Green World that her Grandmother passed down to her, and makes us consider how we would survive if we woke up one day in a world without asphalt or cars. In this book Harvest shares her answers to the question her Gram used to ask her when they were out in the woods gathering wild food and herbs.

“Maybe today, maybe when we get back to where we left the car, there will be no car, there will be no roads. Then what will we do Little One?”

In a few simple paragraphs, Harvest McCampbell filled my head with visions of the Green World her Gram spoke of and my heart with a secure feeling of hope. This book points to how we can each help each other to find our way through the mess we have made of things by working together with respect and confidence.

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July 12, 2009
D.I.Y. / Sustainable

Uses of Soapnuts

Soapnut

I’ve been using soapnuts for just about everything lately. They are especially handy for doing laundry. All you have to do is tie up 5 berries in a muslin or net bag and toss it in with your laundry. I like to add a few drops of musk oil, and a bit of hydrogen peroxide to remind me of the perfumed laundry soaps I have grown up with. One bag of five soapnuts will be able to wash about 5 loads of laundry, or more, just keep an eye on your soapnuts, and as they break down you can add some more.

I also found that you can make them into a liquid detergent which I have described and detailed in my Cradle to Cradle Dish-washing instructable. This liquid can also be used for washing out the fridge, cleaning tables, the floor or anything else that need cleaning. It can be used for shampoo and as a spray for house plants to help to protect them from insects or fungus.

I also have found that keeping a bag of soapnuts in the toilet tank will help to keep the toilet smelling fresh and keep it clean.

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July 11, 2009
Photo Galleries / Virtual Tours

Yangon Markets Slideshow

My favorite market in Yangon is the Indian Spice market which is on 26th St and Anawratha, and there I love to buy thick honey-rich sandalwood oil, turmeric, fragrant sandalwood beads, freshly ground whole wheat flour and blocks of beeswax. An old friend hangs around his buddies spice stall, and always is excited to see me. (pictured) More information here.…

1 Comment
July 11, 2009
Sustainable

Preparing for War with the Bankocracy

Published in Far West Almanac July, 2009. Follow-up to the article: For Generation X Eyes Only.

Any political, economic, theological, or philosophical system that in practice rewards production over life is illegitimate because, tautologically enough, it does not value the lives of its citizens over the needs of production. Such is sufficient to define illegitimacy. No other measure is needed.

Derrick Jenson — A Language Older Than Words -p368-369

burmadump

By now it will have sunk in good and deep that my previous proposal to stage a debt repayment strike for just one month in September (09/09) [see article Gen X mentioned above] is impractical unless enough people get involved so that we cannot be ignored. Otherwise simply not paying a debt for a month will result in late charges, bouncing checks and other never-before-heard-of fees. For the first people throwing off this yoke of debt and refusing to be suckered by the Currency Controlling Witch-Doctors of the Apocalyptic Future its gonna have to be all or nothing.

Anyone considering such a step needs to think long and hard about their options. This is not the easy way out of your debt. It is a much harder road to take and will demand much personal sacrifice. For those who owe J.P. Morgan Chase, for example, feel no guilt for refusing to pay this debt. Realize it may be necessary to stop paying the debt permanently, and that this will most likely result in garnished wages and a bad credit history.

When considering such a drastic step, be aware that there are many ways to deal with this issue. Many people are having success by negotiating lower payments for bills and debts. Such alternatives are better options for people with kids or health conditions. For those of us who understand that we are at war with these bankers and don’t want to give them another cent, it is time to consider more direct action.

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4 Comments
July 3, 2009
Grow Your Own

Guerrilla Gardening by the Skytrain

Hidasta beanAfter waiting for residency for more than a year, wondering how much longer I would be an illegitimate person was starting to wear on me. But, as they say, when the planets are in line everything falls into place. The full rose moon of June 7th, 2009 was such a day. I finally got my Canadian residency so that night I planted 13 Hidasta Shield Figure Pole beans (from The Cottage Gardener) to give my thanks to Vancouver, BC for welcoming and accepting us.

The previous year I had spent a lot of time walking the nearby streets admiring everyone’s fantastic gardens. I finally found the perfect spot on one of the Greenways of Vancouver. No one was using it, it got good sun and was just by a sky-train and rail-road tracks so it seemed a perfect spot. There is a lot more space available in this area, although much of it is under the tracks and wouldn’t get any rain.

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3 Comments
June 21, 2009